The Path, Vol. I.—1886-'7.
A Magazine Devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, Theosophy in America, and the Study of Occult Science, Philosophy, and Aryan Literature. (2024)

A MAGAZINE DEVOTED

TO

THE BROTHERHOOD OF HUMANITY, THEOSOPHY IN
AMERICA, AND THE STUDY OF OCCULT
SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY, AND
ARYAN LITERATURE.

Vol. I.—1886-’7.

PUBLISHED AND EDITED AT NEW YORK
BY WILLIAM Q. JUDGE.
1887.

Copyright 1887, by
WILLIAM Q. JUDGE.

iii

THE PATH.

VOL. I, 1886-1887.

Table of Contents

• No. 1 April 1886
• No. 2 May
• No. 3 June
• No. 4 July
• No. 5 August
• No. 6 September
• No. 7 October
• No. 8 November
• No. 9 December
• No. 10 January 1887
• No. 11 February
• No. 12 March

INDEX.

1

No. 1.

Unveil, O Thou who givest sustenance to the world, that face ofthe true sun, which is now hidden by a vase of golden light! sothat we may see the truth, and know our whole duty.

In him who knows that all spiritual beings are the same in kindwith the Supreme Spirit, what room can there be for delusion ofmind, and what room for sorrow, when he reflects on the identity ofspirit.—Yajur Veda.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. APRIL, 1886. No. 1.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

This magazine is not intended either to replace or to rival inAmerica The Theosophist, nor any other journal now published in theinterest of Theosophy.

Whether we are right in starting it the future alone will determine. Tous it appears that there is a field and a need for it in this country. No cultivatingof this field is necessary, for it is already ripe.

The Theosophist is the organ of the Theosophical Society, now spreadall over the civilized world, its readers and subscribers are everywhere, andyet there are many persons who will not subscribe for it although they areaware of its existence; and furthermore, being an Indian publication, it necessarilyfollows, because of certain peculiar circ*mstances, that it cannot bebrought to the attention of a large class of persons whom this journal will endeavorto reach.

But while the founders of The Path are Theosophists, they do not2speak authoritatively for the Theosophical Society. It is true that had theynever heard of Theosophy, or were they not members of the Society, theywould not have thought of bringing out this magazine, the impulse for whicharose directly from Theosophical teachings and literature.

It is because they are men, and therefore interested in anything concerningthe human race, that they have resolved to try on the one hand to pointout to their fellows a Path in which they have found hope for man, and onthe other to investigate all systems of ethics and philosophy claiming to leaddirectly to such a path, regardless of the possibility that the highway may,after all, be in another direction from the one in which they are looking.From their present standpoint it appears to them that the true path lies in theway pointed out by our Aryan forefathers, philosophers and sages, whose lightis still shining brightly, albeit that this is now Kali Yuga, or the age of darkness.

The solution of the problem, “What and Where is the Path to Happiness,”has been discovered by those of old time. They thought it was in thepursuit of Raja Yoga, which is the highest science and the highest religion—aunion of both. In elaborating this, they wrote much more than we canhope to master in the lifetime of this journal, and they have had many kindsof followers, many devotees, who, while earnestly desiring to arrive at truth,have erred in favor of the letter of the teachings. Such are some of the mendicantsof Hindoostan who insist upon the verbal repetition of OM for thousandsof times, or upon the practice of postures and breathing alone, forgettingthat over all stands the real man, at once the spectator of and sufferer bythese mistakes. This is not the path.

At the same time we do not intend to slight the results arrived at byothers who lived within our own era. They shall receive attention, for itmay be that the mind of the race has changed so as to make it necessary nowto present truths in a garb which in former times was of no utility. Whateverthe outer veil, the truth remains ever the same.

The study of what is now called “practical occultism” has some interestfor us, and will receive the attention it may merit, but is not the object ofthis journal. We regard it as incidental to the journey along the path. Thetraveller, in going from one city to another, has, perhaps, to cross severalrivers; may be his conveyance fails him and he is obliged to swim, or hemust, in order to pass a great mountain, know engineering in order to tunnelthrough it, or is compelled to exercise the art of locating his exact positionby observation of the sun; but all that is only incidental to his main objectof reaching his destination. We admit the existence of hidden, powerfulforces in nature, and believe that every day greater progress is made towardan understanding of them. Astral body formation, clairvoyance, lookinginto the astral light, and controlling elementals, is all possible, but not allprofitable. The electrical current, which when resisted in the carbon, pro3ducesintense light, may be brought into existence by any ignoramus, whohas the key to the engine room and can turn the crank that starts thedynamo, but is unable to prevent his fellow man or himself from being instantlykilled, should that current accidentally be diverted through hisbody. The control of these hidden forces is not easily obtained, nor canphenomena be produced without danger, and in our view the attainmentof true wisdom is not by means of phenomena, but through the developmentwhich begins within. Besides that, mankind in the mass are notable to reach to phenomena, while every one can understand right thought,right speech, and right action.

True occultism is clearly set forth in the Bhagavat-Gita, and Light onthe Path, where sufficient stress is laid upon practical occultism, but after all,Krishna says, the kingly science and the kingly mystery is devotion to andstudy of the light which comes from within. The very first step in true mysticismand true occultism is to try to apprehend the meaning of UniversalBrotherhood, without which the very highest progress in the practice ofmagic turns to ashes in the mouth.

We appeal, therefore, to all who wish to raise themselves and their fellowcreatures—man and beast—out of the thoughtless jog trot of selfish every-daylife. It is not thought that Utopia can be established in a day; but throughthe spreading of the idea of Universal Brotherhood, the truth in all thingsmay be discovered. Certainly, if we all say that it is useless, that such highlystrung, sentimental notions cannot obtain currency, nothing will everbe done. A beginning must be made, and has been by the TheosophicalSociety. Although philanthropic institutions and schemes areconstantly being brought forward by good and noble men and women,vice, selfishness, brutality and the resulting misery, seem to grow noless. Riches are accumulating in the hands of the few, while the poor areground harder every day as they increase in number. Prisons, asylums forthe outcast and the magdalen, can be filled much faster than it is possible toerect them. All this points unerringly to the existence of a vital error somewhere.It shows that merely healing the outside by hanging a murderer orproviding asylums and prisons, will never reduce the number of criminalsnor the hordes of children born and growing up in hot-beds of vice. Whatis wanted is true knowledge of the spiritual condition of man, his aim anddestiny. This is offered to a reasonable certainty in the Aryan literature, andthose who must begin the reform, are those who are so fortunate as to beplaced in the world where they can see and think out the problems all areendeavoring to solve, even if they know that the great day may not comeuntil after their death. Such a study leads us to accept the utterance ofPrajapati to his sons: “Be restrained, be liberal, be merciful;” it is thedeath of selfishness.

4

AUM!

The most sacred mystic syllable of the Vedas, is Aum. It is the firstletter of the Sanscrit alphabet, and by some it is thought to be the sound madeby a new born child when the breath is first drawn into the lungs. The dailyprayers of the Hindu Brahmin are begun and ended with it, and the ancientsacred books say that with that syllable the gods themselves address the mostHoly One.

In the Chandogya Upanishad its praises are sung in these words:1

Let a man meditate on the syllable OM called the udgitha,2**it is the bestof all essences, the highest, deserving the highest place, the eighth.

It is then commanded to meditate on this syllable as the breath, of twokinds, in the body—the vital breath and the mere breath in the mouth orlungs, for by this meditation come knowledge and proper performance ofsacrifice. In verse 10 is found: “Now, therefore, it would seem to followthat both he who knows the true meaning of OM, and he who does not, performthe same sacrifice. But this is not so, for knowledge and ignorance aredifferent. The sacrifice which a man performs with knowledge, faith and theUpanishad is more powerful.”

Outwardly the same sacrifice is performed by both, but that performedby him who has knowledge, and has meditated on the secret meaning of OMpartakes of the qualities inhering in OM, which need just that knowledgeand faith as the medium through which they may become visible and active.If a jeweler and a mere ploughman sell a precious stone, the knowledge ofthe former bears better fruit than the ignorance of the latter.

Shankaracharya in his Sharir Bhashya, dwells largely on OM, and inthe Vayu Purana, a whole chapter is devoted to it. Now as Vayu is air, wecan see in what direction the minds of those who were concerned with thatpurana were tending. They were analyzing sound, which will lead to discoveriesof interest regarding the human spiritual and physical constitution.In sound is tone, and tone is one of the most important and deep reachingof all natural things. By tone, the natural man, and the child, express thefeelings, just as animals in their tones make known their nature. The toneof the voice of the tiger is quite different from that of the dove, as different astheir natures are from each other, and if the sights, sounds and objects in thenatural world mean anything, or point the way to any laws underlying thesedifferences, then there is nothing puerile in considering the meaning of tone.

The Padma Purana says that:5 “The syllable OM is the leader of allprayers; let it therefore be employed in the beginning of all prayers,” andManu, in his laws, ordains: “A Brahmin, at the beginning and end of alesson on the Vedas, must always pronounce the syllable OM, for unless OMprecede, his learning will slip away from him, and unless it follows, nothingwill be long retained.”

The celebrated Hindoo Raja, Ramohun Roy, in a treatise on this letter,says:

“OM, when considered as one letter, uttered by the help of one articulation,is the symbol of the Supreme Spirit. ‘One letter (OM) is the emblem ofthe Most High, Manu II, 83.’ But when considered as a triliteral word consistingof अ (a), उ (u), म (m), it implies the three Vedas, the threestates of human nature, the three divisions of the universe, and the threedeities—Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, agents in the creation, preservation anddestruction of this world; or, properly speaking, the three principal attributesof the Supreme Being personified in those three deities. In this sense itimplies in fact the universe controlled by the Supreme Spirit.”

Now we may consider that there is pervading the whole universe a singlehom*ogeneous resonance, sound, or tone, which acts, so to speak, as theawakener or vivifying power, stirring all the molecules into action. This iswhat is represented in all languages by the vowel a, which takes precedence ofall others. This is the word, the verbum, the Logos of St. John of the Christians,who says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the word was withGod, and the word was God.”3 This is creation, for without this resonance ormotion among the quiescent particles, there would be no visible universe.That is to say, upon sound, or as the Aryans called it, Nada Brahma (divineresonance), depends the evolution of the visible from the invisible.

But this sound a, being produced, at once alters itself into au, so thatthe second sound u, is that one made by the first in continuing its existence.The vowel u, which in itself is a compound one, therefore represents preservation.And the idea of preservation is contained also in creation, or evolution,for there could not be anything to preserve, unless it had first come intoexistence.

If these two sounds, so compounded into one, were to proceed indefinitely,there would be of course no destruction of them. But it is notpossible to continue the utterance further than the breath, and whether thelips are compressed, or the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, orthe organs behind that used, there will be in the finishing of the utterancethe closure or m sound, which among the Aryans had the meaning of stoppage.In this last letter there is found the destruction of the whole word orletter. To reproduce it a slight experiment will show that by no possibility6can it be begun with m, but that au invariably commences even the utteranceof m itself. Without fear of successful contradiction, it can be asserted thatall speech begins with au, and the ending, or destruction of speech,is in m.

The word “tone” is derived from the Latin and Greek words meaningsound and tone. In the Greek the word “tonos” means a “stretching” or“straining.” As to the character of the sound, the word “tone” is used toexpress all varieties, such as high, low, grave, acute, sweet and harsh sounds.In music it gives the peculiar quality of the sound produced, and also distinguishesone instrument from another; as rich tone, reedy tone, and soon. In medicine, it designates the state of the body, but is there used morein the signification of strength, and refers to strength or tension. It is notdifficult to connect the use of the word in medicine with the divine resonanceof which we spoke, because we may consider tension to be the vibration, orquantity of vibration, by which sound is apprehended by the ear, and if thewhole system gradually goes down so that its tone is lowered without stoppage,the result will at last be dissolution for that collection of molecules.In painting, the tone also shows the general drift of the picture, just as it indicatesthe same thing in morals and manners. We say, “a low tone ofmorals, an elevated tone of sentiment, a courtly tone of manners,” so thattone has a signification which is applied universally to either good or bad, highor low. And the only letter which we can use to express it, or symbolize it, isthe a sound, in its various changes, long, short and medium. And just asthe tone of manners, of morals, of painting, of music, means the real characterof each, in the same way the tones of the various creatures, includingman himself, mean or express the real character; and all together joinedin the deep murmur of nature, go to swell the Nada Brahma, or Divineresonance, which at last is heard as the music of the spheres.

Meditation on tone, as expressed in this Sanscrit word OM, will lead usto a knowledge of the secret Doctrine. We find expressed in the merely mortalmusic the seven divisions of the divine essence, for as the microcosm is thelittle copy of the macrocosm, even the halting measures of man contain the littlecopy of the whole, in the seven tones of the octave. From that we are ledto the seven colors, and so forward and upward to the Divine radiance whichis the Aum. For the Divine Resonance, spoken of above, is not the DivineLight itself. The Resonance is only the outbreathing of the first sound ofthe entire Aum. This goes on during what the Hindoos call a Day ofBrahma, which, according to them, lasts a thousand ages.4 It manifests itselfnot only as the power which stirs up and animates the particles of the Universe,but also in the evolution and dissolution of man, of the animal and7mineral kingdom, and of solar systems. Among the Aryans it was representedin the planetary system by Mercury, who has always been said togovern the intellectual faculties, and to be the universal stimulator. Someold writers have said that it is shown through Mercury, amongst mankind,by the universal talking of women.

And wherever this Divine Resonance is closed or stopped by deathor other change, the Aum has been uttered there. These utterances of Aumare only the numerous microcosmic enunciations of the Word, which isuttered or completely ended, to use the Hermetic or mystical style oflanguage, only when the great Brahm stops the outbreathing, closes thevocalization, by the m sound, and thus causes the universal dissolution. Thisuniversal dissolution is known in the Sanscrit and in the secret Doctrine, asthe Maha Pralaya; Maha being “the great,” and Pralaya “dissolution.”And so, after thus arguing, the ancient Rishees of India said: “Nothing isbegun or ended; everything is changed, and that which we call death isonly a transformation.” In thus speaking they wished to be understoodas referring to the manifested universe, the so-called death of a sentientcreature being only a transformation of energy, or a change of the mode andplace of manifestation of the Divine Resonance. Thus early in the historyof the race the doctrine of conservation of energy was known and applied.The Divine Resonance, or the au sound, is the universal energy, which isconserved during each Day of Brahma, and at the coming on of the greatNight is absorbed again into the whole. Continually appearing and disappearingit transforms itself again and again, covered from time to time by aveil of matter called its visible manifestation, and never lost, but alwayschanging itself from one form to another. And herein can be seen the useand beauty of the Sanscrit. Nada Brahma is Divine Resonance; that is,after saying Nada, if we stopped with Brahm, logically we must infer thatthe m sound at the end of Brahm signified the Pralaya, thus confuting theposition that the Divine Resonance existed, for if it had stopped it could notbe resounding. So they added an a at the end of the Brahm, making itpossible to understand that as Brahma the sound was still manifesting itself.But time would not suffice to go into this subject as it deserves, and theseremarks are only intended as a feeble attempt to point out the real meaningand purpose of Aum.

For the above reasons, and out of the great respect we entertain for thewisdom of the Aryans, was the symbol adopted and placed upon the coverof this magazine and at the head of the text.With us OM has a signification. It represents the constant undercurrentof meditation, which ought to be carried on by every man, even whileengaged in the necessary duties of this life. There is for every conditionedbeing a target at which the aim is constantly directed. Even the very ani8malkingdom we do not except, for it, below us, awaits its evolution into ahigher state; it unconsciously perhaps, but nevertheless actually, aims at thesame target.

“Having taken the bow, the great weapon, let him place on it thearrow, sharpened by devotion. Then, having drawn it with a thought directedto that which is, hit the mark, O friend—the Indestructible. OMis the bow, the Self is the arrow, Brahman is called its aim. It is to be hitby a man who is not thoughtless; and then as the arrow becomes one withthe target, he will become one with Brahman. Know him alone as theSelf, and leave off other words. He is the bridge of the Immortal. Meditateon the Self as OM. Hail to you that you may cross beyond the sea ofdarkness.”5

Hadji-Erinn.

AUM!

KABBALAH.

The Kabbalah was formerly a tradition, as the word implies, and isgenerally supposed to have originated with the Jewish Rabbins. The wordis of Hebrew origin, but the esoteric science it represents did not originatewith the Jews; they merely recorded what had previously been traditional.

The Kabbalah is a system of philosophy and theosophy, that was obtainedat a very remote period of time by the wise men of the east, throughthe unfoldment of the intuitive perceptions.

Self consciousness forms the basis of mind, and knowledge is acquiredthrough the reception of activities from without, which are recorded in consciousness;there are two sources through which knowledge is received—onesubjective, the other objective. The former gives us a knowledge of thecausal side of the cosmos, and the latter, the objective or material side, whichis the world of effects, on account of being evolved from the former.

If this be true, the great first cause—God, has evolved out of Himselfthe esoteric or subjective world, in which He is to be found manifested. Outof the subjective, by change of energy and substance through law, He evolvedthe objective world. Therefore, the antecedents of the objective are to befound in the unseen or invisible portion of the universe. In a work we arepreparing for the press, which has been a study for over thirty years, we will9show what spirit is, that it is self-generating and self-sustaining, and from it,through volition, the cosmos was evolved.

Do not understand by the above remark that spirit becomes matter,through evolution, and that the universe is a huge Divine Personality. Wehave too high a conception and reverence for Deity, to suppose for an instant,that He became a material being through the evolution of the universe.He is not in any manner personally associated with either the esoteric or exotericcosmos. Spirit is distinct from matter but not from energy; energy isthe source of matter. It is therefore through energy and law that God is associatedwith the universe. The law is His Providence, and His will the executive.A miracle is an impossibility, for it requires a suspension of the lawupon which the universe is reared. To suspend this law for one moment,would disarrange the harmony of the entire universe. Therefore, the suspensionof this unique law, which controls energy in the production of substanceand matter, would immediately suspend evolution, and the entire universeand all that is associated with it, would at once become disintegrated.

The Providential law, being one of harmony, applies to everything outsideof the spirit of God, and therefore cannot be violated with impunity.The beauties of nature result from its harmony, and when it is violated, discordensues. We see this in nationalities, society, individuals, and in factin all departments of nature. If the violation goes beyond certain limits,revolution is the result, and if it is not corrected, destruction naturally follows.The greater the violation the more difficult it is to overcome the discordancy.Dissipation is sure to be rewarded with sickness, and if carriedtoo far, with death. Luxury and licentiousness, if persisted in, will destroysociety as well as nationalities. History affords us ample proof of this. Thislaw, no matter how slightly violated, brings its comparative punishment, andwhen obeyed, its corresponding reward.

After these preliminary remarks, we turn to our subject, the Kabbalah,and show how it has been preserved and transmitted or handed down fromone generation to another. The study of external nature alone affords us noevidence of a future life—on the contrary, it tends to disprove it, which accountsfor the agnostic belief, which has become so prevalent of late years.In the investigation of external phenomena, we recognize matter, energy andlife; the latter we are told is the result of protoplasmic cell action—the sameof mind. The continuity observed through all the departments of nature,implies that there is a law controlling energy in the production of forms. Ifenergy had nothing to guide it, its movements would be erratic, and naturewould become a conglomerate discordant mass. Now, the existence of alaw implies a law giver, for it is not self-creating or self-sustaining, thereforewe logically conclude that there is something back of material nature that isnot recognized by the external senses. What proof have we of the existence10of an external world, except through consciousness? An unborn child, if itpossessed reasoning faculties, would deny the existence of its own mother.A person born blind can have no conception of the beauties of nature, andif the sense of touch be suspended with that of sight, we could form no conceptionof solidity. If born deaf, of the harmony and discord of sound or ofmusic. We therefore perceive that we can have no conception of the existenceof an external world, except through neural activities recorded in consciousness,and without the unfoldment of the inner consciousness, we can formno opinion of a future life. In fact, logically speaking, we have the samegrounds for denying its existence as we would have of the external world,providing objective consciousness was closed.

This accounts for the doubt, uncertainty, and fear respecting the future,which is intensified by the present system of religious teachings. Thespiritual world is as much a reality as this, in fact more so, for it undergoesno change, as this one does.

The study of Theosophy has demonstrated to the writer that there is anothersource of knowledge which can only be acquired through the cultivationof a plane of consciousness, which is not reached by objective neural activities,but can be by unfoldment of inner consciousness.

It is the development of this state of consciousness that brings us enrapport with the esoteric world. The question now arises, how are we todevelop this much desired condition? It can only be accomplished throughthe harmony of the moral attributes of the spirit. Harmony is the only passportto Heaven, and the absence of harmony, which is discord, is the onlypassport to what christianity terms Hell. Therefore, heaven and hell areonly conditions of the spirit, which are beautifully illustrated in the 20thchapter of the Apocalypse, where it describes the angel descending fromheaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a chain. With the key heunlocked hell, and with the chain he bound the devil for a thousand years.The angel is the representative of holiness and purity, which is only attainedthrough the harmony of the spirit; the key is a symbol of light, and thechain that of truth; hell is supposed to be the abode of darkness, and thedevil a spirit of falsehood and error. We will now ask the question, is thereanything to banish darkness, but light? Anything to disperse falsehood anderror, but truth?

Christ was an Essene, and this secret order was a branch of the Kabbalah.St. John was his favorite disciple, whom he fully initiated into the mysteries.During this disciple’s exile on the Isle of Patmos or Patmo, he wrote theApocalypse, which is a profound Kabbalistic production, describing the unity,duality, ternary and septenary of the Kabbalah. The ancient adepts foundfrom experience, that in order to develop the interior or subjective consciousness,it was necessary (allegorically speaking) to11 “wear the cloak of Apollonius;”that is, to withdraw from the outer world, practice to the fullest extent,self-denial, and spend their wakeful moments in esoteric meditation. In orderto isolate themselves from society, they established secret sanctuaries, inwhich they met for mutual communion and religious exercises.

As they advanced in spiritual knowledge they found that there werevarious grades of harmony in the subjective or spiritual world, and each individualon leaving this life gravitated, as it were, to the sphere with whichhe was in harmony. They divided their sanctuaries into seven degrees tocorrespond with the harmonies in esoteric nature, and to each degree therewere three years of spiritual probation. As harmony results from the analogyof contraries, there were as many degrees of discord as there were of harmonies.The former they designated hell. The material cosmos, that is whatwe call the external world, was, as it were, middle ground between the two,which they called Hades, into which the soul passed at death, and the spiritwas made cognizant of its record while on earth. Physical death, theyclaimed was merely a change from a physical to a spiritual condition; thesoul or spiritual body being formed at the same time that the physical was,but in a very different manner. After death, the soul either ascended or descended,depending not upon gravity, but upon harmony.

It will thus be perceived that each degree in the sanctuary required aseparate or distinct initiation for each one, which was intended to representa higher state of moral and intellectual advancement. The last or seventhdegree was the one of perfection which brought about illumination, whenthe subjective world was as much a reality to the inward or subjective consciousnessas the outward world is to the objective. When this condition ofmoral and intellectual unfoldment was obtained, all interest in this life wasgone and the spirit longed for separation from its physical casket. Theneophyte seeking spiritual knowledge could only attain to the wisdom of thedifferent degrees by advancing morally, so as to be in harmony with thedegrees. The knowledge thus obtained was never recorded, but communicatedverbally in symbolic language. By this means it was kept a profoundsecret, and handed down traditionally. The first record we have of theKabbalah was made by Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai; theformer compiled The Sepher Jetzirah, “Book of Creation,” and the latter,The Sepherhaz Sohar, “Book of Light.” The first is regarded by theKabbalist at the key of the second. The Sohar has never been translated,and as a late Bishop of the Church of England justly states, never will be bya Christian. This is owing to its symbolic character, which can only be interpretedby a Kabbalist. It is in three volumes, in unpointed Hebrew, andconsists of a mixture of Armenic and Semetic languages. The Sepher Jetzirahmay be procured in three languages, the Hebrew, Latin and German.

12

We now come to the most interesting part of our subject.The key to the Kabbalah is the “Word,” consistingof four Hebrew letters, which may be arranged in across inclosed in a circle, Fig. A. The Christian Kabbalistinserted the Hebrew letter Sin, as a representativeof Christ in the ineffable name, Fig. B. The four-letteredname was the one given to Moses on theMount, with the understanding that it represented his(Jehovah) verbalization in the universe. The Word washeld in profound reverence by all, Kabbalists as well asthe Jews, and all ancient secret orders, and was neverspoken audibly, in fact never mentioned, except in thelast initiation, when it was whispered in the initiate’s earby the Grand Master of Ceremonies. The knowledge andpower the Word confers upon the recipient of its meaningis given in a fragment of a clavicle of Solomon: “I, Solomon,King of Israel and Palmyra, have sought and obtainedin part, the Holy Chocmah, which is the wisdomof Adonai. I have become King of the spirit of heaven and of earth, masterof the inhabitants of the air, and the souls of the sea, because I procured thekey of the occult gate of light. I have accomplished great things by thevirtue of Schema Hamphorasch, and by the thirty-two paths of the SepherJetzirah. Number, weight and measure determine the form of all things,substance is one, and God created it eternally. Happy is he who knows theletters and numbers; numbers are ideas, and ideas are forces, and forcesElohim. The synthesis of Elohim is Schema. Schema is one, and itspillars are two, its power is three, its form four. Its reflection gives eight,and eight multiplied by three, gives the twenty-four thrones of wisdom. Oneach throne rests a crown of three jewels, each jewel bears a name, eachname an absolute idea. There are seventy-two names on the twenty-fourcrowns of Schema. Thou shalt write these names on thirty-six talismans,two on each talisman—one on each side. Thou shalt divide thesetalismans into four series of nine each, according to the number of the lettersof the Schema. On the first series engrave the letter Jod, figure of theblooming rod of Aaron; on the second series the letter He, figure ofthe cup of Joseph; on the third series the letter Vau, the figure of thesource of David, my Father; on the fourth series the letter He, thefigure of the Jewish shekel. The thirty-six talismans will be a book that willcontain all the secrets of nature, and by their divers combinations, thou wiltmake the Genii and Angels speak.”

The Schema represents the four-lettered name; when mathematicallyconstructed into seventy-two different forms, it is called Schema-hamphorasch,13and represents seventy-two paths of wisdom, which constitute the keys ofuniversal science.

The history of the Kabbalah is yet to be written, which can only beaccomplished by one versed in its secrets. Historians have not done itjustice, they have debased it by associating it with necromancy or the blackart, which is to the Kabbalah what false religion is to pure Christianity. Thekernel lies hidden in the rubbish of the past, where it has been preserved forfuture generations. When it is disrobed of its vile and obnoxious coveringit will be found to have lost none of its beauty and brilliancy. The light ofthe Orient has been preserved by the wise men of the east, in symbols and allegoricallanguage, and when the time arrives, which is not far distant, someonepossessing the key, which is the Word, will unlock its mysteries andbring it forth in its divine purity, to enlighten the present and future generations.

The cycle of Tritheme, which commenced in 1878, will prepare someoneto bring it forth from its oblivion, and through its teachings a new trainof thought will be instituted and an impetus given to the moral and emotionaldevelopment which will be the harbinger of a bright future. Science willtake new strides, religion will throw aside her thread-bare garment andassume a new dress, which will accord with the teachings and example ofChrist. When this occurs, the conflict between religion and science willcease and harmony be established. The two then will be like brother andsister, aiding each other in the development of the intellectual and moralattributes of the spirit. It is no fault of science that a difference betweenthem has occurred, it has advanced while religion has been carrying on awarfare about creeds and dogmas, which has retarded her progress.

Christianity of to-day is as different from what it was in the first andsecond centuries of the Christian era, as modern masonry is different fromwhat it was in ancient times. Religion has attempted to control humanitythrough fear, having created a devil to keep man in subjection, and forcethe belief that God, who is the quintessence of purity and holiness, is avindictive and angry being, who takes delight in chastising those whothrough ignorance violate the Divine Law. While this religious conflict hasbeen progressing, christianity has gradually lost its hold on the public mind.At the same time humanity longs to know something of the future whichscience cannot give.

How is this emotional or moral want to be supplied? for humanitycannot progress intellectually beyond objective knowledge, without thedevelopment of the moral attributes. We venture the assertion that if thesame advancement had been made in the development of the emotionalattributes of the spirit, as has been in the intellectual, there would have beenno agnosticism, and science would be far in advance of what it is. Science14has about reached the limit of objective knowledge and cannot advanceuntil it acquires a knowledge of this world’s antecedents, which will enableit to correct numerous errors and give an impetus to further development.This cannot be done so long as they ignore the existence of a subjectiveconsciousness.

The Kabbalah embodies both philosophy and theosophy. The formergives us a knowledge of the universe, and the latter teaches man how to knowhimself and his God. It will also elevate masonry and all secret organizationshaving their rise from it, by showing that ancient masonry was notmerely a social and beneficial order like modern masonry, but an organizationfor the unfolding of the moral and intellectual attributes.

The Kabbalah has shown its fruits in philosophy through such mindsas Thales, Solon, Plato, Pythagoras, Göethe, and many others. In religionthrough Zoroaster, Confucius, Christ, Old and New Testament, and theEarly Christians, and later through the United Brethren, to which JacobBehmen belonged, and other theosophic sects. If the views we have advancedbe correct, that it is through the development of the inner consciousnessthat man attains to a knowledge of the subjective or causal world, andthat the knowledge of the Kabbalah will enable us to unfold these faculties,how urgent we all should be to have its secrets revealed.

Seth Pancoast.

SEERSHIP.

The following remarks are not intended to be a critique upon the literarymerits or demerits of the poem which is taken as the subject of criticism.In 1882, The Theosophist6 published a review of “The Seer, a PropheticPoem,” by Mr. H. G. Hellon, and as clairvoyance is much talked of in theWest, it seemed advisable to use the verses of this poet for the purpose of inquiring,to some extent, into the western views of Seership, and of laying beforemy fellow seekers the views of one brought up in a totally differentschool.

I have not yet been able to understand with the slightest degree of distinctness,what state is known as “Seership” in the language of western mysticism.After trying to analyze the states of many a “seer,” I am as far asever from any probability of becoming wiser on the subject, as understoodhere, because it appears to me that no classification whatever exists of thedifferent states as exhibited on this side of the globe, but all the different15states are heterogeneously mixed. We see the state of merely catchingglimpses in the astral light, denominated seership, at the same time that thevery highest illustrations of that state are called trances.

As far as I have yet been able to discover, “Seership,” as thus understoodhere, does not come up to the level of Sushupti, which is the dreamlessstate in which the mystic’s highest consciousness—composed of his highestintellectual and ethical faculties—hunts for and seizes any knowledge he maybe in need of. In this state the mystic’s lower nature is at rest (paralyzed):only his highest nature roams into the ideal world in quest of food. By lowernature, I mean his physical, astral or psychic, lower emotional and intellectualprinciples, including the lower fifth.7 Yet even the knowledge obtainedduring the Sushupti state must be regarded, from this plane, as theoreticaland liable to be mixed upon resuming the application of the body,with falsehood and with the preconception of the mystic’s ordinary wakingstate, as compared with the true knowledge acquired during the several initiations.There is no guarantee held out for any mystic that any experience, researchesor knowledge that may come within his reach in any other statewhatever, is accurate, except in the mysteries of initiation.

But all these different states are necessary to growth. Yagrata—ourwaking state, in which all our physical and vital organs, senses and facultiesfind their necessary exercise and development, is needed to prevent the physicalorganization from collapsing. Swapna—dream state, in which are includedall the various states of consciousness between Yagrata and Sushupti,such as somnambulism, trance, dreams, visions, &c.—is necessary for thephysical faculties to enjoy rest, and for the lower emotional and astral facultiesto live, become active, and develop; and Sushupti state, comes about inorder that the consciousnesses of both Yagrata and Swapna states may enjoyrest, and for the fifth principle, which is the one active in Sushupti, to developitself by appropriate exercise. In the equilibrium of these three stateslies true progress.

The knowledge acquired during Sushupti state, might or might not bebrought back to one’s physical consciousness; all depends upon his desires,and according as his lower consciousnesses are or are not prepared to receiveand retain that knowledge.

The avenues of the ideal world are carefully guarded by elementals fromthe trespass of the profane.

Lytton makes Mejnour say:816 “We place our tests in ordeals thatpurify the passions and elevate the desires. And nature in this controls andassists us, for it places awful guardians and unsurmountable barriers betweenthe ambitions of vice and the heaven of loftier science.”

The desire for physical enjoyment, if rightly directed, becomes elevated,as a desire for something higher, gradually becoming converted into a desireto do good to others, and thus ascending, ceases to be a desire, and is transformedinto an element of the sixth principle.

The control by nature to which Mejnour refers, in found in the naturalmaximum and minimum limits; there cannot be too much ascension, norcan the descent be too quick or too low. The assistance of nature is foundin the Turya state, in which the adept takes one step and nature helps foranother.

In the Sushupti state, one might or might not find the object of hisearnest search, and as soon as it is found, the moment the desire to bring itback to normal consciousness arises; that moment Sushupti state is at an endfor the time being. But one might often find himself in an awkward position,when he has left that state. The doors for the descent of the truth intothe lower nature are closed. Then his position is beautifully described in anIndian proverb: “The bran in the mouth and the fire are both lost.” Thisis an allusion to a poor girl who is eating bran, and at the same time wantsto kindle the fire just going out before her. She blows it with the bran in hermouth; the bran falls on the dying ashes, extinguishing them completely;she is thus a double loser. In the Sushupti state, the anxiety which is feltto bring back the experience to consciousness, acts as the bran with the fire.Anxiety to have or to do, instead of being a help as some imagine, is a directinjury, and if permitted to grow in our waking moments, will act with all thegreater force on the plane of Sushupti. The result of these failures is clearlyset forth by Patanjali.9

Even where the doors to the lower consciousness are open, the knowledgebrought back from Sushupti state, might, owing to the distractions anddifficulties of the direct and indirect routes of ascent and descent, be lost onthe way either partially or wholly, or become mixed up with misconceptionsand falsehood.

But in this search for knowledge in Sushupti, there must not remain aspark of indifference or idle inquisitiveness in the higher consciousness.Not even a jot of lurking hesitation about entering into the state, nor doubtabout its desirability, nor about the usefulness or accuracy of the knowledgegleaned on former occasions, or to be presently gleaned. If there is anysuch doubt or hesitancy, his progress is retarded. Nor can there be anycheating or hypocrisy, nor any laughing in the sleeve. In our normal wakefulstate it always happens that when we believe we are earnestly aspiring,some one or more of the elements of one or more of our lower consciousnessesbelie us, make us feel deluded and laugh at us, for such is the self-inconsistentnature of desire.

17

In this state, which we are considering there are subjective and objectivestates, or classes of knowledge and experience, even as there are the same inYagrata. So, therefore, great care should be taken to make your aims andaspirations as high as possible while in your normal condition. Woe to himwho would dare to trifle with the means placed at his disposal in the shapeof Sushupti. One of the most effectual ways in which western mystics couldtrifle with this, is to seek for the missing links of evolution, so as to bringthat knowledge to the normal consciousness, and then with it to extend thedomain of “scientific” knowledge. Of course, from the moment such adesire is entertained, the one who has it is shut out from Sushupti.10

The mystic might be interested in analyzing the real nature of the objectiveworld, or in soaring up to the feet of Manus,11 to the spheres whereManava intellect is busy shaping the mould for a future religion, or had beenshaping that of a past religion. But here the maximum and minimum limitsby which nature controls, are again to be taken account of. One essentialfeature of Sushupti is, as far as can now be understood, that the mystic mustget at all truths through but one source, or path, viz: through the divineworld pertaining to his own lodge (or teacher), and through this path hemight soar as high as he can, though how much knowledge he can get is anopen question.

18

Let us now inquire what state is the seership of the author of our poem“The Seer,” and try to discover the “hare’s horns” in it. Later on we maytry to peep into the states of Swedenborg, P. B. Randolph, and a few of the“trained, untrained, natural born, self-taught, crystal, and magic mirrorseers.”

I look at this poem solely to point out mistakes so as to obtain materialsfor our study. There are beauties and truths in it which all canenjoy.

In ancient days it was all very well for mystics to write figuratively so asto keep sacred things from the profane. Then symbolism was rife in the airwith mysticism, and all the allegories were understood at once by those forwhom they were intended. But times have changed. In this materialisticage it is known that the wildest misconceptions exist in the minds of manywho are mystically and spiritually inclined. The generality of mystics andtheir followers are not free from the superstitions and prejudices which havein church and science their counterpart. Therefore in my humble opinionthere can be no justification for writing allegorically on mysticism, and bypublication, placing such writings within reach of all. To do so is positivelymischievous. If allegorical writings, and misleading novels are intended topopularize mysticism by removing existing prejudices, then the writers oughtto express their motives. It is an open question whether the benefit resultingfrom such popularization is not more than counterbalanced by the injuryworked to helpless votaries of mysticism, who are misled. And there is lessjustification for our present allegorical writers than there was for those ofLytton’s time. Moreover, in the present quarter of our century, veils arethrown by symbolical or misleading utterances, over much that can be safelygiven out in plain words. With these general remarks let us turn to “TheSeer.”

In the Invocation, addressed evidently to the Seer’s guru,12 we find thesewords:

Trance here means only one of the various states known as cataleptic orsomnambulic, but certainly neither Turya nor Sushupti. In such a trancestate very few of the mysteries of “this life,” or even of the state of trance itself,could be unveiled. The so-called Seer can “enjoy” as harmlessly andas uselessly as a boy who idly swims in the lagoon, where he gains noknowledge and may end his sport in death. Even so is the one who swims,cuts capers, in the astral light, and becomes lost in something strange whichsurpasses all his comprehension. The difference between such a Seer and19the ordinary sensualist, is, that the first indulges both his astral and physicalsenses to excess, while the latter his physical senses only. These occultistsfancy that they have removed their interest from self, when in reality theyhave only enlarged the limits of experience and desire, and transferred theirinterest to the things which concern their larger span of life.13

Invoking a Guru’s blessings on your own higher nature for the purposeof sustaining you in this trance state, is as blasphemous and reprehensible anact of assisting descent, and conversion of higher into lower energies, as toinvoke your Guru to help you in excessive wine drinking; for the astralworld is also material. To be able to solve the mysteries of any consciousnesswhatever, even of the lowest physical, while in trance, is as vain a boastof the hunters for such a state, as that of physiologists or mesmerists. Whileyou are in trance state, if you are not ethical enough in your nature, you willbe tempted and forced, by your powerful lower elements, to pry into the secretsof your neighbors, and then, on returning to your normal state, to slanderthem. The surest way to draw down your higher nature into the miryabyss of your physical and astral world, and thus to animalize yourself, is togo into trance or to aspire for clairvoyance.

These lines are highly presumptuous. It is impossible, even fora very high Hierophant, in any of his states whatever, to gaze intohis Guru’s goal;14 his subjective consciousness can but barely come upto the level of the normal or objective consciousness of his Guru.It is only during the initiation that the initiated sees not only his own immediategoal, but also Nirvana, which of course includes his Guru’s goal also;but after the ceremony is over he recollects only his own immediate goal forhis next “class,” but nothing beyond that.15 This is what is meant by theGod Jehovah saying to Moses: “And I will take away mine hand andThou shalt see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” And in the RigVeda it is said:16 “Dark is the path of Thee, who art bright; the lightis before Thee.”

Mr. Hellon opens his poem with a quotation from Zanoni: “Man’sfirst initiation is in trance; in dreams commence all human knowledge, in20dreams he hovers over measureless space, the first faint bridge between spiritand spirit—this world and the world beyond.”

As this is a passage often quoted approvingly, and recognized as containingno misconceptions, I may be permitted to pass a few remarks, first,upon its intrinsic merits, and secondly, on Lytton himself and his Zanoni.I shall not speak of the rage which prevails among mystical writers, for quotingwithout understanding what they quote.

In Swapna state man gets human, unreliable knowledge, while divineknowledge begins to come in Sushupti state. Lytton has here thrown agilded globule of erroneous ideas to mislead the unworthy and inquisitivemysticism hunters, who unconsciously price the globule. It is not too muchto say that such statements in these days, instead of aiding us to discover thetrue path, but give rise to numberless patent remedies for the evils of life,remedies which can never accomplish a cure. Man-made edifices calledtrue Raja Yoga,17 evolved in trance, arise confronting each other, conflictingwith each other, and out of harmony in themselves. Then not only endlessdisputation arises, but also bigotry, while the devoted and innocent seekersafter truth are misled, and scientific, intelligent, competent men, are scaredaway from any attempt to examine the claims of the true science. As soonas some one sided objective truth is discovered by a Mesmer, a defender ofancient Yoga Vidya,18 blows a trumpet crying out, “Yoga is self mesmerization,mesmerism is the key to it, and animal magnetism develops spiritualityand is itself spirit, God, Atman,” deluding himself with the idea that he is assistinghumanity and the cause of truth, unconscious of the fact that he isthus only degrading Yoga Vidya. The ignorant medium contends that her“control” is divine. There seems to be little difference between the claimsof these two classes of dupes, and the materialist who sets up a protoplasmin the place of God. Among the innumerable hosts of desecrated terms areTrance, Yoga, Turya, initiation, &c. It is therefore no wonder that Lytton, ina novel, has desecrated it and misapplied it to a mere semi-cataleptic state.I, for one prefer, always to limit the term Initiation to its true sense, viz., thosesacred ceremonies in which alone “Isis is unveiled.”

Man’s first initiation is not in trance, as Lytton means. Trance is anartificial, waking, somnambulistic state, in which one can learn nothing at allabout the real nature of the elements of our physical consciousness, and muchless any of any other. None of Lytton’s admirers seems to have thought thathe was chaffing at occultism, although he believed in it, and was not anxiousto throw pearls before swine. Such a hierophant as Mejnour—notLytton himself—could not have mistaken the tomfoolery of somnambulismfor even the first steps in Raja Yoga. This can be seen from the way in21which Lytton gives out absolutely erroneous ideas about occultism, while atthe same time he shows a knowledge which he could not have, did he believehimself in his own chaffing. It is pretty well recognized that he at lastfailed, after some progress in occultism as a high accepted disciple. His Glyndonmight be Lytton, and Glyndon’s sister Lady Lytton. The hieroglyphicsof a book given him to decipher, and which he brought out as Zanoni, mustbe allegorical. The book is really the master’s ideas which the pupil’s highestconsciousness endeavors to read. But they were only the mere commonplacesof the master’s mind. The profane and the cowardly always say thatthe master descends to the plane of the pupil. Such can never happen. Andprecipitation of messages from the master is only possible when the pupil’shighest ethical and intuitive faculties reach the level of the master’s normaland objective state. In Zanoni, this is veiled by the assertion that he had toread the hieroglyphics—they did not speak to him. And he confesses in thepreface that he is by no means sure that he has correctly deciphered them.“Enthusiasm,” he says, “is when that part of the soul which is above intellect,soars up to the Gods, and there derives the inspiration.” Errors willtherefore be due to wilful misstatements or to his difficulty in reading the cipher.

Such indefinite descriptions are worse than useless. The inward sensesare psychic senses, and their perceiving strange forms and mere appearancesin the astral world is not useful or instructive. Forms and appearances inthe astral light are legion, and take their shape not only from the seer’smind unknown to himself, but are also in many cases, reflections for otherpeople’s minds.

seems to be utterly unethical. Here the seer is in the first place jealous ofthe light possessed by his guru, or he is grasping in the dark, ignorant evenof the rationale of himself being in lower states than his guru. However,Mr. Hellon has not erred about the existence of such a feeling. It does andshould exist in the trance and dreaming state. In our ordinary wakingstate, attachments, desires, &c., are the very life of our physical senses, andin the same way the emotional energies manifest themselves on the astralplane in order to feed and fatten the seer’s astral senses, sustaining themduring his trance state. Unless thus animated, his astral nature would cometo rest.

22

No proof is therefore needed for the proposition that any state which issustained by desires and passions cannot be regarded as anything more thanas a means for developing one part of the animal nature. Van Helmont isof the same opinion as Mr. Hellon.19 We cannot, therefore, for a momentbelieve that in such a state the “I” of that state is Atman.20 It is only thefalse “I”; the vehicle for the real one. It is Ahankára—lower self, orindividuality of the waking state, for even in trance state, the lower sixthprinciple plays no greater part and develops no more than in the wakefulstate. The change is only in the field of action: from the waking one tothe astral plane, the physical one remaining more or less at rest. Were itotherwise, we would find somnambules day by day exhibiting increase ofintellect, whereas this does not occur.

Suppose that we induce the trance state in an illiterate man. He canthen read from the astral counterpart of Herbert Spencer or Patanjali’s booksas many pages as we desire, or even the unpublished ideas of Spencer; buthe can never make a comparison between the two systems, unless that hasalready been done by some other mind in no matter what language. Norcan any somnambule analyze and describe the complicated machinery ofthe astral faculties, much less of the emotional ones, or of the fifth principle.For in order to be analyzed they must be at rest so that the higher self maycarry on the analysis. So when Mr. Hellon says:

“A trance steals o’er my spirit now,”

he is undoubtedly wrong, as Atman, or spirit, cannot go into a trance.When a lower plane energy ascends to a higher plane it becomes silentthere for a while until by contact with the denizens of its new home itspowers are animated. The somnambulic state has two conditions, (a)waking, which is psycho-physiological or astro-physical; (b) sleeping, whichis psychical. In these two the trance steals partly or completely only overthe physical consciousness and senses.

“And from my forehead peers the sight,” etc.

This, with much that follows, is pure imagination or misconception.As for instance, “floating from sphere to sphere.” In this state the seer isconfined to but one sphere—the astral or psycho-physiological—no higherone can he even comprehend.

Speaking of the period when the sixth sense shall be developed, he says:

In this the seer shows even a want of theoretical knowledge of the periodspoken of. He has madly rushed into the astral world without a knowledge23of the philosophy of the mystics. Even though the twelfth sense were developed—letalone the physical sixth—it shall ever remain as difficult as itis now, for people to read one another’s mind. Such is the mystery ofManas.21 He is evidently deluded by seeing the apparent triumphs duringa transitional period of a race’s mental development, of those minds abnormallydeveloped which are able to look into the minds of others; and yetthey do that only partially. If one with a highly developed sixth principlewere to indulge for only six times in reading other’s minds, he would surelydrain that development down to fatten the mind and desires. Moreover,Mr. Hellon’s seer seems to be totally unaware of the fact that the object ofdeveloping higher faculties is not to peer into the minds of others, and thatthe economy of the occult world gives an important privilege to the mystic,in that the pages of his life and manas shall be carefully locked up againstinquisitive prowlers, the key safely deposited with his guru, who never lendsit to any one else. If with the occult world the laws of nature are so strict,how much more should they be with people in general. Otherwise, nothingwould be safe. The sixth sense would then be as delusive and a curse tothe ignorant as sight and learning are now. Nor shall this sixth sense manbe “perfect.” Truth for him shall be as difficult to attain through his“sense,” as it is now. The horizon shall have only widened, and what weare now acquiring as truth will have passed into history, into literature, intoaxiom. “Sense” is always nothing else than a channel for desire to flowthrough and torment ourselves and others.

The whole poem is misleading, especially such expressions as: “Hisspirit views the world’s turmoil; behold his body feed the soil.—A sixthsense race borne ages since, to God’s own zone.” Our higher self—Atman—cannever “view the world’s turmoil,” nor behold the body. Forsupposing that it did view the body or the world’s turmoil, it would be attractedto them, descending to the physical plane, where it would be convertedmore or less into physical nature. And the elevation of a sixth senserace unphilosophically supposes the raising up of that sense, which certainlyhas only to do with our physical nature, at most our astro-physical nature,to the sphere of God or Atman.

By merely training the psychical powers true progress is not gained,but only the enjoyment of those powers; a sort of alcohol on the astral plane,which results in unfavorable Karma. The true path to divine wisdom is inperforming our duty unselfishly in the station in which we are placed, forthereby we convert lower nature into higher, following Dharma—our wholeduty.

Murdhna Joti.

24

THE NATURE AND OFFICE OF BUDDHA’S RELIGION.

From a dissertation by the Rt. Rev. H. Sumangala, High Priest of Adam’sPeak, Ceylon.22

What must a religion chiefly reveal? A religion, as such, must for themost part propound what is not generally seen and felt in the nature ofsentient beings. It must also proclaim “the ways and means” by whichthe good of the world is attained. These teachings are essential to a religionor it would, at best, become only a system of philosophy or a science ofnature. We find these two essentials fully treated in the religion of Buddha.

Buddha says:23 “The world has mounted on the passions and is suspendedtherefrom—that is, the thoughts of men are hanging down from thelusts and other evils. The whole world is encompassed by decay; andDeath overwhelms us all, (consumption and decay ever slowly but steadilycreep in and eat into each and everything in existence, and it is here likenedto something like land encircled by sea). Nature has subjected us tobirth, decay and death, and the deeds of our past lives are covered by the terrorsof death from our view, although the time of their action is not very far removedfrom our present state of existence. Hence it is that we do not viewthe scenes of our past births. Human life before it arrives at its final destiny,is ever inseparable from Jâti, Jarâ, Marana, etc., (birth, infirmities, death,etc.). As we are at present we are in sorrow and pain, and we have not yetobtained the highest object of our being. It behooves us, therefore, to exertourselves everytime and by all means to attain to our summum ultimum, andwe have to use and practice ‘the ways and means’ shown in religion inearnestness and integrity.”

Now what are they as set forth in Buddhism? “The man who is everfully in the observance of the precepts of morality; who sees and understandsthings well and truly; who has perfect and serene command over histhoughts; and who has his mind fixed well in proper contemplation. I say,that such a man alone will safely pass over the dreadful torrent of metempsychosis,which is indeed hard to be gone over safely and without meetingwith great obstacles and difficulties.”

The way to holiness of being, to destruction of sorrows, pain and sufferings,and to the path to Nirvana and to its attainment, is, the starting ofmemory, on the body, on sensation, on mind and on the true doctrines, largelydiscoursed on by the Lord Gautama Buddha.25 “Men are sanctified by theirdeeds, their learning, their religious behavior, their morals, and by leadinga holy life; they do not become holy by race or wealth.”24

Buddha has opened up to us a supreme path for sanctification; describedin detail in many verses of His Dharmá.25 He says: “Oh Bhikkus!what is the holy path which ought to be walked over to destroy pain andsorrows? It is the ariya path, consisting of eight members or componentparts, which are: Right Seeing or correct belief; right Thinking; rightWords; right Actions; right Living; right Exertions; right Recollecting;and right Composing of Mind—the practice of Yoga.”

Of all the paths this, the eight membered one, is the Supremest; of theTruths, the fourfold one is the highest; of all classes of knowledge, that ofNirvana is the most excellent, and of all bipeds Buddha is the highest andmost supremely exalted and enlightened.

I. Right seeing is the correct and full comprehension of the four factsor divisions, which are: Sorrows, the origin of sorrows, the destruction ofsorrows, and the ways and means to be used for that destruction. Now thisRight seeing may be viewed in two ways, (1) worldly, (2) over-worldly, orabove the worldly way. The first is understanding, while still we have notovercome our lusts, passions and desires, the effects of good and bad actions,and that such acts alone brought about the effects; the second is broughtabout by destroying lust, anger, &c., and rightly comprehending what areknown as the “four supreme verities.”

II. Right Thinking includes, pondering on the abandoning of allmerely worldly happiness, bad desires, anger, &c., and the cherishing ofthoughts to live separated from them all; loathing to take life, and the continuedmental exercise of the determination not to hurt a sentient being.

III. Right Speech avoids lying, slandering, uttering rough or vulgarwords, and vain babbling or empty talk.

IV. Right Actions is, sanctifying the body by refraining from killing,stealing, enjoying unlawful sexual intercourse, &c.

V. Right Living is, obtaining a livelihood by being worthily employed,supporting one’s self.

VI. Right Exertion is, to labor willingly and earnestly to prevent evilthoughts from arising in the mind, nipping even the buds of such thoughtsalready sprung, and by nourishing good thoughts and by creating morallyvirtuous ideas when heart and mind are vacant and empty of them.

VII. The seventh is the four above mentioned—in possession.

VIII. The last member includes the four dhyánas. Sammá Samádhi, orRight Meditation, is the last member of the Supreme Path. In religion26Samádhis are of various natures, but now we will confine ourselves to oneparticular Samádhi.

It is that state of mind in which dispersed thoughts are brought togetherand concentrated on one particular object. The chief feature is composureof the mind, and its essential characteristic is the restriction of thoughtsfrom dispersion. Stability aids its sustentation and undisturbed happinessis its natural result.

The primary stage of this state of mind is known as UpacháraSamádhi,26 the second, or advanced stage, as Uppaná Samádhi.27

It is also divided into two classes. Lokiya28 which any one may enterinto; and Lokuttara,29 which can be entered into only by those who are freefrom worldly desires. The first is a preliminary step to the attainment of thesecond. For the first, the devotee must give himself up to devotion in themanner prescribed in 3d, 4th and 5th angas of the Arya astangikamargachatuparisuddhi silas, and then free himself from the ten worldly troubles, whicharise: from building houses; connections with family; excessive gains; theduties of a teacher; from manual work; journeys for another or for one’s owngain; sickness of teacher, pupils and parents; bodily sufferings; constantstudy, and worldly power and its loss. Being free from these he must thenbe acquainted with the systematic process of meditation, instructed by afriend or an eminent preceptor.

Meditation is of two classes. First, that wherein the devotee exercisesuniversal love of mankind, reflects that death is close at hand, and that thehuman body being liable to decay is not to be regarded with consideration.The second is that which applies to a man according to his moral nature.30These are forty in number. Taking one let us see how meditation shouldbe practised.

Man’s moral nature is divided into six classes: Sensuous, irascible, ignorant,faithful, discreet, reflective. The first three are evil, and the last threegood qualities. If in any man’s nature an evil and virtue combine, thatwhich predominates will influence his moral character. The process ofmeditation, then, is to be decided by the preceptor according to the tendencyof the moral character as thus influenced.31 The devotee then seeks retirementresigned to Buddha.

27

A PROPHECY ABOUT THEOSOPHY.

There are alleged to exist in India certain Sibylline books called Nadigrandhams.As the name indicates, they are compilations of astrologicalstatements or predictions, and are supposed to contain actual propheciesfitting into the lives of inquirers as well as into the history of a village. Theyresemble the Sibylline books of Rome, which prophesied, it is said, for overtwo hundred years, all the important events in the affairs of the Eternal City.

In May, 1885, Col. H. S. Olcott, President of the Theosophical Society,hearing of some of these books in Madras, had an interview at the headquarterswith the astrologer who possessed them, in the presence of two witnesses.

In reporting the predictions in the May article32 he left certain blankssaying that he would speak regarding it in twelve months, and that the unpublishedportion concerned the welfare of the society. The prophecy was:

“The society is now, April 3, 1885, passing through a dark cycle, which beganAugust 24, 1884; it will last nine months and sixteen days more, making seventeen monthsfor the whole period. By the end of fourteen months next following the seventeen darkmonths, the society will have increased threefold in power and strength, and some whohave joined it and worked for its advancement, shall attain gnyanam.33 The society willlive and survive its founders for many years, becoming a lasting power for good; it willsurvive the fall of governments. And you (H. S. O.) will live from this hour, twenty-eightyears, five months, six days, fourteen hours, and on your death the society will have156 principal branches, not counting minor ones, with 50,000 enrolled members; beforethat, many branches will rise and expire, and many members come and go.”

At the time the society was founded in 1875, the editor of this journalwas present in New York when the proposed name was discussed, and itwas prophesied after the selection had been made, that the organization wasdestined to accomplish a great work, far beyond the ideas of those present.Since then many members have followed the example of Buddha’s proud disciplesand deserted the cause—others have remained.

In Paris, in 1884, the Coulomb scandal had not exploded, but warningsof it were heard. One night in the Rue Notre Dame des Champs, anastrologer consulted a nadigrandham for a reply to queries as to what wasbrewing. The reply was:34 “A conspiracy; but all will be suddenly discovered,and will come to nothing.” Such was the result as to the discoveryand for the balance of the later prophecy let time disclose.

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“The desire of the pious shall be accomplished.”

REVIEWS AND NOTES.

Apollonius of Tyana.35—This volume is the result of a gage throwndown by a well known Brooklyn clergyman, who some few years ago said thathe “challenged any one to produce anything which rises to the sublimity ofthe miracles of ‘the Blessed Redeemer,’ or the simplicity of his life, or to producefrom the dust of eighteen centuries, a record of the life, sayings anddoings of any personage so well attested, and by so many reputable witnesses,as is that of our Savior in the account of Matthew.” When we reflectupon the well known fact that the writings of the alleged time of Jesus, containno reference to him, and that every precept of morality ascribed to him,can be found abundantly through the well attested and written sayings of hispredecessors, and upon the grave doubts clustering about the same Matthewgospel, we are not surprised to find that Mr. Tredwell has succeeded in fullymeeting the challenge. But no one ever suspected the “Brooklyn clergyman”of being in earnest or of expecting any reply. The book before us isreplete with information, and especially in its bibliographical references. Ouronly regret is that the author has altogether put aside the so-called miraclesof Apollonius. We would like to see, in treating the subject, those occurrencestaken account of, not as miracles, but as actual incidents, the resultof natural forces, and not subject to chance, nor being a proof of claims todivinity. In the preface he well says, that error courts investigation and isnearly always the prelude to the discovery of truth, but, “Falsehood seeksexemption from every scientific régime, and recoils from the light and scrutinyof investigation, and postulates its own canon, setting up a claim to miraculousinterposition; such is revelation.” And further on he quotes thecelebrated Moody, who said: “It is not only every man’s privilege, butevery man’s duty to make honest inquiry into the truth of the gospel; butshould we conclude that it is not true, then we will surely be damned.” Thisbook, and that of John Henry Newman, D. D., on the same subject, withRev. Edward Berwick’s translation of the great philosopher’s life by Philostrates,should be in the library of every student, for comparison, if for nothingelse.36 A great deal of time and careful study have been devoted to the preparationof this book, from a love of the subject, which increased so fast as theauthor proceeded, and grew so strong, that he says he entirely forgot theclergyman who stirred him up to the task. We are sorry that lack of spaceprevents us from going further into this valuable work.

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The Secret Doctrine.—Madame H. P. Blavatsky is now engagedupon this work, in Germany, where she went last year for her health. Thesubject is interesting, and the result of the author’s endeavors will mark anera. It will not only be an amplification and explanation of Isis Unveiled,but will contain mines of further information. There will be in it verbatimpassages from the Book of Dgyan and Limri of Tsong-ka-po, and old commentaries,to which hitherto, access has not been possible, and great attentionwill be paid to the doctrine of Human Evolution, to Divine or WhiteMagic, and Human or Black Magic. The portion in which the subject ofthe Divine Hermaphrodite is considered, should be of absorbing interest. Itwill be divided in four parts: Archaic, Ancient, Mediæval and Modern, presentingthe complete sequences of the development of Occultism and Magicin their religious and anti-religious aspects.

Bible Myths, and their Parallels in other Religions.—J. W.Bouton, New York; Royal 8vo., 600 pages.—This book should be in thehands of all students. It is clearly the result of years of patient and ploddingresearch made over a vast field of reading. By an overwhelmingamount of evidence, the author proves that that which is miraculous, foundin the New Testament, cannot be of Christian origin, nor can anything of thesame kind found in the Old Testament be of Hebrew origin, the conclusionbeing irresistible, that if the Christian Bibles are of Divine origin, so mustalso be all the other and older books which contain these parallels. Orthodoxyhas passed this work over in silence, leaving the people still in theirignorance. One clerical paper said that those whose theological opinionsor faith was not settled should avoid the book. Truth-seekers, however,cannot afford to avoid it.

What is Theosophy?—By a fellow of the Theosophical Society.Cupples, Upham & Co., Boston, 1886.—This little book has just come outof the press, and is very attractively dressed. The sheets, all loose, havebeen merely placed between covers, which are tightly bound with cords ofthe same color as the covers. It is dedicated by the author to a son whoseinquiring mind daily asked his father and mother, “What is Theosophy?”The result is good, and we are sure that this unpretentious little waif will domuch toward aiding the cause; for when mothers and fathers all over theland see that there are families in which Theosophy is preached and practised,as this book evidences, they will feel attracted to it. The author rightly says,that “Theosophy means God’s wisdom.” The principal Aryan doctrines ofuse to the west, are adverted to, such as Karma, Reincarnation, Devachan, andNirvana. One of the exalted beings referred to by the author has said,“that it is quite probable that the sons of Theosophists will become Theosophists.”Such is undoubtedly the case, and if the parents of otherchildren will follow the example to be found in the family of our author, by30inquiring into and trying to practise real Theosophy, teaching it to theirchildren, instead of sneering at phenomena which never were claimed to beTheosophy, the great Day will soon dawn when our race may prepare totake a higher place. This book is written in an easy, pleasant style. Onpage 17 we find: “In a small apple seed there lies the harvest of manysummers, and in the human soul there lie the possibilities of hundreds oflives.” True, and more true, that there may be tens of thousands of lives inthe human soul. Natural arguments thus addressed to children producegreat effects in their minds and life, and as from children grow the men, weought to see to it that our own theories are right before we permit the youthfulones to drift with a prevailing current, and when we are really convincedof our own it should be inculcated.

THEOSOPHICAL ACTIVITIES.

The Rochester Branch.—This is the elder brother in America. Itwas formed in 1882, by Mr. W. B. Shelley and Mrs. J. W. Cables, who hadbeen engaged with several friends, before that, in studying the problems presentedto thinking minds in life and death. The coincidence is rathercurious between the first Theosophical Branch starting in Rochester and thefirst sounding there so many years ago of the spiritualistic rappings.

A great deal has been done by this Branch. They have constantlystudied The Theosophist, and many people have, so to say, made pilgrimagesthere to become members of the Society.

Here was started the first distinctively American Theosophical paper.It is called The Occult Word, and appears monthly.

We believe the Branch meets in Mrs. Cables’ house, at 40 Ambrosestreet, where inquirers in that section should address her, as she is willing toanswer all. We would also suggest that correspondents enclose returnpostage, which is in the majority of cases ignored or forgotten.

The Aryan Theosophical Society of New York.—This Branch wasformed with the idea of cementing together the New York members takeninto the Parent Society while Col. Olcott and Madame Blavatsky were here,but it was found that a good many had merely joined under the impressionthat it was a new kind of spiritualism, and then had retired. But somestaunch ones remaining, the Branch has grown gradually. Every now andthen it holds meetings, to which a great many are admitted who are notmembers.

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Bro. Gopal Vinayak Joshee, of Bombay, now travelling here, deliveredan address on Theosophy in India and America, and on the same eveningBro. Judge explained the object, drift and method of Theosophy, and alsoread a paper on Jacob Böhme.

In March, Bro. A. Gebhard delivered a short lecture on “TheIdeals of Richard Wagner, as they bear on Theosophy.” Several visitorsfrom Boston attended, and a general discussion on ancient myths in thelight of Theosophical ideas was held.

On March 25th, Mr. C. H. A. Bjerregaard, of the Astor Library, gavean address on Historic Cycles, but we then were so near going to press thatwe cannot give its substance.

The Branch is actively engaged in spreading Theosophical literature, andnow has requests for books from all parts of the U. S. It has reprinted Mrs.Sinnett’s “Purpose of Theosophy” very cheap in form, but well done, andhas other reprints in mind. At present, meetings are held in a private houseof a member, but other permanent quarters will soon be obtained. All inquiriesshould be addressed to the Secretary, box 2,659, New York City.

The Pioneer Theosophical Society of St. Louis, was formed in1884, by the efforts of Brother Elliott B. Page, who is also Secretary of theAmerican Board of Control. It is pursuing its way quietly and surely, andhas sent out some members to other parts of the United States, whose influencewill further spread the cause of Universal Brotherhood. Brother Page’saddress is 301 South Main Street, St. Louis, Mo.

Cincinnati.—A branch is ready here, and no doubt will be very active.

The Chicago Branch was founded the 27th of November, 1885, StanleyB. Sexton, President, No. 2 Park Row, Dr. W. Phelon, Corresponding Secretary,629 W. Fulton.

Meetings are held every Sunday at 2 P. M. All the fellows except thePresident are a little over a year old in Theosophy. The President becamean F. T. S. in 1879. One of the members is Rev. Mr. Hoisington, the blindlecturer on Egypt, who is one of our most earnest workers, and has been aTheosophist for many years.

We are all working with heart and soul for the spread of Theosophy.

The Branch in Malden, Massachusetts, originated in the spring of1885, with a few persons who casually discovered that they had mutually hadan interest in Theosophy. Informal meetings were held to discuss Theosophicalsubjects, and were conducted in this way without organization untilDecember 27, when a formal organization was affected under the customary32provisional charter from the American Board of Control. The name chosenwas the Malden Branch, Theosophical Society. At the organization valuableassistance was rendered by Brothers Arthur H. Gebhard of New York, andHollis B. Page and Charles R. Kendall of Boston. Two open meetings wereheld the past winter, at which addresses were made by Brothers William Q.Judge and Arthur H. Gebhard, respectively, and considerable outside interestwas awakened. The members have devoted themselves chiefly to the spiritual,moral and philosophical aspects of the subject, and have laid little stress uponthe phenomenal, and have discouraged marvel-seekers from membership.The President is Sylvester Baxter, and Frank S. Collins is Secretary.

The Society’s extent may be understood by the number and ramificationof its branches, of which in India there are 106; in Europe, 7; in theUnited States, 9; in Australia, 1; and the West Indies, 1.

Boston has a Branch of the Society also. In various intellectual circlesin the city there is much discussion of Theosophical literature, and in general,of the subject. Notwithstanding recent malicious attacks on our harmlessand studious Brotherhood, the current of truth flowing through the Society’schannels makes itself felt in Boston.

The American Board of Control.—The general and routine work ofthe Society in America, is under the jurisdiction of the Board of Control, ofwhich the President is Prof. Elliott Coues, Washington, D. C., and the Secretary,Elliott B. Page, 301 South Main Street, St. Louis, Mo.

A resolution has been passed by this Board, which is binding on allmembers, that no publication shall be issued as a Theosophical one, withoutprevious consent obtained from the officers of the Board. This is wise, as itwill tend to prevent unauthorized declarations of so-called Theosophical doctrinefrom being laid at the door of the Society. All members, therefore,intending to make publication, should address the Secretary of the Board.

The Word and the verses at the head of this text, contain the verbal expositionof the symbol on the cover, which is, in one aspect, the radiatingof the Great All. He who knows this is fortunate and will learn to pronouncethe syllable

AUM!

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No. 2.

The departure of the soul atom from the bosom of Divinity, is aradiation from the life of the great All, who expends his strength inorder that he may grow again and live by its return. God therebyacquires a new vital force provided by all the transformations thatthe soul atom has undergone. Its return is the final reward. Suchis the secret of the evolution of the great Being and of the SupremeSoul.—Book of Pitris.

The soul is the assemblage of the Gods. The universe rests inthe Supreme Soul. It is the soul that accomplishes the series of actsemanating from animate beings. So the man who recognizes theSupreme Soul as present in his own soul, understands that it is hisduty to be kind and true to all, and the most fortunate destiny thathe could have desired is that of being finally absorbed in Brahma.—Manu.,V. 12.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. MAY, 1886. No. 2.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

Studies in the Upanishads.

[BY A STUDENT.]

Many American theosophists are asking, “What are the Upanishads?”They are a portion of the ancient Aryan literature which this journal has setit*elf to help lay before theosophists of America, to the end that whateverin them is good and true may be brought out. As Max Muller says, hithertothe Upanishads have not received at the hands of Sanskrit and orientalscholars, that treatment which in the eyes of philosophers and theologiansthey seem so fully to deserve. He also calls them “ancient theosophictreatises” and declares that his real love for Sanskrit literature was first kindledby them.37 They have received no treatment at all in the United States,34because they are almost absolutely unknown in the original tongue in thiscountry, and in translations, have been but little studied here. Europe andAmerica differ in this, that while in England and Germany nearly all suchstudy is confined to the book-worm or the theologian, here there is such ageneral diffusion of pretty fair education in the people, that the study of thesebooks, as translated, may be made popular, a thing which in Europe is perhapsimpossible.

Muller returned to the study of the Upanishads after a period of thirtyyears, during which he had devoted himself to the hymns and Brahmanas ofthe Vedas, and found his interest in them undiminished. As for the periodof these treatises, he says that has been fixed provisionally, at about 800 B. C.

The word means “secret charm,” “philosophical doctrine;” and morestrictly, “to sit down near.” Hindu theologians say the Upanishads belongto revealed religion in opposition to that which is traditional. In the opinionof our friend Muller, to whom all western students must ever remain gratefulno matter how much they may disagree with his views as to the Vedas beingthe lispings of baby man, “the earliest of these philosophical treatises willalways maintain a place in the literature of the world, among the most astoundingproductions of the human mind in any age and in any country.”38

Professor Weber placed the number of Upanishads at 23539; in 1865Muller put them at 149, and others added to that number, so that even to-daythe actual figures are not known. Indeed it is held by several Orientalists,that before they assumed their present form, a large mass of traditionalUpanishads must have existed.

The meaning of the word which ought to be borne most in mind is,“secret knowledge, or true knowledge” although there may be a Upanishador secret knowledge, which is false.

In the Chandogya Upanishad (I, 1,) after describing the deeper meaningof OM, it is said that the sacrifice which a man performs with knowledge,with faith, and with the Upanishad, i. e. with an understanding of the secretcharm, or underlying principles and effects, is more powerful than whenwith faith, the only knowledge possessed is of the rites themselves, their originand regularity. The sacrifice referred to is, not alone the one offered onthe altar in the temple, but that daily sacrifice which every breath and everythought, brings about in ourselves.

THE MUNDAKA UPANISHAD.

This is in the Atharva Veda. Although it has the form of a mantra, itis not to be used in the sacrifices, as its sole object is to teach the highestknowledge, the knowledge of Brahman, which cannot be obtained by either35worship or sacrifices. Offerings to the Gods, in no matter what mode orchurch, restraining of the breath, penances, or cultivation of the psychicsenses, will not lead to the true knowledge. Yet some works have to beperformed, and many persons require works, sacrifices and penances asstepping stones to a higher life. In the progress of these works and sacrificialperformances, errors are gradually discovered by the individual himself.He can then remove them. So the Hindu commentators have explainedthe title of this Upanishad as the “shaving” one. That is, it cuts off theerrors of the mind like a razor. It is said by European scholars that thetitle has not yet been explained. This may be quite correct for them, butit is very certain the Hindu explanation appears to the Hindu mind to be avery good one. Let us proceed.

FIRST MUNDAKA.

This means, first shaving, or beginning of the process for removingerror. It may be considered as a division equivalent to “first title,” afterwhich follow the lesser divisions, as: First Khanda.

“1. Brahma was the first of the Devas, the maker of the universe, the preserver ofthe world. He told the knowledge of Brahman, the foundation of all knowledge, to hiseldest son Atharva.”

Here at once should be noted, that although in Hindu theology wefind Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, as the creator, preserver and destroyer, formingthe Trinity, the Upanishad now before us—for cutting away error—has notsuch a division. It says Brahma is first, also the maker and the preserver.Even knowledge that is true for certain stages of development becomes errorwhen we rise up into the higher planes and desire to know the true. Similarlywe find Buddha in his congregation teaching his disciples by means ofthe “three vehicles,” but when he had raised them to the higher plane, heinformed them that these vehicles might be discarded and sat or truth be approachedthrough one vehicle.

The knowledge here spoken of is Brahman knowledge which is thesupreme vehicle.

“2. Whatever Brahma told Atharvan that knowledge Atharvan told to Angir, hetold it to Satyavaha Bharadvaga, and he in succession told it to Angiras.

“3. Saunaka, the great householder, approached Angiras respectfully and asked‘Sir, what is that through which if it is known, everything else becomes known?’

“4. He said to him: ‘Two kinds of knowledge must be known, this is what allwho know Brahman tell us, the higher and the lower knowledge.

“5. ‘The lower knowledge is the Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, Atharva-VedaPhonetics, Ceremonial, Grammar, Etymology, Metre and Astronomy; but the higherknowledge is that by which the Indestructible (Brahma) is apprehended.

“6. ‘That which cannot be seen nor seized, which has no origin and is withoutqualities, no eyes nor ears, no hands nor feet, the eternal, the all pervading, infinitesimal,that which is imperishable, that is what is regarded by the wise as the source of allbeings.

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“7. ‘As the spider sends forth and draws in its thread, as plants grow on the earth,as from every man hairs spring forth on the head and the body, thus does everything arisehere from the Indestructible.

“8. ‘The Brahman swells by means of meditation; hence is produced matter; frommatter mind, breath and intellect, the seven worlds, and from the works performed by menin the worlds, the eternal effects, rewards and punishment of works.

“9. ‘From Him who perceives all and who knows all, whose meditation consists ofknowledge, from that highest Brahman is born that other Hiranyagarbha—name, form,and matter.’”

This Khanda unfolds broadly the whole philosophy. The followingones go into particulars. It is very easy here to see that the imperishabledoctrine could not be communicated directly by the Great Brahma to man,but it has to be filtered down through various channels. The communicatorof it to mortals, however, would be regarded by his finite auditors as agod. The same method is observable in the Bagavad-Gita (ch. IV) whereKrishna says to Arjuna that “this never failing doctrine I formerly taughtunto Vivaswat and he to Manu, who told it to Ikswaku, succeeding whomcame the Rajarshis who studied it.” Manu is regarded as of a wholly Divinenature although not the Great Brahm.

Now, when Angiras, as detailed in the Upanishad, had received thishigher knowledge, he was approached by a great householder, by nameSaunaka. This has reference to an ancient mode of life in India whenSaunaka would be called a grihastha, or one who was performing all hisduties to his family, his tribe, and his nation while still in the world. Allthe while, however, he studied the knowledge of Brahman, so that when theproper time came for him to give up those duties of life, he could eitherdie or retire to solitude. It was not considered then to be a virtue for oneto violently sever all ties and assume the garb and life of a mendicantdevoted to religious contemplation, but the better way was thought to be thatone which resulted in our, so to speak, consuming all the Karma of ourfamily in ourselves. Otherwise it would inevitably result that if he retiredwith many duties unfulfilled, they waited, figuratively speaking, for him,sure to attach to him in a succeeding incarnation and to work himeither injury or obstruction. So it was thought better to work out all suchresults in the present life as far as possible.

We find here also a foreshadowing of some ideas held by the Greekphilosophers. In the third verse, the question is asked: “What is thatthrough which when it is known, the knower thereof knows everythingelse.” Some of the Greeks said that we must first ascend to the general,from which descent to the particular is easy. Such, however, is directlyopposite to the modern method, which delights in going from particulars togenerals, from effects to causes. The true knowledge proceeds as shown inthe Upanishad. By endeavoring to attain to the Universal Soul of all, theknowledge of the particular parts may be gained. This is not easy, but it37is easy to try. At the same time do not forsake modern methods altogether,which correspond to the lower knowledge spoken of in Verse 5.Therefore Angiras says: Two kinds of knowledge, the lower and the higher,must be known.

Here and there are persons who seem not to need the lower knowledge,who pay no attention to it, and who apprehend the higher flights impossiblefor others. This is what is known as the result of past births. In previousincarnations these persons studied upon all the lower planes so that theirspiritual perceptions do not now need that help and training which the lowerknowledge gives to others. They are approaching that state which is beautifullydescribed by Longfellow in his “Rain in Summer,” in these words:—

(To be continued.)

The Mystery of Numbers.

In a previous article on the Kabbalah, we spoke of it as being a traditionembodying a noble philosophy, which is but slightly understood,owing to its symbolical representations.

There were three forms of symbols introduced by the Ancient Theosophiststo express their thoughts and convey their ideas from one to another.The object of the symbolic language was for the purpose of preventing theiresoteric knowledge from becoming public property and to obviate persecutionfrom those who were in authority and held different views. Thesethree forms were: hieroglyphics, numbers and allegories.

It is the Kabbalistic science of numbers of which we purpose to speak.Deity in constructing the universe, employed but few means to accomplish agreat purpose. They consisted of energy and law. The former is under controlof the latter. The first act was the positing of energy, which formedsubstance. In this manner He converted chaos, which was a motionless,38dark abyss, into activity and light. Light is not energy, but primarilyresulted from the activity of atomic substance.

God creates all things by number, weight and measure, and with anarithmetical and geometrical precision. The universal continuity observedin nature is owing to the law that controls energy. Any interference withthis law throws energy out of harmony, producing discord, and consequentlya varying of continuity.

Every seed has within it an individual life energy which gives to itwhen developed into a plant or tree its type and form. Any external interferenceinduces a struggle for life in the forces in maintaining their ancestraltypes and forms. Heredity may produce the same by interfering with thelaw controlling development.

The Kabbalists never intended to convey the idea that numbers possessedspecial virtues. They merely represent them; for example 3 represents alife entity; without this ternary combination it would be impossible forlife to exist. The self-existing Deity is a Triune Entity; so is every individuallife form. Whether it be a Monera, the lowest structureless life organism,or Man, the highest in the scale of living beings. Number three is thereforecalled the generating number.

Again, 7 is the harmonic numeral, there being seven primary grades ofharmony, and in order to extend it, the scale of seven must be repeated, andevery repetition lessens the harmony and tends to discord.

The Sepher Jetzirah, which is recognized by the Kabbalist as the key ofthe Sohar, is a wonderful and obscure work. Its wisdom is represented inten numbers and twenty-two letters. From the numbers “are drawn orcut” the twenty-two letters which are divided into three mothers, sevendouble and twelve single letters. According to the Sepher there were threeacts of creation; 1st, Conception or Idea; 2nd, The Word; 3rd, The Writings.For example, first, God conceived in His own mind, the archetypeof the universe which constituted the design; second, the Word representsthe law and the energy it controls and directs in carrying out the design;third, the product arising from the second constitute the writings.

The Sepher Jetzirah teaches that the hidden ways of wisdom are in theten sephiroth, which are usually termed spheres. The Hebrews use the word“ways,” which with us mean degrees, forms or species. These hidden waysare the workings of the forces producing differentiation of forms, which representsthe twenty-two letters, which are expressed as one in three, andthree in seven, and seven in twelve, making twenty-two.

The ten sephiroth interest us the most for they represent the unity andsynthesis of numbers and the manifestations of Deity in nature. The firstsefir is called the Crown on account of its being the abode of the En Soph4039the unmanifested infinite Being; but the first form by which he becameknown was the Memra or “word,” which is represented by the first threesephiroth, namely, Kether, “the Crown,” Chochma, “wisdom,” Binah, “understanding.”41To express it more clearly, the first three sephiroth comprise aTriune Entity, the verbalized spirit of God consisting of self-consciousness,wisdom and love which embodied the Word, “the heavenly man,” “the manon high,” (Ezekiel I, 26), the Adam Kadmon of the Kabbalist, the ParadisicalAdam of Genesis, the Christ of the Christians and the Buddha of theBuddhists.

In order to be understood, we will state that the Triune spirit of theworld contains the word, and is therefore the source of energy and life inboth the subjective and objective worlds, and in fact is the source of all thatexists outside of spirit. It is under the direction of spirit in developingforms and giving them activity and life. We thus perceive how a knowledgeof the word gives us an insight into the work of God in creation.

Jacob Behmen was a mystic, and acquainted with the meaning of theword which he obtained through illumination or the unfolding of innerconsciousness. What he called the Signatura Rerum—the signature of allthings—is the word. He describes it as coming from a triune entity, whichhe locates in the super-celestial world. It is first manifested in the subjectiveor esoteric world, and afterwards in the objective. He also alludes tothe septenary which he applies to the external world; he could not haveunderstood the laws of harmony or he would not have made this application,for it applies to both the subjective and objective worlds.

We will now explain the Tetractys of Pythagoras; before doing so,however, we have a few remarks to make regarding his Kabbalistic knowledge.He is said to have been initiated into the secrets of nature by Danieland Ezekiel, and subsequently admitted into the Egyptian Sanctuaries upona personal recommendation by King Amosis. His tetractys proves that hewas thoroughly familiar with theosophical science, which enabled him tostudy nature and arrive at correct conclusions. It is a noted fact that hewas familiar with the movements of the heavenly bodies; which sciencedid not reveal until centuries after his death. If he mistook some of itsdetails, his substantial correctness was none the less wonderful. He wasthe founder of the renowned school of Crotona, about five hundred yearsbefore Christ. He maintained that the Sun is the centre of a system aroundwhich all the planets revolve, and that the fixed stars were each thecentre of a system. He also believed that the planets were inhabited andthat they and our earth are ever revolving in harmonious order40—“keepingup a grand celestial concert, inaudible to man, but as a music of the spheresaudible to God.” He was not permitted to declare publicly all that he knew,but taught it privately to a few chosen friends. He was also familiar withthe laws of attraction and repulsion, which constituted one of the most importantduties of the sanctuaries. Newton was led to the discovery of theseforces through the study of the Kabbalah.

Speaking of Pythagoras calls to mind the Kabbalistic enigma writtenby Plato and sent to Dionysius: “all things surround our King, (God) Heis the cause of all things: seconds for seconds and thirds for thirds.” Thisexpresses the division of the Sephiroth. Plato was an earnest and most intelligentKabbalist.

We will now explain for the first time the Tetractys of Pythagoras,which reveals the numerical meaning of the word. We remark, however,before doing so, that there is a greater enigma attached to it than is expressedby the numbers, which we cannot give for several reasons. One is, thename has never been imparted; when obtained, it was through self illumination;another is, it would open the doors of masonry, and reveal the secretsof the order. It is the key to mysticism—to religion and universal science.

In the Tetractys the four letters composing the name, are arranged ina triangular form, enclosed with a double circle.42 The numerical divisionhe has made applies to the super-celestial, celestial and material worlds:

Super Celestial.—The first series of numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 of the tetractysrefers to the super-celestial world.

1 is the unity of God represented thus: ① God in nothing.

2 is the duality of God.

3 is the spirit of a triune entity.

4 is Divine volition, capable of determining choice and forming a purpose,and manifesting activity.

Celestial.—The above numerals are combined in the following order:—1+2=3—themanifestation of the word, in the celestial world.

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2+3=5—substance or quintescent matter, produced by the activity ofthe word.

3+4=7—the law of harmony—the providence of God in Nature. Thecelestial world is called by the Kabbalist the world of harmony, which nonecan occupy save the pure in spirit. Harmony is the only passport toHeaven.

Material.—The numeral 1, which represents the unity of God, is notrepresented in this world—we only have the following numerals:

2+3+4=9—humanity with the word unmanifested in the spirit. Yetit exists and can be made manifest through harmony of the spirit. It notbeing manifested debars humanity from the pleasure of enjoying the light ofthe celestial world. It is for this reason the Kabbalist called it the world ofdarkness or Hades. It is also called the world of discord. There are asmany grades of discord here as there are harmonies in the world above.When man throws off the material covering of his soul, his consciousnessreveals to him his moral standard and he gravitates to the sphere with whichhe is in accord. If harmonious he ascends, if discordant he descends.

10 is the synthesis of numbers. In the beginning before Deity manifestedhimself, it stood thus ①; in the consummation of creation it becamereversed, thus 10.

Seth Pancoast.

Sufism,

INTRODUCTION.

Sufism has not yet received fair treatment in any publication thathas appeared in Western literature.

The reason is that no Western writer upon the subject has endeavored tounderstand it, either because of an intellectual bias or from willful perversion.Most treatises are written under strong dogmatic prejudices, or bypersons intellectually and morally incapable of rising to the A B C of aspiritual philosophy.

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The present attempt to represent the doctrines and practices of Sufismhas been made in the hope of overcoming the effect of these evils. Wehave studied patiently Sufism from Sufi works and claim to be in full sympathywith our subject.

That which we here present to the judgment of the candid reader is a partof a larger work we have been engaged on for many years; a work designedas a text book for students in Mysticism. This fact, the intention ofmaking a text book for reference on all mystic questions, will account forthe unusual method adopted in this series of articles.

In the first part we shall give a resumé of Sufi doctrine with copiousquotations from Sufi works. In the second we shall give a full expositionof Sufi practices and symbols.

The following is a partial list of works consulted and quoted withoutfurther reference:

Tholuck, Sufismus, sive theosophia persarum—Tholuck, Blüthensammlungder morgenl. Mystik—Malcolm, Hist. of Persia—Trans. of the lit. soc.of Bombay, vol. I, art. by Capt. Graham—J. von Hammer, Geschichte derSchönen Redekünste Persiens, mit einer Blüthenlese—Garcin de Tassy, lapoesie phil. et rel. chez les Persans, in Rev. cont. 1856—Fleischer, uberdie farbigen Lichterscheinungen der Sufis, in Zeitsh. f. morgl. Geselsch.vol. 16—G. P. Brown, The Dervishes, or Oriental Spiritualism—Journal ofAm. Orient. Soc., vol. 8—The Dabistan, or school of sects—E. H. Palmer,Oriental Mysticism—Persian Poetry by S. Robinson—Th. P. Hughes, Dict.of Islam—Ousely, Biographical notices of Persian poets—Omar Khayyam,see ed. illust. by Vedder—Al Gazzali, la perle precieuse, par L. Gautier—Allegoriesrecits poetiques traduit de l’arabe, du persan &c., par Garcin deTassy—Al Gazzali, Alchemy of Happiness tr. by H. A. Homes—Hammer-Purgstall,Literatur-Geschichte der Araber—The works of Nizami, Saadi,Attar, Jellalladin Rumi, Hafiz, Jami, Hatifi, &c., in English, French, Germanand Latin translations—Lane’s transl. of the Quran—&c., &c.

PART I.—TEXTS.

Origin of Sufism.

It is generally conceded among the Sufis that one of the great foundersof their system, as found in Islam, was the adopted son and son-in-law ofthe Prophet, Ali-ibn-Abi-Talib. But it is also admitted that their religioussystem has always existed in the world, prior to Mohammed. It is knownthat a tribe, Sufah, from whom possibly the name is derived, in “the timeof ignorance” separated themselves from the world and devoted themselvesto spiritual exercises like those of the present Sufis.

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Sufism in its best known forms must thus be considered to be the philosophyof Mohammedanism and to represent the protest of the humansoul against the formalism and barrenness of the letter of the Quran. Stillthere is much in favor of Schmölder’s assertion (Essai sur les ecoles philos.chez les Arabes) that Sufism is neither a philosophical system nor the creedof a religious sect, but simply a way of living.

Perhaps the simplest statement is this: Sufism is theosophy from thestandpoint of Mohammedanism.

Said-Abul-Chair (about A. D. 820) is often called the author of Sufism.Abu Hashem (A. D. 767) has been called the first Sufi.

The Dabistan maintains the identity of the pure Sufis and that of Platonismand it has popularly been supposed that Sufism has borrowed verymuch from the Vedanta and from Plato and Aristotle; it has even beenconfidently asserted that the similarity is so striking to the student, that it isa most easy matter to find identical statements in either of them. We mustconfess that our study does not prove the assertion. The similarity is to beaccounted for by the universality of truth.

ETYMOLOGY.

The root of the word implies wisdom, the Greek Sophia, purity, spirituality,etc. Some have connected it with sûf, wool, on account of the woolengarment worn by the devotees.

Graham43 maintains that “any person or a person of any religion or sect,may be a Sûfi. The mystery lies in this: a total disengagement of the mindfrom all temporal concerns and worldly pursuits; an entire throwing off notonly of every superstition, doubt, or the like, but of the practical mode ofworship, ceremonies, etc., laid down in every religion, which the Mohammedansterm Sheriat, being the law, or canonical law; and entertainingsolely mental abstraction, and contemplation of the soul and Deity, theiraffinity, etc.” In short, Sufism may be termed the religion of the heart, asopposed to formalism and ritualism.

“Traces of the Sufi doctrine exist in some shape or other in everyregion of the world. It is to be found in the most splendid theogonies of theancient school of Greece and of the modern philosophers of Europe. It isthe dream of the most ignorant and the most learned, and is seen at one timeindulging in the shade of ease, at another traversing the pathless desert.”(Malcolm Hist. of Persia.)

Abu-Said-Abul-Chair, the accredited founder of Sufism, when askedwhat Sufism was, answered:44 “What you have in the head, give it up; whatyou have in the hand, throw it away; whatever may meet you, depart notfrom it.”

Dschuneid, a Sufi Shaikh, thus defined Sufism: “To liberate the mindfrom the violence of the passions, to put off nature’s claims, to extirpatehuman nature, to repress the sensual instinct, to acquire spiritual qualities,to be elevated through an understanding of wisdom, and to practice thatwhich is good—that is the aim of Sufism.”

Abul Hussein Nuri thus expressed himself: “Sufism is neither preceptnor doctrine, but something inborn. If it were a precept, it could be followed;if it were a doctrine, it could be learned; it is rather somethinginborn—and as the Quran says: ‘Ye are created in the image of God.’ Evidentlyno one can, either by application or by teaching, possess himself ofthe likeness of God.”

Sufi Doctrines.

DEITY.

The Deity alone IS and permeates all things. All visible and invisible thingsare an emanation from Deity, and are not absolutely distinct from it.

One sect “the Unionists,” believe that God is as one with every enlightenedbeing. They compare the Almighty to a flame, and their souls tocharcoal; and say, that in the same manner that charcoal when it meetsflame, becomes flame, the immortal part, from its union with God becomesGod.

According to the Dabistan, the presence of the universal Deity is fivefold.The first is the presence of “the absolute mystery.” The absolutemystery is one with “the invariable prototypes” (or realities of things). Thesecond is the presence of “the relative mystery,” and this belongs to pureintellects and spirits. The third is the presence of “the mysterious relation,”which is nearest to the absolute evidence; this is the world of similitude ordream. The fourth is the presence of the “absolute evidence” which reachesfrom the centre of the earth to the middle of the ninth empyrean heaven.The fifth is “the presence of the rest,” and this is the universe in an extensive,and mankind in a restricted acceptation.

Silvestre de Sacy gives the following explanation to the above fromJorjani. The five divine presences are (1) the presence of the absolute absence(or mystery); its world is the world of the fixed substances in thescientific presence. To the presence of the absolute mystery is opposed:(2) the presence of the absolute assistance; it is the world of the throne orseat of God, of the four elemental natures. (3) The presence of the relativeabsence; this is divided into two parts: The one nearer the presenceof the absolute mystery; the world of which is that of spirits, which belongto what is called intelligences and bare souls; the other: (4) Nearer thepresence of the absolute assistance; the world of which is that of models45(images). (5) The presence which comprises the four preceding ones, andits world is the world of mankind, a world which reunites all the worlds, andall they contain.

GOOD AND EVIL: ETHICS.

There is no absolute difference between Good and Evil; all that exists,exists in unity and God is the real author of all the acts of mankind.

The Sufi says that evil only came into the world through ignorance,and that ignorance is the cause of error and disunion among men. Thefollowing tale answers to the point: “Four travelers—a Turk, an Arab, aPersian, and a Greek, having met together, decided to take their meal incommon, and as each one had but ten paras, they consulted together as towhat should be purchased with the money. The first said Uzum, the secondIneb, the third decided in favor of Inghur, and the fourth insisted uponStafilion. On this a dispute arose between them and they were about tocome to blows, when a peasant passing by happened to know all four oftheir tongues, and brought them a basket of grapes. They now found out,greatly to their astonishment, that each one had what he desired.”

They believe the emanating principle, proceeding from God, can donothing without His will and can refrain from nothing that He wills. Someof them deny the existence of evil on the ground that nothing but good cancome from God.

The Dabistan: One sect, “the Eternals,” conceive that man is taught hisduty by a mysterious order of priesthood,44 whose number and ranks arefixed, and who rise in gradation from the lowest paths to the sublimestheight of divine knowledge.

Another sect, “the Enlightened,” teach that men’s actions should neitherproceed from fear of punishment nor the hope of reward, but from innatelove of virtue, and detestation of vice.

THE SOUL, ITS LIFE AND CONDITIONS.

The soul existed before the body and is confined in it like in a cage.To the Sufi, death is liberation and return to the Deity.

The soul is confined in a body (metempsychosis) to be purified, to fulfillits destination, the union with Deity.

Without the grace of God (Fazlu allah) no soul can attain this union,but God’s grace can be obtained by fervently asking for it.

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The soul of man is of God, not from God, an exile from Him; it livesin the body as in a prison and banishment from God. Before its exile thesoul saw Truth, but here it only has glimpses “to awaken the slumberingmemory of the past.” The object of all Sufi teaching is to lead the soulonward by degrees to reach that stage again.

“You say ‘the sea and the waves,’ but in that remark you do notbelieve that you signify distinct objects, for the sea when it heaves produceswaves, and the waves when they settle down again become sea; in the samemanner men are the waves of God, and after death return to His bosom.Or, you trace with ink upon paper the letters of the alphabet, a, b, c; butthese letters are not distinct from the ink which enabled you to write them;in the same manner the creation is the alphabet of God, and is lost in Him.”

RELIGIONS

are matters of indifference; still they serve as stepping-stones to realities.Some are more useful than others, among which is al-Islam, of which Sufismis the true philosophy.

THE WORLD, &c.

The world is life and intellect, as far as the mineral kingdom; but themanifestation of intellect in everybody is determined by the temperature ofthe human constitution. Sometimes beauty attains an excellence whichis uttered with ecstacy, and becomes a modulation more powerful than thatwhich strikes the ear; and this is the work of the prophet.

THE TARIGAH OR “JOURNEY OF LIFE” AND ITS STATES.

The main duty of this life is Meditation on the Unity of Deity(wahdaniyah), the Remembrance of God’s Name (Zikr), and Progression inthe Tarigah (the Path, the Journey of Life).

Human life is a journey (safar) and the seekers after God are travellers(salik). Perfect knowledge (marifah) of Deity as diffused throughout creationis the purpose of the journey. Sufism is the guide, and the end of thejourney, is Union with God.

The natural state of every human being is nasut. In this state the disciplecan not yet observe the Law (shariat). This is the lowest form ofspiritual existence.

The states in the Tarigah are the following:

The first state is called Shariat—the state of law or method. Thestudent’s passions are in this degree checked by a rigid observance of ritual,&c., whereby he learns human nature and to respect order and finds out forhimself the rudiments of a knowledge of God.

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The second state is Tureequt or the way, or road. This state impliesmental or spiritual worship, abstracted totally from the above. The studentlearns to see the propædeutic nature of ceremonies and devotes himself torealities. At this stage the ascetic exercises begin and he holds communionwith Melkut or the angelic world.

The third state, Huqeequt, or the state of truth is the state of inspirationor greater natural knowledge. The Sufi now lives no more in faith but insubjective truth and spiritual power; he has seen the similarity of God’snature and his own; all antinomies are destroyed, even sin disappears fromhis reflections.

The fourth and last state is Marifut or union of spirit and soul withGod. “Union (with God) is reality, or the state, truth and perception ofthings, when there is neither lord nor servant.” Still “the man of God isnot God; but he is not separate from God.” At this stage man’s “corporealveil will be removed, and his emancipated soul will mix again with theglorious essence, from which it had been separated, though not divided.”45

Aziz ibn Muhammad Nafasi in a book called al-Maqsadu ‘l-Aqsa or the“Remotest Aim,” (trans. in E. H. Palmer’s Oriental Mysticism) marks outthe journey a little differently from that already described.

When a man possessing the necessary requirements of fully developedreasoning powers turns to them for a resolution of his doubts and uncertaintiesconcerning the real nature of the Godhead, he is called a talib “asearcher after God.”

If he has further desire for progress he is called a “murid” or “onewho inclines,” and he places himself under the instruction and guidance ofa teacher and becomes a “traveller.”

The first stage of his journey is called “ubudiyah” or “service” andis as described above.

The second stage is ishq or “love.” He loves God. The divine lovefilling his heart, it expels all other loves and brings him to the third stage,Zuhd or “seclusion.” He occupies himself exclusively with contemplationof God and his attributes, and comes to the fourth state, Marifah or “knowledge.”

When settled he is come to the fifth stage, wajd or “ecstasy.” He nowreceives revelations and soon reaches the sixth stage, that of hagigah or“truth,” and proceeds to the final state, that of “wasl,” or “union with God.”

He has now finished the journey and remains in the state he has cometo, still going on, however, progressing in depth of understanding. Finallyhe comes to “the total absorption into Deity.”

The Zikr, or ecstatic exercises belonging to the training on this journey,will be explained in our second part: Symbols.

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THE SEVEN WAY-STATIONS OF PILGRIMAGE are these:46

The first degree consists of penitence, obedience, and meditation, andin this degree the light is, as it were, green.

The second degree is the purity of the Spirit from satanic qualities, violence,and brutality, because as long as the spirit is the slave of satanicqualities, it is subject to concupiscence, and this is the quality of fire. Inthis state Iblis evinces his strength, and when the spirit is liberated from this,it is distressed with the quality of fierceness, which may be said to be flashing andthis is conformable to the property of wind. Then it becomes insatiable(lit. eager after anything to excess), and this is similar to water. After thisit obtains quietness, and this quality resembles earth (i. e. apathy or cessationfrom all action). In the degree of repose, the light is as it were, blue,and the utmost reach of one’s progress is the earthly dominion.

The third degree is the manifestation of the heart, by laudable qualities,which is similar to red light, and the utmost reach of its progress is themiddle of the upper dominion; and in this station the heart praises God,and sees the light of worship and spiritual qualities.

The fourth degree is the applying of the constitution to nothing else but toGod, and this is similar to yellow light, and the utmost reach of its progressis the midst of the heavenly Malkat “dominion.”

The fifth degree of the soul is that which resembles white light, and theutmost aim of its progress is the extreme heavenly dominion.

The sixth degree is the hidden, which is like a black light, and theutmost reach of its progress is “the world of power.”

The seventh degree is “the evanescence of evanescence,” which is“annihilation” and “eternal life,” and is colorless. It is absorption in God,non-existence and effacement of the imaginary in the true being, like theloss of a drop of water in the ocean. It is eternal life as the union of thedrop with the sea. “Annihilation” is not to be taken in the commonacceptation, but in a higher sense, “annihilation in God.”

SUFI SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE.

The Sufis inculcate the doctrine, “Adore the Deity in his creatures.”It is said in a verse of the Quran—“It is not given to man that the Deityshould speak to him: if it does so it is by inspirations, or through a veil.”Thus all the efforts of man should tend to raise the veil of divine love andto the annihilation of the individuality which separates him from the Divineessence; and this expression “raise up the veil,” has remained in the languageof the East as expressive of great intimacy.

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One of the most violent and able of the enemies of the Sufis, says thatthey deem everything in the world a type of the beauty and power of theDeity and adds that it appears from both their actions and writings, that it isin the red cheeks of beautiful damsels that they contemplate its beauty; andin the “impious” daring of Nimrod and of Pharaoh, that they see andadmire the omnipotence of its power.47

The Persian commentator Suruni says in regard to sexual love: “thebeauty of the wife is a ray from God and not from the beloved herself. TheMystic recognizes the fact of the divine beauty everywhere in creation, andloves because he in beauty sees a revelation of the blessings of the divinename. It is therefore the prophet says he prefers these three things to allothers: women, incense, and enjoyments.”

Jellaladdin Rumi said: “They (the Sufis) profess eager desire, but withno carnal affection, and circulate the cup, but no material goblet; since allthings are spiritual, all is mystery within mystery.”

Jami exclaims, addressing the Deity:

Nizami explains himself:

In regard to Hafis it is maintained that by wine he invariably meansdevotion; and his admirers have gone so far as to compose a dictionary ofwords of the language, as they call it, of the Sufis. In that vocabularysleep is explained by meditation on the divine perfections, and perfume byhope of divine favor; gales (i. e. Zephyrs) are illapses of grace; kisses andembraces, the raptures of piety; idolators, infidels, and libertines are men ofthe purest religion, and their idol is the creator himself; the tavern is thecell where the searcher after truth becomes intoxicated with the wine ofdivine love. Read with this key to the esoteric meaning, Mr. Cloustonsays, the gazelles of Hafis are no longer anacreontic and bacchanalianeffusions, but ecstatic lucubrations on the love of man to his creator. Thekeeper, or wine seller, the spiritual instructor; beauty denotes the perfectionof the supreme being; tresses and curls are the expansion and infinitenessof his glory; lips, the hidden and inscrutable mysteries of his essence;50down on the cheek, the world of spirits, who encircle the creator’s throne;and a black mole is the point of indivisible unity; lastly, wantonness, mirthand ebriety, mean religious ardor, ecstasy and abstraction from all terrestrialthoughts and contempt for all worldly things.

Mohemmed Missiree: On the Tesavuf, or spiritual life of the Sufis.Translated from the Turkish by John P. Brown, Esq., of the Americanembassy at Constantinople. (In Journ. of Am. Orient. Soc. vol. viii.):

What is the beginning of at-Tesavuf? Faith, which has six pillars,namely: (1) Belief in God, (2) in His Angels, (3) in His Books, (4) inHis Prophets, (5) and in the Last Day, and (6) in His decree of Good andEvil. What is the result of the Tesavuf? It is not only the reciting withthe tongue of these pillars of faith but also establishing them in the heart.What is the distinction between a Sufi and an ordinary person? Theknowledge of an ordinary person is a “counterfeit faith” whereas that ofthe Sufi is “true faith.” What do you mean by “counterfeit faith?” It isthat which an ordinary person has derived from his forefathers, or fromthe teachers and preachers of his own day, without knowing why it is essentialthat a man should believe in these six articles for his soul’s salvation.What is the proof of faith? The proof of faith consists in a searchbeing made for the true origin of each of these six pillars of faith, until theenquirer arrives at “the Truth.” The Sufis regard certain things as lawfulwhich are forbidden. For instance, they enjoin the use of wine, wine-shops,the wine-cup, sweethearts; they speak of the curls of their mistresses, andthe moles on their faces, cheeks, &c., and compare the furrows on theirbrows to verses of the Quran. What does this mean? The Sufis oftenexchange the external features of all things for the internal, the corporeal forthe spiritual, and thus give an imaginary signification to outward forms.They behold objects of a precious nature in their natural character and forthis reason the greater part of their words have a spiritual and figurativemeaning. For instance, when, like Hafis, they mention wine, they meana knowledge of God, which, figuratively considered, is the love of God.Wine, viewed figuratively, is also love; love and affection are here the samething. The wine-shop, with them, means “spiritual director,” for his heartis said to be the depository of the love of God. The sweetheart means theexcellent preceptor, because, when anyone sees his beloved, he admires herperfect proportions, with a heart full of love. As the lover delights in thepresence of his sweetheart, so the Salik rejoices in the company of hisbeloved preceptor. The sweetheart is the object of a worldly affection, butthe preceptor of a spiritual attachment. The curls or ringlets of the belovedare the grateful praises of the preceptor, tending to bind the affections ofthe disciple; the moles on her face signify that when the pupil, at times,beholds the total absence of all worldly wants on the part of the preceptor,51he also abandons all the desires of both worlds—he perhaps even goes sofar as to desire nothing else in life than his preceptor; the furrows on thebrow of the beloved one, which they compare to verses of the Quran,mean the light of the heart of the preceptor; they are compared to verses ofthe Quran, because the attributes of God, in accordance with the injunctionof the Prophet, “Be ye endued with divine qualities,” are possessed by thepreceptor.

(To be continued.)

Theosophical Symbolism.

The number 7 has, ever since the Theosophical Society was foundedNovember 17th, 1875, played a prominent part in all its affairs, and, asusual, the symbols which particularly relate or pertain to the Society are innumber, seven. They are: first the seal of the Society; second, the serpentbiting his tail; third, the gnostic cross near the serpent’s head; fourth, theinterlaced triangles; fifth, the cruxansata in the centre; sixth, the pin ofthe Society, composed of a cruxansata entwined by a serpent, forming togetherT. S.; and seventh, OM the sacred Vedic word.

The seal of the Society contains all of the symbols enumerated, exceptingaum, and is the synthesis of them. It, in fact, expresses what the Societyis itself, and contains, or ought to, in symbolic form, the doctrines whichmany of its members adhere to.

A symbol to be properly so called, must be contained in the idea orideas which it is intended to represent. As a symbol of a house could neverbe the prow of a boat, or the wing of a bird, but must be contained somewherein the form of the house itself; that is, it must be an actual partchosen to represent or stand for the whole. It need not be the whole, butmay be a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher of thesame kind. The word is derived from the Greek words meaning to throwwith, that is to throw together. To be a just and correct symbol, it shouldbe such as that the moment it is seen by one versed in symbolism, its meaningand application become easily apparent. The Egyptians adopted torepresent the soul passing back to its source, after the trial in the Hall ofTwo Truths, a winged globe, for a globe is a symbol of either the SupremeSoul or a portion of it, and the wings were added to represent its life andflight to the upper spheres. In another branch of their symbology theyrepresented justice by a scale which gives a just balance; while even therein the Hall of Two Truths, they reverted again to the other mode and symbolizedthe man being weighed by justice, in the form of his heart overagainst the feather of truth in the opposite pan of the scales.

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There is one very curious hieroglyph of the Egyptians which deservessome study by those of curious mind. Here we will merely point it out,remarking that there is a mine of great value in the Egyptian method ofpicturing their ideas of the macrocosm. In one of the numerous papyrinow in the British Museum, there is a picture of a globe being held up bya beetle by means of his head and two fore legs, while he is standing upon asort of pedestal which has certain divisions, looking on the whole, like asection of an hour glass crossed by horizontal lines that project from eachside. This pedestal represents stability; but what does the whole mean orshadow forth? Those who can follow up suggestions should direct theirthoughts to the relation which the Sun bears to the earth in its orbital revolution.

To proceed with our analysis: The second symbol is the serpent bitinghis tail. This is wisdom, and eternity. It is eternity, because that hasneither beginning nor end and therefore the ring is formed by serpentswallowing his tail. There is an old hermetic symbol similar to this, inwhich the circle is formed by two serpents interlaced and each swallowingthe tail of the other one. No doubt the symbolism in that is, in respect tothe duality of the manifested All, and hence, two serpents inextricably entwined.

Furthermore, the scales of the reptiles form the figures of facettes ordiamonds, which shadow forth the illimitable diversity of the aspects of wisdomor truth. This is not due to any want of coherence or congruity intruth itself, but solely to the diverse views which each individual takes of theone Truth. These reflecting facettes are the beings composing the macrocosm:each one has developed himself only to a certain degree, and thereforecan only appreciate and reflect that amount of wisdom which has fallento his lot. As he passes again and again through the form of man, heslowly develops other various powers of appreciating more truth, and so atthe last may become one with the whole—the perfect man, able to knowand to feel completely his union with all. This is when he has acquired thehighest Yoga. So in our experience and in history and ethnology we findindividuals, nations and races, whose want of responsiveness to certain ideas,and others whose power to grasp them, can only be explained by the doctrinesof Reincarnation and Karma. If those doctrines are not accepted,there is no escape from a blank negation.

It is not necessary to express the duality of the Supreme Soul by twoserpents, because in the third component part of the Seal, elsewhere, that issymbolized by the interlaced triangles. One of these is white, that one withthe point uppermost, and the other is black with its apex directed downward.They are intertwined because the dual nature of the Supreme, while in manifestation,is not separate in its parts. Each atom of matter, so called, has53also its atom of spirit This is what the Bagavad-Gita48 denominates Purushaand Prakriti, and Krishna there says that he is at once Purusha andPrakriti, he is alike the very best and the very worst of men. These trianglesalso mean, “the manifested universe.” It is one of the oldest andmost beautiful of symbols, and can be discovered among all nations, notonly those now inhabiting the earth, but also in the monuments, carvingsand other remains of the great races who have left us the gigantic structuresnow silent as far as the voice of man is concerned, but resounding withspeech for those who care to listen. They seem to be full of ideas turnedinto stone.

The triangles thus combined form in the interior space, a six sidedplane figure. This is the manifested world. Six is the number of the world,and 666 is the great mystery which is related to the symbol. St. John talksof this number. Around the six sided centre are the six triangles projectinginto the spiritual world, and touching the enclosed serpent of wisdom. Inan old book, this is made by the great head of the Lord rising above thehorizon of the ocean of matter, with the arms just raised so that they makethe upper half of the triangle. This is the “long face,” or macrocoscopos, asit is called. As it rises slowly and majestically, the placid water below reflectsit in reverse, and thus makes the whole double triangle. The lower one isdark and forbidding in its aspect, but at the same time the upper part of thedarker one is itself light, for it is formed by the majestic head of this AdamKadmon. Thus they shade into one another. And this is a perfect symbolism,for it clearly figures the way in which day shades into night, and evilinto good. In ourselves we find both, or as the Christian St. Paul says, thenatural and spiritual man are always together warring against each other, sothat what we would do we cannot, and what we desire not to be guilty of, thedarker half of man compels us to do. But ink and paper fails us in thetask of trying to elucidate this great symbol. Go to Hermes, to St. John,the Caballah, the Hindu books, wherever you please, and there will you findthe seven times seven meanings of the interlaced triangles.

OM is the Sacred Vedic syllable: let us repeat it with a thought directedto its true meaning.49

Within the small circle, placed upon the serpent, is a cross with itsends turned back. This is called the Gnostic Cross. It signifies evolution,among other ideas, for the turning back of its ends is caused by therevolving of the two diameters of the circle. The vertical diameter is thespirit moving down and bisecting the horizontal. This completed, the revolutionround the great circle commences, and that motion is representedin the symbol by the ends turned back. In Chapter III. of Bagavad-Gita,54Krishna says: “He who in this life does not cause this cycle, thus alreadyrevolved, to continue revolving lives to no purpose, a life of sin, indulginghis senses.” That is, we must assist the great wheel of evolution and notoppose it; we must try to help in the great work of returning to the sourcefrom whence we came, and constantly endeavor to convert lower nature intohigher, not only that of ourselves, but also of our fellow men and of thewhole animated world.

This cross is also the symbol of the Hindu Chakkra, or discus, of Vishnu.In the Mahabharata is described the conflict between the Asuras and Devas,for the possession of the vase of Amreeta which had been churned with infinitetrouble, from the ocean, and which the Asuras desired to take for themselves.The conflict began when Rahu, an Asura, assuming the form of aDeva, began drinking the ambrosia. In this case the Amreeta was spiritualwisdom, material existence, immortality, and also magic power. The deceitof Rahu was discovered before he had swallowed, and then the battle began.

“In the midst of this dreadful hurry and confusion of the fight, Nar andNarayan entered the field together. Narayan beholding a celestial bow inthe hands of Nar, it reminded him of his Chakkra, the destroyer of theAsuras. The faithful weapon, ready at the mind’s call, flew down fromheaven with direct and refulgent speed, beautiful, yet terrible to behold.And being arrived, glowing like the sacrificial flame, and spreading terroraround, Narayan with his right arm formed like the elephantine trunk,hurled forth the ponderous orb, the speedy messenger, and glorious ruin ofhostile towns, who raging like the final all destroying fire, shot boundingwith desolating force, killing thousands of the Asuras in his rapid flight, burningand involving, like the lambent flame, and cutting down all that wouldoppose him. Anon he climbeth the heavens from whence he came.” (Mahabharata,Book I, Chap 15.)

Ezekiel, of the Jews, saw this wheel, when he was among the captivesby the river Chebar in Chaldea. In a vision he saw the four beasts and theman of the Apocalypse, and with them “for each of the four faces,” was awheel, of the colour of a beryl; it was “as a wheel within a wheel,” andthey went wherever the living creatures went, “for the spirit of the livingcreatures was in the wheels.” All of this appeared terrible to him, for hesays: “And when they went I heard a noise like the noise of great waters,like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of a host.”

There are many other meanings concealed in this symbol, as in all theothers.

In the center of the interlaced triangles is placed the Cruxansata. Thisis also extremely ancient. In the old Egyptian papyri it is frequently found.It signifies life. As Isis stands before the candidate, or the soul, upon hisentry, she holds in one hand this cross, while he holds up his hand that he55may not look upon her face. In another there is a winged figure, whosewings are attached to the arms, and in each hand is held the same cross.Among other things we find here the horizontal and vertical diameters oncemore, but conjoined with the circle placed on top. This is the same as theold astrological sign for Venus. But in the seal, its chief and most importantmeaning is the regenerated man. Here in the centre, after passing thedifferent degrees and cycles, both spirit and matter are united in the intelligentregenerated man, who stands in the middle knowing all things in themanifested universe. He has triumphed over death and holds the cross oflife.

The last theosophical symbol is, the pin of the Society, adopted earlyin its history but not used much. It is the cross we have just been considering,entwined in such a way by a serpent, that the combination makesT S as a monogram.

The foregoing is not exhaustive. Every symbol should have sevenmeanings of principal value, and out of every one of those we have been consideringcan be drawn that number of significations. Intelligent study ofthem will be beneficial, for when a consistent symbol, embodying many ideasis found and meditated upon, the thought or view of the symbol brings upeach idea at once before the mind.

Nilakant.

Reviews.

The Secret Doctrine of the Ancient Mysteries.—An essay byJ. D. Buck, (Robert Clarke & Co., Cincinnati, O.). This little pamphlet of32 pages, is an essay read by Dr. Buck before the Liberal Club of Cincinnati.The author tries to show that one truth has run all through theAncient Mysteries, and later, is even to be found in the Christian Church.His hint on p. 22, that “the Apostolic Catholic Church possessed the SecretDoctrine, that some of its clergy apprehended the great truths, but thatthere was wisdom for the priests and command for the people,” is full oftruth. At the present day the great Jesuit College possesses much knowledgeof the theurgy which is a part of the practice of the Secret Doctrine,and if all the magical practices of the disciples of Loyola were known,the Christian world would be startled. They know enough of forecastingthe future to fear all such movements as the Theosophical Society, andhave tried, as they still try, to undermine it within its own borders.

Anyone who reads Dr. Buck’s essay with a candid spirit, will agreewith him that one core of truth underlies all religions, and will feel the refreshinginfluence of the author’s clear mind and solid sense.

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Inworld.

[A poem taken from the January number of “The Dial,” 1842, the organ of theTranscendentalists, edited by Ralph Waldo Emerson.]

Outworld.

C.

Another Theosophical Prophecy.

In the first number of The Path was inserted a prophecy made fromcertain books in India called Nadigrandhams, respecting the Society.

This called forth from the N. Y. Sun, that model of journalism, a longtirade about the superficial knowledge which it claims pervades the Societyon the subject of oriental philosophy. Unfortunately for the learned editorialwriter in that paper, he never before heard of Nadigrandhams, which arealmost as common in India as the Sun is here, nor does he appear to knowwhat a Nadi may be, nor a Grandham, either.

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But without trying to drag the daily press of this country into the pathof oriental knowledge, we will proceed to record another prophecy or two.

The first will seem rather bold, but is placed far enough in the futureto give it some value as a test. It is this:—The Sanscrit language will oneday be again the language used by man upon this earth, first in science andin metaphysics, and later on in common life. Even in the lifetime of theSun’s witty writer, he will see the terms now preserved in that noblest oflanguages creeping into the literature and the press of the day, cropping upin reviews, appearing in various books and treatises, until even such men ashe will begin perhaps to feel that they all along had been ignorantly talkingof “thought” when they meant “cerebration,” and of “philosophy” when theymeant “philology,” and that they had been airing a superficial knowledgegained from cyclopœdias of the mere lower powers of intellect, when in factthey were totally ignorant of what is really elementary knowledge. So thisnew language cannot be English, not even the English acquired by thereporter of daily papers who ascends fortuitously to the editorial rooms—butwill be one which is scientific in all that makes a language, and hasbeen enriched by ages of study of metaphysics and the true science.

The second prophecy is nearer our day, and may be interesting.—It isbased upon cyclic changes. This is a period of such a change, and werefer to the columns of the N. Y. Sun of the time when the famous brilliantsunsets were chronicled and discussed not long ago for the same prognostication.No matter about dates; they are not to be given; but facts maybe. This glorious country, free as it is, will not long be calm: Unrest is theword for this cycle. The people will rise. For what, who can tell? Thestatesman who can see for what the uprising will be might take measures tocounteract. But all your measures can not turn back the iron will of fate.And even the City of New York will not be able to point its finger at Cincinnatiand St. Louis. Let those whose ears can hear the whispers, and thenoise of the gathering clouds, of the future, take notice; let them read, if theyknow how, the physiognomy of the United States, whereon the mighty handof nature has traced the furrows to indicate the character of the moral stormsthat will pursue their course no matter what the legislation may be. Butenough. Theosophists can go on unmoved, for they know that as Krishna saidto Arjuna, these bodies are not the real man, and that59 “no one has ever beennon-existent nor shall any of us ever cease to exist.”

Correspondence.

THEOSOPHY.

[A LETTER FROM A FRIEND.]

Dear Brother:

“It rejoices us all here more than I can tell you, to know that youhave made such a start in America with Theosophy. We have had so manythings to pull us back, that it has been quite as much as we could manageto keep our heads above water, and this not so much from the action of ourenemies as from the apathy of our friends. It is strange to me to see howlittle faith there is in the power of truth, even among those who ought torealize this most strongly. Why should we fear and fold our hands when menspeak evil of us or of the cause, why should we imagine that any attackon individual members can effect the position we take as a group or thattheosophy can be endangered thereby? How few understand what theosophyis; they look upon it as solely an intellectual movement that can be damnedby the folly of its adherents; they little dream of the strength that underliesthe apparently inconsistent workings of this manifestation of truth which wecall the Theosophical Society. And there is one thing which I believe establishesmore than any other, the fact that the Society as a whole has truevitality within it, and that is the visible action of Karma in its developments.

“See how the mistaken value given to phenomena in the early history ofthe Society, brought immediately its Karmic development in the troublesthen, and whenever any undue importance has been given either to individualitiesor any particular line of practice, it is always on that particular pointthat the next attack comes. So that while fully realizing that as an organization,the T. S. is defective in some things, I yet believe that there is apower within it that will purge it from its defects and carry it on in spite ofthe attacks of its enemies and what is worse still, the follies of its friends.What I do feel more and more is the necessity that we should remember andconstantly keep before us what it is we are working for and not think we accomplishour end when we number our converts in the world of fashion,and gather around us men and women who vainly hope for psychic powersand the arts of fortune telling and reading the future. I do not fear blackmagic in our midst, but I do feel very strongly that there are many who willsink to the level of mere wonder-seekers and that they will become the preyof elemental influences.

“What can be done to make men realize, as you say, a sense of universalbrotherhood and the true meaning of Theosophy. Well, let us join you60in America and the few here who do realize that psychism is not spirituality,and let us try to stir the hearts of men with the living truths of Theosophy.

“I am most anxious, and have been for a long time, that we should addressourselves to another stratum of society than that (the intellectual andthe fashionable) which we have sought. It is not that I would depreciate intellect;if I err in that matter it is in putting too much stress on intellectualdevelopment. But I am beginning to realize that the lower intellect canonly deal with physical facts and that it can never develop ideas; these canonly be apprehended by the higher intellectual faculties, and the ethical andemotional nature of man has also its higher and lower aspects.

“I wish very much that we had a literature calculated to appeal to thegeneral masses, and I think that we should resolutely turn our attention tothis object. I think the little book that Dr. Buck has just published veryuseful and I should be glad to see many more such little works treating ofthe various points of doctrine such as Reincarnation, Karma, &c. It is alsoencouraging to see such efforts as that contained in the small booklately out—What is Theosophy? Doubtless, in connection with that, for itseems to have been written for the author’s children, you will call to mindwhat was written by one of the adepts, not so long ago: ‘there is a greatlikelihood that the sons of theosophists will become theosophists,’ and willquite agree with me in the idea that we need a literature, not solely forhighly intellectual persons, but of a more simple character, which attemptsto appeal to ordinary common sense minds, who are really fainting for suchmental and moral assistance, which is not reached by the more pretentiousworks. Indeed, we all need this. It is fortunate that we have been able tolive through the tide of mere psychism and bare intellectuality whichthreatened nearly to swamp us. And you know to whom we owe our escape,and now, that there are ten or twelve members left who are preparedto work on independently of perturbation, I think it a clear gain. What doesit matter to us whether H. P. Blavatsky has or has not fulfilled all of herduties, or whether investigation has cast doubt into the minds of some. Inso far as she has done her duty, her work will remain, and if perchance shehas come to the end of her capabilities—which I do not admit—it is for usto carry on what she has thus far done.

“In America I hope you will not fall into running after wonders andpsychic gifts to the detriment of true philosophical and moral progress.

“Believe me to be, fraternally yours, A.”

Note.—The whole of this letter should be carefully studied, and inparticular the point that Karma brings its attacks just on the point or personswhere or by whom stress has been laid on phenomena. It may be acceptedas almost axiomatic by our members, that if any group or single personhas paid too undue attention to phenomena, to astralism, psychism, or whatever61it is called, there will develop the next trouble or attack upon the Society. Ithas been authoritatively stated by one of the great Beings who are behindthis movement, that it must prosper by moral worth and philosophy, and notby phenomena. Let us well beware then. Phenomena, powers—or siddhisas the Hindu say—are only incidental. Our real object is to spread UniversalBrotherhood, in which task we necessarily explain phenomena, but theSociety is not a Hall for Occultism, and that has also been asserted by anadept in India in reply to letters written him by certain well-knownEnglishmen who desired to establish a Branch then which should controlall literature and phenomena. There are no secrets to be given out to anyselect persons, for no one receives a secret inaccessible to the rest, until hehas acquired the right to it, and the proper sense to know when and towhom it is to be given out.—[Ed.]

WHAT IS THE UDGITHA?

Jamestown, April 16th, 1886.

Dear Brother:—Will you kindly explain, through The Path, what isto be understood by the Udgitha, or hymn of praise to Brahm? With bestwishes for the success of your enterprise, I remain,

Fraternally yours, L. J.

This is a vital question. It may have arisen from the peculiarity of theword inquired about, or it may be that our brother really knows the importanceof the point. We refer him to the article upon OM in the Aprilnumber. Om is the Udgitha, and OM has been explained in that article.Read between the lines; and read also the “Upanishad Notes” in thismonth’s Path.

In the Maitrayana-Brahmana-Upanishad, (Pr. VI), it is said: “TheUdgitha, called Pranava, the leader, the bright, the sleepless, free from oldage and death, three footed, (waking, dream, and deep sleep), consisting ofthree letters and likewise to be known as fivefold, is placed in the cave ofthe heart.”

This is the Self. Not the mere body or the faculties of the brain, butthe Highest Self. And that must be meditated on, or worshipped, with aconstant meditation. Hymn of praise, then, means that we accept the existenceof that Self and aspire to or adore Him. Therefore, it is said again, inthe same Upanishad:

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“In the beginning Brahman was all this. He was one, and infinite.*** The Highest Self is not to be fixed, he is unlimited, unborn,not to be reasoned about, not to be conceived. He is, like the ether, everywhere,and at the destruction of the Universe, he alone is awake. Thusfrom that ether he wakes all this world, which consists of (his) thought only,and by him alone is all this meditated on, and in him it is dissolved. Hisis that luminous form which shines in the sun, and the manifold light in thesmokeless fire. He who is in the fire, and he who is in the heart, and hewho is in the sun, they are one and the same. He who knows this becomesone with the One.”

Now “to know” this, does not mean to merely apprehend the statement,but actually become personally acquainted with it by interior experience.And this is difficult. But it is to be sought after. And the first step to it isthe attempt to realize universal brotherhood, for when one becomes identifiedwith the One, who is all, he “participates in the souls of all creatures;”surely then the first step in the path is universal brotherhood.

The hymn of praise to Brahm (which is Brahman) is the real object ofthis magazine, and of our existence. The hymn is used, in the sacrifice,when verbally expressed, and we can offer it in our daily existence, in eachact, whether eating, sleeping, waking, or in any state. A man can hardlyincorporate this idea in his being and not be spiritually and morallybenefited.

But we cannot fully explain here, as it is to be constantly referred to inthis magazine.—[Ed.]

Theosophical Activities.

Aryan Theosophical Society of New York.—This branch has establishedthe nucleus of a library to consist of Theosophical, Metaphysical,Occult, Aryan, and other literature. It already numbers about fifty volumes,some of which are loaned pending further accumulations and the acquirementof a proper place to keep them. It is hoped that this will grow to beof great value. A fund for the purpose has also been started. During Aprilthe contributions have been: A Friend, $5; Mr. B. X., $3: C., nine books:Hist. of Witchcraft in Salem; Zend Avesta; What is Theosophy?; MotherClothed with the Sun; Footfalls on the Boundaries of Another World, &c.;from Dr. Seth Pancoast, Red and Blue Light.

The books will be loaned to resident members upon giving receipt for adefinite period. Donations of books or money towards the fund, can be sentto The Path, or the Pres’t of the A. T. S., box 2659, New York City.

Several other books are promised and will be in hand before next month.

The Branch is actively engaged in spreading Theosophical literature,and now has requests for books from all parts of the U. S. It has reprintedMrs. Sinnett’s “Purpose of Theosophy” very cheap in form, but well done,and has other reprints in mind. Since last month, permanent quarters havebeen obtained, where the library will be established. Private meetings arealso held from time to time among the members, for study and discussion.

Mr. C. H. A. Bjerregaard finished his course of lectures on63 “Historic andIndividual Cycles.”

All inquiries should be addressed to the Secretary, Box 2659, NewYork City.

Cincinnati.—Since our April issue the members here have been steadilyat work, and among other things accomplished, is the printing of Dr. Buck’sessay upon the “Secret Doctrine of the Ancient Mysteries.”

Boston.—Interest in Boston continues unabated. A member of theAryan Branch of New York has been spending a month in Boston, discussingthe philosophy and ethics to be found in theosophical literature, and itis to be hoped that the work done will be permanent, founded as it is inethics and not upon phenomena.

Bullel.—Brother Krishnarao B. Bullel, a Bombay member, who hasbeen studying medicine in New York, and who constantly attended themeetings of the Aryan Branch, graduated from the Homœopathic MedicalCollege, of New York, with honors. He sailed for home on April 14th, onthe steamer America, intending to stop in London. He carries back withhim the best wishes of his American brothers, and a good report of the progressof the Cause here.

Olcott.—Col. H. S. Olcott has lately been in Ceylon looking after thework there. Rev. Mr. Leadbeater was with him, and will remain on theIsland, where Theosophy is very strong, to work for the Society. A theosophicalpaper, in Singhalese, was started there some years ago, and stillflourishes. The Colonel has just recovered from a slight attack of fever contractedin his journeys, but his vigor remains unabated.

Exposures.—In reply to several inquiries made here, and also sent toLondon from the U. S., we beg to say that it is true that the Society forPsychical Research sent a prejudiced expert to India, who exposed nothingexcept his own bias. Among other things, he thought he had proved thatthe writing of alleged adepts was only Mme. Blavatsky’s disguised hand.But since then, a well-known German member has submitted specimens ofadept writing, together with Mme. Blavatsky’s, to one of the best calligraphicexperts in Germany, who certifies that the messages which have been impugnedwere not written by her.

Mme. Blavatsky is now in Europe, for her health, but she may be expectedto return very soon to India, spy-theory and missionaries, to thecontrary notwithstanding.

The American Board of Control.—The general and routine work ofthe Society in America, is under the jurisdiction of the Board of Control, ofwhich the Secretary is Elliott B. Page, 301 South Main Street, St. Louis, Mo.

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A resolution has been passed by this Board, which is binding on allmembers, that no publication shall be issued as a Theosophical one, withoutprevious consent obtained from the officers of the Board. This is wise, as itwill tend to prevent unauthorized declarations of so-called Theosophical doctrinefrom being laid at the door of the Society. All members, therefore,intending to make publication, should address the Secretary of the Board.

Yoga Vidya or the Knowledge of Yoga, is the name by which in Indiapsychic practices, or astralism, or seeking after astral-body formation, or inducingclairvoyance and the like, is most commonly known. At the sametime, True Yoga, called Raja Yoga, is a different thing. In the MarchTheosophist a member writes giving the name of one who will instruct inthese practices, and the Editor replied:

“We cannot endorse the writer’s opinion as to the benefits of YogaVidya. For one or two who succeed in it, hundreds fail and wreck bothbody and mind, through its dangerous practices, and even if physical resultsare obtained they are not invariably followed by spiritual illumination.”

It certainly thus appears that our Society is not in favor of such practices,no matter if some of its members indulge in them.

Admission to the Society is open to any person of full age, who isin sympathy with its objects, willing to abide by its rules; and is obtained bysigning an application which sets forth the above in a form which is provided.This must be countersigned by any two active members in good standing.The entrance fee is $5 and one belonging to a Branch should also paythe annual dues thereof. Applications can be made to Presidents ofBranches or other officers. Persons may become members of Branches orunattached members of the General Society.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded onour thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts withan evil thought pain follows him as the wheel follows the foot of him whodraws the carriage.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded onour thoughts; it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or actswith a pure thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaveshim.—Dhammapada.

Receive this law, young men; keep, read, fathom, teach, promulgateand preach it to all beings. I am not avaricious nor narrow minded; I amconfident and willing to impart Buddha knowledge, or knowledge of theself-born. I am a bountiful giver, young men, and ye should follow myexample; imitate me in liberality, showing this knowledge, and preachingthis code of laws and conduct to those who shall successively gather roundyou, and rouse unbelieving persons to accept this law. By so doing ye willacquit your debt to the Tathagatas.—Saddharma Pundarika.

OM

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No. 3.

The great All, which is constantly in motion, and is constantlyundergoing change in the visible and invisible universe, is like thetree which perpetuates itself by the seed and is incessantly creatingthe same identical types.—Book of Pitris.

Nothing is commenced or ended. Everything is transformed.Life and death are only modes of transformation which rule thevital molecule from plant up to Brahma himself.-Atharva Veda.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. JUNE, 1886. No. 3.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the authors name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

A Hindu Chela’s Diary.50

In the month of December he arrived at Benares, on what he hopedwould be his last pilgrimage. As much as I am able to decipher of thiscurious manuscript, written in a mixture of Tamil—the South Indian language—withMahratta, which, as you know, is entirely dissimilar, showsthat he had made many pilgrimages to India’s sacred places, whether bymere impulse or upon actual direction, I know not. If he had been onlyany ordinary religiously disposed Hindu we might be able to come tosome judgment hereupon, for the pilgrimages might have been made inorder to gain merit, but as he must long ago have risen above the flowerychains of even the Vedas, we cannot really tell for what reason these journeyswere made. Although, as you know, I have long had possession of thesepapers, the time had not until now seemed ripe to give them out. He had,66when I received them, already long passed away from these busy scenes tothose far busier, and now I give you liberty to print the fragmentary talewithout description of his person. These people are, you know, not disposedto have accurate descriptions of themselves floating about. Theybeing real disciples, never like to say that they are, a manner quite contraryto that of those famed professors of occult science who opportunely orinopportunely declare their supposed chelaship from the house top.

*** “Twice before have I seen these silent temples standing by the rollingflood of sacred Ganges. They have not changed, but in me what changeshave occurred! And yet that cannot be, for the I changeth not, but only theveil wrapped about, is either torn away or more closely and thickly folded roundto the disguising of the reality.***It is now seven months since I beganto use the privilege of listening to Kunâla. Each time before, that I cameto see him, implacable fate drove me back. It was Karma, the just law,which compels when we would not, that prevented me. Had I falteredthen and returned to the life then even so far in the past, my fate in this incarnationwould have been sealed—and he would have said nothing. Why?Happy was I that I knew the silence would have not indicated in him anyloss of interest in my welfare, but only that the same Karma prevented interference.Very soon after first seeing him I felt that he was not what he appearedexteriorly to be. Then the feeling grew into a belief within a shorttime so strong that four or five times I thought of throwing myself at hisfeet and begging him to reveal himself to me. But I thought that was useless,as I knew that I was quite impure and could not be trusted with thatsecret. If I remained silent I thought that he would confide to me wheneverhe found me worthy of it. I thought he must be some great HinduAdept who had assumed that illusionary form. But there this difficultyarose, for I knew that he received letters from various relatives in differentparts, and this would compel him to practice the illusion all over the globe,for some of those relatives were in other countries, where he had been too.Various explanations suggested themselves to me.***I was right in myoriginal conception of Kunâla that he is some great Indian Adept. Ofthis subject I constantly talked with him since—— although I fear Iam not, and perhaps shall not be in this life worthy of their company. Myinclination has always been in this direction. I always thought of retiringfrom this world and giving myself up to devotion. To Kunâla I often expressedthis intention, so that I might study this philosophy, which alonecan make man happy in this world. But then he usually asked me what Iwould do there alone? He said that instead of gaining my object I mightperhaps become insane by being left alone in the jungles with no one toguide me; that I was foolish enough to think that by going into the jungles67I could fall in with an adept; and that if I really wanted to gain my objectI should have to work in the reform in and through which I had met somany good men and himself also, and when the Higher Ones, whom I darenot mention by any other names, were satisfied with me they themselveswould call me away from the busy world and teach me in private. Andwhen I foolishly asked him many times to give me the names and addressesof some of those Higher Ones he said once to me: ‘One of our Brothershas told me that as you are so much after me I had better tell you once forall that I have no right to give you any information about them, but if yougo on asking Hindus you meet what they know about the matter youmight hear of them, and one of those Higher Ones may perhaps throw himselfin your way without your knowing him, and will tell you what youshould do.’ These were orders, and I knew I must wait, and still I knewthat through Kunâla only would I have my object fulfilled.***

“I then asked one or two of my own countrymen, and one of them saidhe had seen two or three such men, but that they were not quite what hethought to be ‘Raj Yogs’ He also said he had heard of a man who hadappeared several times in Benares, but that nobody knew where he lived.My disappointment grew more bitter, but I never lost the firm confidencethat Adepts do live in India and can still be found among us. No doubttoo there are a few in other countries, else why had Kunâla been to them.***In consequence of a letter from Vishnurama, who said that a certainX51 lived in Benares, and that Swamiji K knew him. However, forcertain reasons I could not address Swamiji K directly, and when I askedhim if he knew X he replied: “If there be such a man here at all he isnot known.” Thus evasively on many occasions he answered me, and Isaw that all my expectations in going to Benares were only airy castles. Ithought I had gained only the consolation that I was doing a part of myduty. So I wrote again to Nilakant: “As directed by you I have neitherlet him know what I know of him nor what my own intentions are. Heseems to think that in this I am working to make money, and as yet I havekept him in the dark as regards myself, and am myself groping in the dark.Expecting enlightenment from you, etc.”***The other day Nilakantcame suddenly here and I met Sw. K. and him together, when to my surpriseK at once mentioned X, saying he knew him well and that he oftencame to see him, and then he offered to take us there. But just as we weregoing, arrived at the place an English officer who had done Kunâla a servicein some past time. He had in some way heard of X and was permitted tocome. Such are the complications of Karma. It was absolutely necessarythat he should go too, although no doubt his European education would68never permit him to more than half accept the doctrine of Karma, so interwovenbackward and forwards in our lives, both those now, that past andthat to come. At the interview with X, I could gain nothing, and so wecame away. The next day came X to see us. He never speaks of himself,but as ‘this body.’ He told me that he had first been in the body of aFakir, who, upon having his hand disabled by a shot he received while hepassed the fortress of Bhurtpore, had to change his body and choose another,the one he was now in. A child of about seven years of age wasdying at that time, and so, before the complete physical death, this Fakirhad entered the body and afterwards used it as his own. He is, therefore,doubly not what he seems to be. As a Fakir he had studied Yoga sciencefor 65 years, but that study having been arrested at the time he was disabled,leaving him unequal to the task he had to perform, he had to choose this otherone. In his present body he is 53 years, and consequently the inner X is118 years old.***In the night I heard him talking with Kunâla,and found that each had the same Guru, who himself is a very great Adept,whose age is 300 years, although in appearance he seems to be only 4052.He will in a few centuries enter the body of a Kshatriya53, and do some greatdeeds for India, but the time had not yet come.”

[To be continued.]

Sufism,

(Continued.)

SUFI ECSTASY.

69

ABULFAZL (A.D. 1595):

SHEMS TEBREEZ:

What advice, O Musselmans? I don’t know myself; I54 am neither Christian nor Jew, nor am I a fire-worshipper nor Musselman.
I am not from the East or West, nor am I of land or fire.
I am not from the country of Iran, nor am I from the land of Khoorassan.
I am neither of water nor air, nor am I of fire or earth.
I am not of Adam or Eve, nor am I of the inhabitants of paradise.
My place is no place, my sign is without sign:
I have neither body nor soul,—what is there then? I am the soul of my Beloved.55
When I took out my heart, the two worlds I saw as one. He is the first, He is the last, He is the manifest. He is the secret.
Except Him, and that I am Him, I do not know anything else.
O thou, Shems Tebreez, why this rapture in this world?
Except with rapture and enthusiastic ardour, this work cannot be effected.

ECSTASY: THE HEART AS MEDIUM.

(E. H. Palmer, Orient. Myst.)

Who so knoweth himself, knoweth the Godhead.—Thy soul is the sufficientproof of the existence of the Godhead: When by reflection thou hast penetrated to thatdeep within, thou shalt discover there the Universal Worker of his work.

(D’Herbelot—Persian Paraphrases.)

Wouldst know where I found the Supreme? One step beyond self.—Behind the veilof self shines unseen the beauty of the Beloved.—(Aphorisms.)

Soul of the soul! Neither thought nor reason comprehend thy essence, and no oneknows thy attributes. Souls have no idea of thy being. The prophets themselves sinkinto the dust before thee. Although intellect exists by thee, has it ever found the pathof thy existence? Thou art the interior and the exterior of the soul.—(Attar.)

They who see God are ever rapt in ecstacy.***(The Mesnevi.)

ECSTASY: NATURE AS MEDIUM.

(E. H. Palmer, Orient. Myst.).

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Recognise the mark of Deity in every place, and never place the foot without its ownlimit. The world is the image of the Godhead.—(Buslami.)

RABIA LEGENDS.

—The widow Rabia56 is reported having said “an interior wound consumesmy heart; it can only be cured by communion with a friend.57 Ishall remain sick till the day of judgment when I shall reach my end.”—

—It is told of Rabia, that once when requested to marry, she answered:My being has for a long time been in marital communion; hence I saythat my ego is long ago lost in itself and arisen again in Him (in God);since then I am entirely in His power, yea, I am He. He, who would askme for a bride, would ask me, not from myself, but from Him (God).Hassan Basri (a famous Mohamedan Theologian) asked her how she hadreached this state. She answered: In this way, everything which I hadfound I lost again in Him (God). When questioned as to by which modeshe knew Him, she made answer: O, Hassan, you know Him by certainmethods and means, I know Him without modes and means.—

—Ibn Chali Kan tells about Rabia that she often in the middle of thenight went up upon the roof and in her loneness cried out: O, my God!Now is silenced the noise of the day, and the lover enjoys the night with thebeloved, but I enjoy myself in my loneness with Thee; Thou art my truelover.—

—It is told of her that once while journeying to Mecca on seeing theKaaba she exclaimed: What is the Kaaba to me? I need the Lord of theKaaba! I am so near God that I apply to myself his words: He whoapproaches me by an inch, him I approach by a yard. What is the Kaabato me?—

—Feri’d Eddin Attar tells about her, that she, once while crossing thefields, cried out: Deep longing after God has taken possession of me! True,Thou art both earth and stone, but I yearn to behold Thee, Thyself. Thehigh God spoke to her in her heart, without a medium: O, Rabia! Doyou not know that once when Moses requested to see God, only a grain fellfrom the sun and he collapsed: Be satisfied with my name!—

—Once asked if she beheld God while worshipping Him, “Assuredly,”said she, “I behold Him, for Whom I cannot see, I cannot worship.”—

—Once when Rabia was sick three famous Theologians called uponher, namely Hassan Basri, Malik Dinar, and Schakik Balchi. Hassan said:The prayers of that man are not sincere who refuses to bear the Lord’schastisem*nts. Schakik added to that: He is not sincere who does notrejoice in the Lord’s chastisem*nts. But Rabia, who detected selfish joy71even in those words, replied: He is not sincere in his prayers, who doesnot, when he beholds his Lord, forget entirely that he is being chastised.—

—On one occasion Rabia was questioned concerning the cause of anillness and replied: I allowed myself to think on the delights of paradise,therefore my Lord has punished me.—

ACTS OF ADEPTS.58

Munsoor Halaj attained victory of the body, by incessant prayer and contemplation.He used to say “I am the Truth.”

The following story is told of him. He observed his sister go out frequentlyat night, and wondering what it meant, he resolved to watch herand see where she went. He did so and found that she went to a companyof celestial spirits, who gave her of their nectar or immortal beverage.Thinking that a drop might be left in the cup after his sister had drank fromit, he took hold of it and did, much against her warning, get a drop of thedivine fluid. Ever afterwards he went about exclaiming “I am the Truth!”This was too much for the observers of the canonical law and they sentencedhim to be impaled alive. When they came to take him, he told them, thathe did not fear them, they could do him no harm, and when they were puttinghim on the stake, he disappeared from them and appeared in a sittingposture in the air at a small distance over the stake. This was repeatedseveral times. His spirit ascended to heaven and asked the Prophet if it beright that he should suffer. The Prophet advised him to suffer, otherwisethere would be an end to formal religion. On this Munsoor Halaj’s spiritdescended and permitted the body to take the course of nature. Whenabout to be impaled, he called a disciple of his, told him the secret and thathis voice, “I am the Truth” would be heard, when they after burning him,should throw his ashes into the sea; and that the sea would rise and overflowall the land, if they did not take his godhra59 and place it on the risingwaves. It so all happened.—

A Sufi poet has explained the cause of Munsoor’s death, to lie in thefact, that he revealed a mystery.

Of Shems Tebreez the following story is told. He raised a King’s onlyson from death by throwing his mantle over him and ordering him “Riseby my order.” For this he was summoned before the ecclesiastical courtand sentenced to be flayed alive. When the sentence came to be executed,no knives could cut him, his body was invulnerable. It is related, that heascended in spirit to heaven and the Prophet directed him to undergo hispunishment, which he subsequently did. He directed the doctors of Law,72himself, how to begin to cut the skin from his feet, or rather made the incisionhimself. When they had thus flayed him, he requested his own skin,be given to him as the letter of the law was fulfilled, and they gave it to him.Of this he made his Khirqeh or derwish’s habit, threw it over his shoulders,and went away.

After that the doctors of law ordered everybody to give him nothingto eat, drink, &c. He thus remained for some days without food, &c. Atlast he found a dead ox and cut out a piece, but as no one dared give himfire, he ordered the sun to descend from the firmament and come nearer tobroil his meat. The sun obeyed—but the prince and people fearing theconsequences implored him to relieve their sufferings by ordering the sunto return to its station. He granted their request.

TEXTS FROM REPRESENTATIVE SUFIS.

Al-Ghazzali (Abu Hamid Muhammed ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad alGhazzali,) surnamed Hujjatu ‘l-Islam (“the proof of Islam”). He was bornat Tus A. D. 1058 and died A. D. 1111.—

The following are his own words: “I said to myself: the aim of mylife is simply to know the truth of things; therefore I must ascertain whatknowledge is.** I then said to myself ‘the only hope of acquiring incontestableconvictions is by the perceptions of the senses and by necessarytruths.’ Their evidence seemed to me to be indubitable. I soon began toexamine the objects of sensation and speculation to see if they were beyonddoubt and doubts crowded in upon me, that my incertitude became complete.**I abandoned the senses, therefore, having seen all my confidencein their truth shaken.***Perhaps, said I, there is no assurancebut in the notions of reason, viz., in first principles.***Uponthis the senses replied: ‘What assurance have you that your confidence inreason is not of the same nature as your confidence in us? May there not besome other judge superior to reason? The non-appearance of such a judgeis no proof of his non-existence.’***I came to reflect on sleep, howduring sleep we give to visions, reality and consistence, and have no suspicionof their untruth. On awaking we see they were nothing but visions. Whatassurance have we that all we feel and see and know when we are awake doesactually exist?”

Al Gazzali had now come to disbelief and distrust of the world of sense.He gave his wealth away, left Bagdad and retired into Syria, to the desert,where he spent two years in solitary struggle, combating his passions, purifiedhis heart and prepared for another world. He attained freedom. Afterwardshe said:73 “The life of man passes through three degrees. The firstor infantile state is that of pure sensation; the second is that of understanding,and the third that of reason, where the intellect perceives the necessarytruths, &c. But there is a fourth state, beyond these three, in which manperceives the hidden things, that have been, and that will be and the thingsthat escape both the senses and reason. This state is Freedom.”

AL GAZZALI: ALCHEMY OF HAPPINESS.

Chap. I. On the knowledge of the soul, and how knowledge of the soulis the key to the knowledge of God.

O seeker after the divine mysteries! Know thou that the door to theknowledge of God will be opened to a man first of all, when he knows hisown soul, and understands the truth about his own spirit, according as ithas been revealed, “he who knows himself knows his Lord also.”

If you wish, O seeker of the way! to know your own soul, know thatthe blessed and glorious God created you of two things: the one is a visiblebody, and the other is a something internal, that is called spirit and heart,which can only be perceived by the mind. But when we speak of the heart,we do not mean the piece of flesh which is in the left side of the breast ofman, for that is found in a dead body and in animals: it may be seen withthe eyes, and belongs to the visible world. That heart, which is emphaticallycalled spirit, does not belong to this world, and although it has come to thisworld, it has only come to leave it. It is the sovereign of the body, whichis its vehicle, and all the external and internal organs of the body are itssubjects. Its special attribute is to know God and to enjoy the vision of theBeauty of the Lord God.—They will ask you about the spirit. Answer,“The spirit is a creation by decree of the Lord. The spirit belongs to theworld of decrees. All existence is of two kinds, one is of the world of decrees,and the other is of the world of creation. To Him belong creation anddecree.”

—That spirit, which has the property of knowing God is called theheart; it is not found in beasts, nor is it matter or an accident. The heart hasbeen created with angelic qualities. It is a substance of which it is difficultto apprehend the essence. The law does not permit it to be explained, butthere is no occasion for the student being acquainted with it at the outsetof his journey.

—Know, O seeker after the divine mysteries! that the body is the kingdomof the heart, and that in the body there are many forces in contrarietywith the heart, as God speaks in his Holy Word.

—Know, O student of wisdom! that the body, which is the kingdomof the heart, resembles a great city. The hand, the foot, the mouth and theother members resemble the people of the various trades. Desire is a standardbearer; anger is a superintendent of the city, the heart is its sovereign,and reason is the vizier. The sovereign needs the service of all the inhabitants.But desire, the standard bearer, is a liar, vain and ambitious. He is74always ready to do the contrary of what reason, the vizier, commands. Hestrives to appropriate to himself whatever he sees in the city, which is thebody. Anger, the superintendent, is rebellious and corrupt, quick andpassionate. He is always ready to be enraged, to spill blood, and to blastone’s reputation. If the sovereign, the heart, should invariably consult withreason, his vizier, and, when desire was transgressing, should give to wrathto have power over him (yet, without giving him full liberty, should makehim angry in subjection to reason, the vizier, so that passing all bounds heshould not stretch out his hand upon the kingdom), there would then bean equilibrium in the condition of the kingdom, and all the members wouldperform the functions for which they were created, their service would beaccepted at the mercy seat, and they would obtain eternal felicity.

The dignity of the heart is of two kinds; one is by means of knowledge,and the other through the exertion of divine power. Its dignity bymeans of knowledge is also of two kinds. The first is external knowledge,which everyone understands: the second kind is veiled and cannot beunderstood by all, and is extremely precious.

—In the second, by the power of thought, the soul passes from theabyss to the highest heaven, and from the East to the West.

The most wonderful thing of all is, that there is a window in the heartfrom whence it surveys the world. This is called the invisible world, theworld of intelligence, or the spiritual world.

—The heart resembles a pure mirror, you must know, in this particular,that when a man falls asleep, when his senses are closed, and when theheart, free and pure from blamable affections, is confronted with the preservedtablet, then the tablet reflects upon the heart the real states andhidden forms inscribed upon it. In that state the heart sees most wonderfulforms and combinations. But when the heart is not free from impurity, orwhen, on waking, it busies itself with things of sense, the side towards thetablet will be obscured, and it can view nothing. For, although in sleepthe senses are blunted, the image-making faculty is not, but preserves theforms reflected upon the mirror of the heart.

—In death, the senses are completely separated and the veil of thebody is removed, the heart can contemplate the invisible world and itshidden mysteries, without a veil, just as lightning or the celestial rays impressthe external eye.

—If a person calls into exercise, in perfection, holy zeal and austerities,and purifies his heart from the defilement of blamable affections, and thensits down in a retired spot, abandons the use of his external senses, andoccupies himself with calling out “O God! O God!” his heart will comeinto harmony with the visible world, he will no longer receive notices from75the material world, and nothing will be present in his heart but the exaltedGod. In this revelation of the invisible world, the windows of the heart areopened, and what others may have seen in a dream, he in this state sees inreality. The spirits of angels and prophets are manifested to him and heholds intercourse with them. The hidden things of the earth and heavenare uncovered to him.***Probably the knowledge of allthe prophets was obtained in this way, for it was not obtained by learning.

—When the heart is free from worldly lusts, from the animosities ofsociety and from distractions by the senses, the vision of God is possible.And this course is adopted by the Mystics. It is also the path followed bythe prophets.

—The heart of man while in the spiritual world knows its Maker andCreator: it had mingled with the angels and knows for what service it wascreated.

—To whomsoever this revelation has been vouchsafed, if it directs him toreform the world, to invite the nations to turn to God, and to a peculiar wayof life, that person is called a prophet, and his way of life is called a law; andthat influence which proceeds from him, which transcends what is ordinary,is called a miracle. If he has not been appointed to invite nations, but worshipsin accordance with the law of another, he is called a saint, and thatwhich proceeds from him, which transcends what is ordinary, is called amanifestation of grace.

—The knowledge of God, which is the occasion of the revelation oftruth, cannot be acquired without self-denial and effort. Unless a man hasreached perfection and the rank of a Superior, nothing will be revealed tohim, except in cases of special divine grace and merciful providence, and thisoccurs very rarely.

—You have now learned, O student of the divine mysteries, the dignityof the heart through knowledge.

—Now listen to the heart’s dignity through divine power and the greatnessof which it is capable.

—When God wills it, the angels send forth the winds, cause the rainto fall, bring forth the embryo in animals, shape their forms, cause seeds tosprout in the earth and plants to grow, many legions of angels being appointedto this service. The heart of man, being created with angelic propertiesmust also have influence and power over the material world;***and if the animal and ferocious qualities should not be dominant, if it shouldlook upon a lion or tiger with “majesty” they would become weak and submissive.If it should look with kindness upon one who is sick, his infirmitymight be changed to health. If it should look upon the vigorous withmajesty, they might become infirm. The reality of the existence of theseinfluences is known both by reason and experience.

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—In whomsoever these influences are shown to have power, if he occasionsmisery in the exercise of this power, he is designated a sorcerer.

—The heart has dominion and control through three channels. Oneis through visions;—the second is through the dominion which the heartexercises over its own body;—the third source of dominion of the heart isthrough knowledge.—Some persons have all things opened up to them bythe will of God. This kind of knowledge is called “infused and illuminated”as God says in his Word: “we have illuminated him with our knowledge.”These three specialities are all of them found in certain measure in somemen, in others two of them are found, and in others, only one is found: butwhenever the three are found in the same person, he belongs to the rank ofprophets or of the greatest of the saints. Man cannot comprehend states ofbeing which transcend his own nature. No person can understand any individualwho belongs to a scale of rank above him.

—The path of mysticism is sought for by all men, and longed for by allclasses of society, yet those who attain to the end are exceedingly rare.

—The body is but an animal to be ridden by the heart, which is its rider,while the heart’s chief end is to acquire a knowledge of God.

Chap. II. On the knowledge of God.

—In the books of former prophets it is written, “Know thine own soul,and thou shalt know thy Lord,” and we have received it in a tradition,that “He who knows himself, already knows his Lord.”

—Everyone in the sphere to which he attains, is still veiled with a veil.The light of some is as of a twinkling star. Others see as by the light of themoon. Others are illuminated as if by the world-effulgent sun. To somethe invisible world is even perfectly revealed, as we hear in the holy word ofGod: “And thus we caused Abraham to see the heaven and the earth.”And hence it is that the prophet says: “There are before God seventy veils oflight; if he should unveil them, the light of His countenance would burneverything that came into His presence.”

Chap. III. On the knowledge of the world.

—Know, that this world is one stage of our life for eternity. For thosewho are journeying in the right way, it is the road of religion. It is amarket opened in the wilderness, where those who are travelling on theirway to God, may collect and prepare provisions for their journey, and departthence to God, without sorrow or despondency.

—The world is delusive, enchanting and treacherous.

—The world will be brought to the great assembly at the last day, inthe form of a woman with livid eyes, pendent lips, and deformed shape, andall the people will look upon her, and will exclaim,77 “what deformed andhorrible person is that, whose aspect alone is severe torture to the soul.”And they will be answered, “It was on her account that you were envyingand hating one another, and were ready to slay one another. It was on heraccount that you rebelled against God, and debased yourselves to every sortof corruption.” And then God will order her to be driven off to hell withher followers and her lovers.60

The Lord Jesus (upon whom be peace!) declares that the world is likethe man who drinks sea water. The more he drinks, the more his internalheat increases, and unless he stops, he will destroy himself by drinking.

Chap. IV. On the knowledge of the future world.

—Know, beloved, that we cannot understand the future world, untilwe know what death is: and we cannot know what death is, until weknow what life is: nor can we understand what life is, until we knowwhat spirit is.

—The following is an illustration of the duration of eternity, so far as thehuman mind can comprehend it. If the space between the empyrealheaven to the regions below the earth, embracing the whole universe, shouldbe filled up with grains of mustard seed, and if a crow should make use ofthem as food and come but once in a thousand years and take but a singlegrain away, so that with the lapse of time there should not remain a singlegrain, still at the end of that time not the amount of a grain of mustard seedwould have been diminished from the duration of eternity.—

AL GAZZALI ON PRAYER.

—Prayers are of three degrees, of which the first are those that are simplyspoken with the lips. Prayers are of the second kind, when with difficulty,and only by a most resolute effort, the soul is able to fix its thoughts on Divinethings without being disturbed by evil imaginations; of the third kind,when one finds it difficult to turn away the mind from dwelling on Divinethings. But it is the very marrow of prayer, when He who is invoked takespossession of the soul of the suppliant, and the soul of him who prays isabsorbed into God to whom he prays, and his prayer ceasing, all consciousnessof self has departed, and to such a degree, that all thought whatsoeverof the praying is felt as a veil betwixt the soul and God. This state iscalled by the Mystics “absorption,” for the reason that the man is so absorbed,that he takes no thought of his body, or of anything that happens externally,none of what occurs in his own soul, but, absent as it were from all suchmatter whatsoever, is first engaged in going towards his Lord, and finally iswholly in his Lord. If only the thought occurs that he is absorbed into theAbsolute, it is a blemish; for that absorption only is worthy of the namewhich is unconscious of itself. And these words of mine, although theywill be called, as I well know, but foolish babbling by raw theologians, are78yet by no means without significance. For consider, the condition ofwhich I speak, resembles that of a person who loves any other object, aswealth, honor, or pleasure. We see such persons so carried away with theirlove, and others with anger, that they do not hear one who speaks to them,nor see those passing before their eyes; nay, so absorbed are they in theirpassion, that they do not perceive their absorption. Just so far as you turnyour mind upon your absorption, you necessarily turn it away from thatwhich is the object of it.”

Again he says: “The commencement of this is the going to God, thenfollows the finding Him, when the “absorption” takes place. This is, atfirst, momentary, as the lightening swiftly glancing upon the eye. But afterwardsconfirmed by use, it introduces the soul into a higher world, wherethe most pure, essential essence meeting it, fills the soul with the image ofthe spiritual world, while the majesty of deity evolves and discovers itself.”

Omar Khayyam (Ghias uddin Abul Fath Omar ibn Ibrahim Al Khayyam)was born in Khorassan “the focus of Persian culture” and is supposedto have died A. D. 1123.

He was not affiliated with any Sufi order, but large parts of his worksare full of true Sufi philosophy and are recognized as such.

The first part of the following quotations are taken from the translationby E. H. Whinfield in Trübner’s Oriental Series. The second part is extractedfrom B. Quarritch’s ed. 1879.

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FARIDU’D-DIN SHAKRGUNJ (about A. D. 1200).

Saadi (Shaikh-Muslah-ud-Din Saadi) was born at Shiraz, the capital ofPersia, A.D. 1176.

He thus characterizes his life and his studies: “I have wandered tovarious regions of the world, and everywhere have I mixed freely with theinhabitants; I have gathered something in each corner; I have gleaned anear from every harvest.” The divan of Saadi is by his countrymen reckonedto be the true Salt mine of poets. Jami calls him “the nightingale of thegroves of Shiraz.”

We would call him the moral philosopher of Sufism. His writings donot contain much metaphysics.

SAADIS’ GULISTAN (or ROSE GARDEN):

—Shame on the man**

Who, when the drum soundeth for departure, hath not made up hisburden

Who, on the morning of his journey, is still indulging in sweet sleep.

—They asked Lockman, the wise, from whence he learnt wisdom. Heanswered: “From the blind; for till they have tried the ground, they plantnot the foot.”

—The world, O my brother, abideth with no one.

—Ask the inhabitants of Hell, they will tell you it is Paradise.

—The sons of Adam are limbs of one another, for in their creation theyare formed of one substance.

When Fortune bringeth affliction to a single member, not one of therest remaineth without disturbance.

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—Know that from God is the difference of enemy and friend, for thehearts of both are alike in His keeping.

—So long as thou art able, crush not a single heart, for a sigh haspower to overturn a world.

—Not a word can be said, even in child’s play, from which an intelligentperson may not gather instruction; but if a hundred chapters of wisdomwere read in the hearing of a fool, to his ears it would sound as nothingbut child’s play.

—Yesternight, towards morning, a warbling bird stole away my reason,my patience, my strength, and my understanding. My exclamations, bychance, reached the ear of a most intimate friend. “Never,” he said “couldI believe that the voice of a bird should have such a power to disturb thyintellect!”—“It is not,” I replied, “befitting the condition of man, that abird should be reciting its hymn of praise, and that I should be silent.”

—One day the Prophet said to Abu Huraizah: “Do not come everyday, that our friendship may increase.”

A holy man has said: “With all the beauty which attends the sun, Ihave never heard that anyone has taken him for a friend, except in winter,when he is veiled, and therefore is loved.”

—The treasure chosen by Lokman was patience: without patiencethere is no such thing as wisdom.

—Were every night a night of power, the Night of Power, would loseits worth. Were every pebble a ruby, the ruby and the pebble would be ofequal value.

[Quran, Chap, xcvii: Verily we sent down the Quran in the night ofal Kadr.—Therein do the angels descend, and the spirit of Gabriel also, bythe permission of their Lord with his decrees concerning every matter. It ispeace until morning. Comp. footnote to Lane’s transl. of the Quran andour Part II: Symbols].

—How should the multitude find its way to their secret chambers, for,like the waters of life, they are hidden in darkness?

They kindle themselves the flame, which, as a moth, consumeth them;not wrapping themselves up like the silk-worm in its own web.

Seeking for the Soul’s repose on the bosom which only can give repose,their lips are still dry with thirst on the very margin of the stream:

Not that they have no power to drink the water, but that their thirstcould not be quenched, even on the banks of the Nile.

“The bird of the morning only knoweth the worth of the book of therose; for not every one who readeth the page understandeth the meaning.”(Hafiz.)

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SAADIS’ BOOSTAN (FRUIT GARDEN OR GARDEN OF PLEASURE).

Polarity of the Human Body.

Mr. H. Durville, Director of the “Journal du Magnétisme,” publishedin Paris, France, has made some very interesting experiments which haveled him to fix the exact Polarity of the Human Body. To understand wellwhat I am going to state, it is necessary to know first that the French callthe South pole of the Earth, Austral, and the North pole, Boreal, and thatthey call the end of the compass needle or of a Magnet which is attractedto the North of the Earth, Austral, and the end which is attracted to theSouth, Boreal.

Mr. Durville has replaced the denominations Austral and Boreal bythe terms positive and negative, based on the following Electro-Chemicallaw. If a Saline solution be submitted to the action of a Voltaic current, theacids go to the pole +, or positive and the alkalis to the pole-, or negative.

Also if we put in the water contained in two different glasses, the twoelectrodes of a pile, uniting the two glasses by a wet woolen or cotton thread,the water in the glass exposed to the electrode +, will take a fresh andacidulated taste, and the water in the other glass exposed to the electrode-,will take an alkaline, tepid and unsavoury taste. Now, if we submit twoglasses filled with water to the poles of a Magnet, the water exposed to theAustral pole will take an acidulated taste, and the water exposed to theBoreal pole will take an alkaline taste.

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There is, then, a concordance of nature between the positive or + poleof the pile, and the Austral or positive pole of the Magnet, both being freshand acids; and between the negative or-pole of the pile, and the Borealor negative pole of the Magnet, both being tepid, nauseous and alkaline.Consequently we can call +, or positive, the Austral pole of the Magnetand-, or negative, the Boreal pole. Furthermore, if we magnetize twoglasses of water, one with the right hand, and the other with the left hand,the first will become acidulated and fresh, and the second, tepid, nauseousand alkaline.

Then, there is again concordance of nature between the positive or +pole of the pile, the positive or Austral pole of the Magnet, and the righthand, which are fresh and acidulated; and between the negative or-poleof the pile, the negative or Boreal pole of the Magnet, and the left handwhich are tepids, nauseous and alkalines.

Consequently we can call positive or +, the right hand and the Australpole of the Magnet, as well as the positive pole of the pile; and negative or-, the left hand and the Boreal pole of the Magnet, as well as the negativepole of the pile.

We know that the Earth is a Magnet and that it acts like one.

We also know that when Magnets act freely one upon another, thepoles of the same name are repulsed and the poles of contrary names areattracted.

Now, Mr. Durville found by repeated experiments that all the rightside of a sensitive subject is strongly influenced by the positive pole of theMagnet which produces contraction, repulsion and excitation; while, onthe contrary, the other pole relaxes, attracts and calms the same side. TheAustral pole of the Magnet presented within about 4-inches of the foreheadof the subject, repulses him and puts him to sleep; while the left handattracts and awakens him. It is evident, then, that the positive pole of theMagnet and the right hand are poles of the same name; and, if the Australpole of the Magnet is positive, then the Boreal or Northern pole of theEarth must be negative. The physical laws of the Human Magnetism areconsequently identical with those governing the actions of the Magnets.

The Human body represents three horse-shoe Magnets, two of themhaving the neutral point at the summit of the head and the third in aninverted position to that of the two first ones. The axis the most importantdivides us laterally from right to left, the other from the forepart to the backpart of the body. The first horse-shoe Magnet has its neutral point at thesummit of the head, and its extremities or poles at the right hand and theleft hand, the right hand being the positive, and the left hand the negativepole.

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The second horse-shoe Magnet has also its neutral point at the summitof the head, and the extremities or poles of its two branches are the right andthe left foot, the right foot being positive and the left foot negative.

The third horse-shoe Magnet, the one in an inverted position, has itsneutral point at the perineum and the extremities of its branches are theforehead and the occiput. The forehead being positive and the occiputnegative.

From this it follows that in the human body, from the extremities ofthe feet to the summit of the head, all the right side is positive and the leftside negative, and from the forehead to the perineum all the forepart of thebody is positive, while the opposite or back part, from the occiput to theperineum is negative. The Human body possesses other polary axes of lessimportance.

Reichenbach has found, through experiments made with many sensitives,that the end of the Magnet which seeks the North pole of the Earth,the end we call positive, sends to the left hand of a sensitive a fresh breeze,while the other end emits a tepid one. He also found that the positive endemits in the dark a blue light, while the negative one emits a yellow redlight. His sensitives found that in the dark, the right side of the humanbody emits a blue light, while the left side emits a yellow red one. Thenthe right side of the body has the same quality of Magnetism as the positive,or North seeking, or Austral pole of the Magnet, and the left side hasthe same quality of Magnetism as the negative, or South seeking, or Borealpole of the Magnet. Those experiments of Reichenbach agree thus entirelywith those made by Mr. Durville. His polarity of the Human body is alsothe same as given by Andrew Jackson Davis, page 91 of his work “TheHarbinger of Health.” There are consequently very strong reasons forbelieving that the theory of Mr. Durville is the right one, since it has beenconfirmed by practical experiments made by himself, Reichenbach and Davis.

Mr. Durville concludes his article in the “Journal du Magnétisme,”January number of 1886, with some interesting points in Therapeutics.Diseases can be classed as of two kinds, those due to atony or paralysis ofthe organs, and those due to excitation or inflammation.

The object of Medicine is to excite the functions of the atonic organsand to calm or moderate those which are too active. Magnetizers knewthat the ends of the fingers presented within a few inches of the diseasedpart, will produce excitation, while the palm of the hand applied on producescalm; but they could not always obtain the desired effect for want ofthe knowledge of the true polarity of the Human body.

The right hand will produce attraction, calm and easiness on the leftand back side of the body; and repulsion, excitation and uneasiness on87the right and forepart of the body; and the left hand will produce the samecorresponding effects on the right and forepart of the body, and on the leftand backpart. The right-hand, a positive pole, will act with more energythan the left-hand, a negative one.

He found by experiments that the most certain and active results areproduced by presenting the palm of the hand within about two inches fromthe diseased part, the attractions and repulsions being in inverse ratio of thesquare of the distances. Every time we want to take off a pain, or calm anexcitation, we will succeed by presenting the palm of the right hand to thediseased part, if that part is on the left side or the back of the body, or bypresenting the palm of the left hand, if it is on the right side or the forepartof the body. For example, a heaviness in the head, a neuralgia and ingeneral, all kinds of headaches, will cease more or less rapidly under theinfluence of the palm of the hand presented with the fingers upright atabout two inches from the forehead. To calm the nervous system, placeyourself on the left of the patient and apply the left hand on the epigastrium,and the right hand on the vertebral column, on the correspondingpart. If we were to use the other hand on the same part, we should increasefor a while the intensity of the pain. To obtain the desired result,the time necessarily varies according to the nature of the disease and sensibilityof the patient.

With a knowledge of the laws regulating the human polarity, Magnetismbecomes an exact science, a positive one. But the application of it isalso an art which constant practice may improve considerably.

Ch. J. Quetil, F. T. S.

The Hermetic Philosophy.

Fragments of the Ancient Wisdom Religion have come down to us fromthe remotest past, through many channels, and in various forms.

The study of philology alone will be inadequate to discover the truemeaning of ancient sacred writings, though it may very greatly assist thelabors of those who have already gained a clue to the Secret Doctrine. TheTheosophist and the Antiquarian differ very widely, and though the formerhas sometimes been accused of searching out obsolete doctrines and magnifyingthe achievements of the past, but little observation will be required toreveal the fact, that that for which they search may be very old because it isvaluable, but never valuable merely because it is old. In short that of whichthey are in search may truly be said to never fade, and ne’er grow old, thoughit is often lost sight of. Occultism is not a new craze as some suppose, it isnot simply a line of the marvelous, it is rather the profoundest of all sciences,88conforming in its methods of research and the character of its results to thoseof all sciences. The naturalist does not hesitate to construct from a singletooth or a few fragments of bone, the entire animal and assign to it its properplace, declare its habits, modes of life, size, &c., &c., even though he fixed itsera centuries ago, and no one nowadays questions the general correctnessof the result; the study of comparative anatomy and the science of biologytestify all this. In like manner and by similar methods may one familiar withthe science of occultism, which deals with the operation of uniform laws inthe higher realms of nature, arrive at exact data from very small beginnings,and with this advantage, viz., that he has the means at hand to verify hisconclusions, which the naturalist has not, for in this realm there are no extinctspecies, the elements of human nature, and the laws which underlie their unfoldmentand manifestation are the same now, as thousands of years ago.

It is the custom of many who are entirely ignorant of this higher science,to deny its existence and ridicule its cultivators. Just as an uneducated andconceited boor would ridicule an Agassiz for attempting to reconstruct ananimal from its thigh bone. When, therefore, one entirely ignorant not onlyof the principles but of the existence of such a thing as occult science, examinesancient records in which it is concealed, he will arise from his taskpossibly better satisfied with his own possessions as contrasted with the“ignorance” of past ages, but seldom wiser for his endeavor. Few personsnowadays are ignorant of the form of most ancient hierarchic writings, asconsisting of, or containing a double meaning under the garb of allegory orparable. It is moreover becoming quite generally known that many of theseancient records are of vital importance to us of the present day, as containingthe very knowledge of which we stand most in need, and the amount ofattention they are receiving may be determined by observing the interest in,and almost unprecedented sales of, such works as Arnold’s Light of Asia,while the labors of men like Max Muller in rendering the ancient scripturesinto English have made it possible for everyone to gain some familiarity withthe religious casts of antiquity. Bearing in mind these general observations,let us briefly examine one of the most ancient, most famous, and yet leastcomprehended sources of ancient wisdom. As to the questions who wasHermes? which Hermes? when did he write? we have these points for thephilologists and historians, quoting here the remark of Iamblichus in histreatise on the Mysteries: “Hermes, the God who presides over language,was formerly very properly considered as common to all priests; and thepower who presides over the true science concerning the Gods is one andthe same in the whole of things. Hence our ancestors dedicated the inventionsof their wisdom to this deity, inscribing all their own writings with thename of Hermes,” and “the late learned Divine Doctor Everard” in the89preface to his translation of the Divine Pymander 1650, contends that HermesTrismegistus lived a long time before Moses, that he had “perfect andexact knowledge of all things contained in the world,”** “that he wasthe first that invented the art of communicating knowledge to the world bywriting, that he was King of Egypt, that he styled himself the son of Saturn,and that he was believed to have come from heaven, and not to have beenborn on earth.”66

The above writer goes on to say that Hermes did excel in the right understandingof, because he attained to, the knowledge of the quintessence ofthe whole universe, otherwise called the Elixir of the philosophers, whichsecret many ignorantly deny, many have sought after, and some have found.A description of this great Treasure is said to have been found engravedupon a Smaragdine Tablet in the valley of Hebron after the flood.67

To the modern reader, all this sounds very queer, a bundle of contradictionsand vagaries, taxing reason and even credulity. But suppose we aretold, that it was designed for exactly that purpose, that only they who weredetermined to find the truth, and who therefore had faith that it existed somewhere,were expected to walk around or dig under this stumbling-block. Ifwe turn now to Isis Unveiled p. 507, Vol. I, we shall find the inscriptionsaid to have been found on the tablet.

B.

[To be continued.]

Reviews.

Pantanjali’s Raj Yoga Philosophy.—(Reprinted by the BombayBranch of the Theosophical Society.) We will give in subsequent numbersof this magazine, remarks and explanations by a Hindu brother member.In this reprint are some things which do not improve the book. They areselections from such men as P. B. Randolph and others. We do not thinkPantanjali needs confirmation from such a source as Randolph’s. No doubtmany Theosophists will be disappointed in this great Hindu, in consequenceof their own expectations of finding explicit directions as to developing andprojecting the double and other like tricks, and because of erroneous suppositionsas to what Raj Yoga is. It is the highest philosophy, but the workneeds just the explanations which we propose to furnish, in part at least.Pantanjali is immensely interesting to ordinary Theosophists from an intellectualstandpoint, and to those who are somewhat advanced its instructionis very great. At present all the Raj Yoga which the western body ofTheosophists can assimilate, is found in Light on the Path and Bagavad-Gita.

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Journal of Speculative Philosophy.—We have received from Wm.T. Harris, (No. 3, Vol. XIX) for which we offer our thanks. Our smallspace will not permit extended notice. It is full of splendid matter.

Immortality of the Individual.—(W. T. Harris, D. Appleton & Co.,New York.) On p. 5 is the basis of a great argument, that “the interactionbetween soul and body can never be explained, except by a combinationof introspection with observation of physiologic facts.” The grossestscientist exercises both and yet denies the value of introspection.

Philosophy in Outline.—(Wm. T. Harris, D. Appleton & Co., NewYork.) A brief exposition of the method of Philosophy and its results inobtaining a view of nature, man and God.

Notes and Queries.—A monthly magazine full of curious informationin art, science, mathematics, folk-lore, mysticism, etc., comes to The Pathas an exchange and the back volumes have been received for our Theosophicallibrary. It is published by S. C. & L. M. Gould, Manchester, N. H.,at $1.00 a year. Among its articles are many on subjects allied with Easternwisdom, ancient philosophy, masonry, bibliography, etc. Write to them fora sample copy.

Light on the Hidden Way.—Anon. (Boston.) This book has exciteda great deal of comment in Boston.

The similarity of titles might lead one to expect something like “Lighton the Path,” but the reader would soon find that the book, whose non-commitalintroduction by a distinguished Unitarian Minister has brought itconsiderable earnest consideration, has nothing in common with that pricelessvolume. It is the account of the experiences of the author, a sensitiveand seer from childhood, and, in some respects, it reminds us strikingly ofwhat Kerner tells us about the Seherin von Prevorst. While we cannotcommend untrained seership, or its results, we can commend the earnestnessand sincerity of the author and at least say for her work that it oughtto do good in turning Spiritistic readers away from the materialistic aspectswhich their belief most commonly presents, and in teaching them thatimmortality is only to be obtained through “slaying the dragon Self.”For the rest, we will submit the following comments on the work from asource which we feel to be competent to judge:—

“I feel as if my father’s eyes were always upon me. p. 21. In thisand following instances, the evidences are, that the writer is looking into theAstral world, or, in other words, is seeing the impressions that have beenmade upon her personal aura. Not having been effaced, they are readilymistaken for the personalities who made the impressions. Was it her father,the individual, he would be engaged in more important matters than watchingfor dust in unswept corners. So far, all is sentimental, or in the sphereof earthly impressions, beliefs and feelings—naturally to a great extent91illusory and unsatisfactory. A chorus of heavenly voices swelling a hymn,may fulfill the requirements for some individuals, but we can hardly see orfeel that any chorus, no matter how earthly, much more heavenly, can singa song of rejoicing because a man has laid aside his robe, and in the doingit, causing a woman, perhaps, to pass through Gethsemane. The sorrowsand demands of others are entirely lost to sight in the fancied importance ofone being passing through the change of abode called Death. We do notthink any man ever saw any being with wings in the spheres above theAstral. In the Astral they do exist, for they are creatures of the imagination.In truth, therefore, they are elementals, clothed in this form. Imagination,properly guided, does not create these beings, but unguided, or badlyguided, it does, the result being that it is quite possible not only to seethem with wings, but with a thousand of them, or, like a centipede, with ahundred legs.

“Similar visionaries, and this one also, have to a great extent unconsciouslypermitted their thoughts to be influenced by Biblical writers whoexpress their visions in symbolical language. But the Prophets say: “AndI saw one like unto an angel having four wings,” etc. They do not claim tohave seen this, but that which they did see could only be expressed in thismanner. They could convey their meaning only in this form.

“The ineffable Light is not to be beheld so easily, or with so littleeffort as a prayer. And earthly eyes do not behold it. In prayer the will isat work in desire. This produces a more active condition, or rousing of thematerial, causing a greater amount of motion or vibration, thereby increasingthe brilliancy of the Astral, or Aura, of the personality, and the seerbeing within it and producing it, mistakes it for the Ineffable. After all, theseer is only looking at her physical self and calling it God.

“In regard to the higher precepts that are brought forth, we do notfind her father connected with them in any way. But we do find some ofthe higher principles endeavoring to assert themselves. The words are thoseof the Inner Consciousness. It is herself that is trying to teach. It is thatwhich is the first to assert itself when one begins to desire wisdom, and occurslong before the advent of a teacher, or any other individual. The teachingsare good, and come to all who find the unimportance of self. But ourwork is not for the spirits in the astral, but for those who are in realityearth-bound, those in the body. Our teachings are for man. Our workingsare for him. It is quite all we can do to instruct ourselves and fellowmen, without attempting to teach him when out of a body. We can violateno law. One law is, that if a spirit needs instruction then he must be inpossession of a body, and striving for knowledge in that manner. We cannot,in or out of a body, attach ourselves to any other individual and expecthim to save us from the results of our own ignorance, selfishness, or badKarma in general.

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“The most peculiar of all the ideas suggested, as one reads farther, isthis: That these spirits, after making such sad mistakes as they said theydid in life, should come back to be saved by the reading, in some cases, ofone book. If they had discovered enough, through the mere fact of death,to find that they were all wrong, why did they seek at the source ofall their errors for more? Why not seek at the source that taught themthat they were wrong? The fact is, Death has not the mighty powerascribed to it. If I move from one house to another, the mere act of goingout of one does not solve the why that I lived in one, or will in another. Imay perceive that one is better adapted to my wants, but the moving into itdoes not tell me ‘why?’ I, as the tenant, know already the why, and perhapsif I open the windows of my house, the house itself may become pervadedwith the knowledge. But it is ‘I’ who do the act, not Death. Death closesmy windows and opens the door. I close my door to Death and open mywindow to Wisdom—perhaps in a new house, quite likely in one which hashad another occupant.

“If the ‘evil-minded, malicious, and undeveloped souls’ would onlyunfold their pin-feathers and fly off into the ‘Beyond,’ they would be asource of little sorrow to earth. But they do not. Undeveloped, they cannotfly; malicious, they remain in their proper degree; evil-minded, theyare not souls, but elementaries.

“The book is the property of Death.”“American F. T. S.”

Men, Women and Gods, and other Lectures.—By Helen H. Gardener.Introduction by Robt. G. Ingersoll, (Truth Seeker Co., 33 Clinton Place,N. Y.) pp. 174, with a portrait of Miss Gardener; Cloth $1.00, paper .50.This is a valuable contribution, being compact, fervid in its reasonings yetnot at all heavy. Its statements are unanswerable. Evidently the authorread widely, thought deeply, observed keenly, and added to all that, a nativegenius. On page 53 she has put 12 articles of positive belief, and as thefamous Colonel says in the introduction, “there is no misunderstanding betweenher head and her heart. She says what she thinks and feels what she says.”

The design of the book is the emancipation of woman, but in carryingthat out she does not abuse men for the position of women. She calls uponthe women to dare to think and act for themselves and to gain the placewhich rightfully, in the author’s estimation, belongs to them.

The Order of Creation.—(Truth Seeker Co., New York.) This containsthe controversy between Gladstone, Huxley, Muller, Reville and Linton,as to the order in which creation proceeded; p. p. 178, cloth .75 paper .50.Those who followed this interesting dispute will find this a valuable book,as it brings together the arguments of these masters of rhetoric, science andphilosophy into one compact volume, and enables all who care for differentkinds of authority upon vexed questions, to see what these modern lights eachhave to say as to the evident conflict which exists between Genesis and Geology.

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CORRESPONDENCE.

AN UNWRITTEN MESSAGE BECOMES VISIBLE.

New York, May 16, 1886.

Editor of the Path,

Dear Sir:—Could you explain the following?

A friend of mine, a physician, who is a rational agnostic and scofferat all so called supernatural things, relates the following curious mystery,which happened to him the other day.

He was sitting in his office holding in his hand a letter from one of hisregular patients, which asked him to come as soon as he could. It beingthen towards 5 p. m., when his office hours are over, he was thinkingwhether he could go that day or not as he has an extensive practice. Whilethinking he found that the letter was gone. He searched for it on his table,but in vain. A strange feeling came over him as he could not even rememberwhen he had received the letter, nor when he had opened it. A feelingthat the letter had after all been a physical delusion he dismissed with scorn;he was sure it would by and by easily explain itself. However the servantwas sure that no letter had since 2 p. m. been delivered, as she never leavesthe door during that time.

The next morning he called on his patient, who was very glad to seehim, though being a little astonished that her daughter had been very sickthe preceding day for an hour or two. It had soon passed over. “I amglad to hear that it is nothing serious,” the doctor said, “I wanted to excusemyself for not coming yesterday. I received your letter only at 5 p. m.”“My letter?” the lady answered, “I never wrote to you; it is impossible,for about that time I was with my sick daughter, and thought very intenselyto write, but as I had but one servant in the house I concluded to wait tillmy son came in. By the time he came, my daughter felt better, and so weconcluded not to trouble you.”

My friend went home, perfectly sure that in spite of all appearance,though no letter could be found after repeated searching—— the lady hadwritten but forgotten it. I can vouch for the truth of the story.

Remain yours fraternally, H. P. L.

[The explanation by those who adhere to mediumship would be, thatthis was what they call, “a spirit letter.” But at this time we cannot acceptthat proposition; it seems rather a degradation of what we call “spirit,”and many alleged “controls” of mediums have deprecated the constant referringof everything to spirit agency, when in perhaps the majority of cases,“spirits” have nothing to do in the matter. Many so called extraordinarythings occur every day which are attributed to spirits, or classed as hallucination,which really are due to the powers of the living man, their laws ofoperation being almost unknown to western people.

The true student of Raj Yoga knows that everything has its origin in themind; that even this universe is the passing before the Divine Mind of theimages he desires to appear.

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Now in the case before us, the doctor must be a sensitive man who hasthe power, unknown to himself, of seeing very clearly the mental imagespassing in the minds of those with whom he is in sympathy. These impressionsare quite common, but they are not usually seen as apparently visiblethings. Some receive them as images, others as thoughts and ideas. Weare all constantly affecting each other in this way every day of our lives, butnot everyone receives the impression in the same way. The variations of theoperations of manas, which may be properly called “mind,” are infinite.

The lady whose daughter was sick, desired very intently to see the doctor,and the message was probably formulated in her mind at once. This isevident, for she awaited the arrival of the son to whom she would at oncehave given it. That message thus formed was impressed in the astrallight, and because of the sympathy existing between patient and doctor itimmediately rushed into the sphere of the doctor, registering itself in hismind. He then saw in his hand a letter, which apparently he could feel andread. This was either, (a) the reflection from his mind, or (b) an actualmomentary appearance in his hand of the astral message. It was neverfound again because it had no corporeal existence.

It would be easy to cry “spirits,” but it would not be common sense.We might also say elementals did it, but that would infer that either thedoctor or the patient has elementals devoted to them. Elementals doperform such things but the cases are not common, and therefore we are notjustified in taking that explanation when neither party knows of elementals.

If the doctor had not been a sensitive man, he would merely have receivedthe message and repeated it to himself as a sudden thought of thatparticular patient.

We know several persons of our acquaintance who habitually obeysudden impressions, causing them to write to absent friends, &c., always findingthat they answer the other person’s thought or written letter then on theway and undelivered until after the reply had been sent.

Let us then pay attention to these things in this light and not allow ourselves,except in known cases, to fly into the arms of alleged spirits orelementals.—Ed.]

Dear Path:—Is not it an error on p. 28 of April No. in review ofApollonius of Tyana, where it says:

“Error courts investigation”; was not “truth” meant.

Yours, F. E. B.

[There was not a mistake. The author was trying to show how errorpreludes truth, but falsehood never does; that error courts investigation,falsehood never. Falsehood is altogether untrue and therefore without anyknowledge; and being thus false it hides itself from investigation. But erroris merely that which has not true knowledge, and does not imply falsity.95Science is full of error, but constantly corrects itself. The process of acquiringtrue knowledge is in fact the cutting away of errors.—Ed.]

PRONUNCIATION OF SANSCRIT.

Dear Brother:—Is there any dictionary or book giving the correctpronunciation of the Oriental words so current in theosophical literature.

Yours ——

[In Sanscrit dictionaries the true pronunciation is found. But if ourcorrespondent will, in these words, always read a as ah, e as eh, i as ee, u asoo, and o as oh, she will be right. Arjuna is sounded as Arjoona, Veda asVaydah, Brahma as Brähmā, Prakriti as Präkreetee, Mulaprakriti as Moolahprakreetee,and so on.—Ed.]

Theosophical Activities.

Ireland.—A charter for a Branch of the Society in Dublin, was issuedin April. This is the first Irish charter, and it marks an era in the historyof the Society as well as of Ireland. The month of April is an importantone for the green Isle in several ways, and this charter must bear a date ofsome significance.

Furthermore, Ireland’s real name signifies, “the Isle of Destiny,” and,as if she really had some great destiny, she has long been a thorn in England’sside, and has furnished great men, poets, and warriors, to all western peoples.

Perhaps now some great exponent of Theosophy will arise in thatisland, and the new Branch become a power for good amongst us. The nameselected is, The Dublin Lodge of the Theosophical Society.

New York: The Aryan Theosophical Society.—Meetings are nowheld on the 2d and 4th Tuesdays in each month, attended by members andinquirers. At each meeting a paper is read or address delivered followedby discussion and questions.

The Branch does not yet devote itself to psychical experiments, but toan inquiry into all the doctrines which have been put forth in Theosophicalliterature, and to inquiring into Aryan philosophy.

Beside these open meetings, they also hold private meetings, wherefurther and more familiar discussions and conversations are carried on.

A series of notes of all the discussions has been started in the form of aprinted leaflet, to be distributed each month among all the members to be foundin the United States, with the object of solidifying them in their struggle tofind the truth, and if possible to procure an interchange of questions andreplies in the whole body of American Theosophists. It is believed thatthis will do much toward helping all, for there is no better way of getting new96ideas and of spreading knowledge, than by rubbing minds together, so tosay, and thus eliciting the doubts, the questions, and the views of all.

As we are a universal Brotherhood, we are each bound to help therest, and to do as much as we can toward communicating with each otherupon the subject of our studies. This does not mean that any one is to give tothe world any rare knowledge which ought to be hidden. It is supposedthat up to this time the whole body of American Theosophists is upon oneplane. At any rate, those who possess occult knowledge, or think they do,ought to know where and when to keep silent. Long before we are readyfor occult knowledge, we have to study that which is the common property ofall, but which hitherto has been neglected and allowed to lie hidden, notonly in Eastern literature, but also in much that has been produced amongChristian people.

The donations of books for the Library of the Branch, during the lastmonth, have been as follows:

By S. C. & L. M. Gould: Vol. I. and II. Notes and Queries; by Bro.R. Hart, 10 books: Mary Jane (spiritist inquiry), Suicide, 2 vols., Lightsand Shades of Spiritualism, Psychography (Oxon), Animal Magnetism, &c.,England and Islam, Vocal Culture, Civil Polity of the U. S.; by Bro. W. H.Dannat, London Lodge, 20 books: Modern Magic, Book of Mediums, Infiniteand Finite, Idyll of White Lotos, Possibility of not Dying, Col. Olcott’s Lectures,Palmistry, Essence of Christianity, Mysteries of Astrology, Zoroaster, Rosicrucians(Jennings), Chaldean Magic, Circle of Light, Gould’s Myths, UnseenUniverse, Moore’s Epicurean, Oriental Interpreter, Theosophy and theHigher Life, Pagan and Christian Symbolism (Inman), Man-Fragments, &c.,and 28 Miscellaneous Theosophical pamphlets.

Cincinnati.—The new Branch here has been organized since our lastissue, with about twenty members. Some meetings have been held at whichgreat interest was manifested. At the next meeting an essay upon sometheosophical subject will be read. The members are all engaged in seriousstudy of such subjects as: the laws of Karma, Reincarnation, &c.

“As the great universe has no boundary, and the eight quarters of heavenno gateway, so Supreme Reason has no limits.”—Buddha.

“Look up at it; it is higher than you can see! Bore into it; it is deeperthan you can penetrate! Look at it as it stands before you; suddenly it isbehind you!”—Confucius.

“Looking up, you cannot see the summit of its head; go behind it, youcannot see its back.”—Lau-tze.

“A man who foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protectionof my ungrudging love; the more evil comes from him, the more good shallgo from me; the fragrance of these good actions always rebounding to me,the harm of the slanderer’s words returning to him. For as sound belongs tothe drum, and shadow to the substance, so in the end, misery will certainlyovertake the evil doer.”—Buddha Sutra of 42 sections.

OM

97

No. 4.

This is the Truth. As from a blazing fire sparks, being like untofire, fly forth a thousandfold, thus are various beings brought forthfrom the Imperishable, and return thither also.

That heavenly Person is without body; he is both without andwithin, not produced, without breath and without mind, pure,higher than the high Imperishable. The sky in his head, his eyesthe sun and the moon, the quarters his ears, his speech the Vedasdisclosed, the wind his breath, his heart the universe; from his feetcame the earth; he is indeed the inner self of all things. MundakaUpanishad. II, Mun., I. Kh.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. JULY, 1886. No. 4.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

A Hindu Chela’s Diary.

(Continued from June Number.)

“Yesterday I went with Kunâla to look at the vast and curious templesleft here by our forefathers. Some are in ruins, and others only showing thewaste of time. What a difference between my appreciation of these buildingsnow, with Kunâla to point out meanings I never saw, and that which Ihad when I saw them upon my first pilgrimage, made so many years agowith my father.”*******

A large portion of the MS. here, although written in the same charactersas the rest, has evidently been altered in some way by the writer, so as tofurnish clues meant for himself. It might be deciphered by a little effort,98but I must respect his desire to keep those parts of it which are thus changed,inviolate. It seems that some matters are here jotted down relating to secretthings, or at least, to things that he desired should not be understood at aglance. So I will write out what small portion of it as might be easily toldwithout breaking any confidences.

It is apparent that he had often been before to the holy city of Benares,and had merely seen it as a place of pilgrimage for the religious. Then, inhis sight, those famous temples were only temples. But now he found,under the instruction of Kunâla, that every really ancient building in thewhole collection had been constructed with the view to putting into imperishablestone, the symbols of a very ancient religion. Kunâla, he says, toldhim, that although the temples were made when no supposition of the ordinarypeople of those eras leaned toward the idea that nations could everarise who would be ignorant of the truths then universally known, or thatdarkness would envelop the intellect of men, there were many Adepts thenwell known to the rulers and to the people. They were not yet driven byinexorable fate to places remote from civilization, but lived in the temples,and while not holding temporal power, they exercised a moral sway whichwas far greater than any sovereignty of earth.68 And they knew that thetime would come when the heavy influence of the dark age would make mento have long forgotten even that such beings had existed, or that any doctrinesother than the doctrine based on the material rights of mine and thine,had ever been held. If the teachings were left simply to either paper orpapyrus or parchment, they would be easily lost, because of that decay whichis natural to vegetable or animal membrane. But stone lasts, in an easyclimate, for ages. So these Adepts, some of them here and there beingreally themselves Maha Rajahs,69 caused the temples to be built in forms,and with such symbolic ornaments, that future races might decipher doctrinesfrom them. In this, great wisdom, he says, is apparent, for to havecarved them with sentences in the prevailing language would have defeatedthe object, since languages also change, and as great a muddle would haveresulted as in the case of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, unless a key stone hadalso been prepared; but that itself might be lost, or in its own turn be unintelligible.The ideas underneath symbols do not alter, no matter whatmight be the language, and symbols are clear immortally, because they arefounded in nature itself. In respect to this part of the matter, he writes99down that Kunâla informed him that the language used then was not Sanscrit,but a far older one now altogether unknown in the world.

From a detached sentence in the MS., it is shadowed out that Kunâlareferred to a curious building put up many years ago in another part ofIndia and now visible, by which he illustrated the difference between an intelligentconstruction and unintelligent one. This building was the productof the brain of a Chandala,70 who had been enriched through a curiousfreak. The Rajah had been told upon some event occurring, by his astrologers,that he must give an immense sum of money to the first person hesaw next day, they intending to present themselves at an early hour. Nextday, at an usually early season, the Rajah arose, looked out of the window,and beheld this Chandala. Calling his astrologers and council togetherand the poor sweeper into his presence, he presented him with lacs uponlacs of rupees, and with the money the Chandala built a granite buildinghaving immense monolithic chains hanging down from its four corners.Its only symbology was, the change of the chains of fate; from poor lowcaste to high rich low caste. Without the story the building tells usnothing.

But the symbols of the temple, not only those carved on them, butalso their conjuncture, need no story nor knowledge of any historical events.Such is the substance of what he writes down as told him by Kunâla. Hesays also that this symbology extends not only to doctrines and cosmology, butalso to laws of the human constitution spiritual and material. The explanationof this portion, is contained in the altered and cryptic parts of the MS.He then goes on:

*** “Yesterday, just after sunset, while Kunâla and X weretalking, Kunâla suddenly seemed to go into an unusual condition, andabout ten minutes afterwards a large quantity of malwa flowers fell upon usfrom the ceiling.

“I must now go to—— and do that piece of business which heordered done. My duty is clear enough, but how am I to know if I shallperform it properly.***When I was there and after I had finishedmy work and was preparing to return here, a wandering fakir met me andasked if he could find from me the proper road to Karli. I directed him,and he then put to me some questions that looked as if he knew what hadbeen my business; he also had a very significant look upon his face, andseveral of his questions were apparently directed to getting me to tell him afew things Kunâla had told me just before leaving Benares with an injunctionof secrecy. The questions did not on the face show that, but were inthe nature of inquiries regarding such matters, that if I had not been care100ful,I would have violated the injunction. He then left me saying: ‘you donot know me but we may see each other.’***I got back last nightand saw only X, to whom I related the incident with the fakir, and he saidthat, ‘it was none other than Kunâla himself using that fakir’s body who hadsaid those things, and if you were to see that fakir again he would not rememberyou and would not be able to repeat his questions, as he was forthe time being taken possession of for the purpose, by Kunâla, who oftenperforms such things.’ I then asked him if in that case Kunâla had reallyentered the fakir’s body, as I have a strange reluctance toward asking Kunâlasuch questions, and X replied that if I meant to ask if he had really and infact entered the fakir’s person, the answer was no, but that if I meant to ask ifKunâla had overcome that fakir’s senses, substituting his own, the answerwas, yes; leaving me to make my own conclusions.***I was fortunateenough yesterday to be shown the process pursued in either enteringan empty body, or in using one which has its own occupant. I found thatin both cases it was the same, and the information was also conveyed that aBhut71 goes through just the same road in taking command of the body orsenses of those unfortunate women of my country who sometimes are possessedby them. And the Bhut also sometimes gets into possession of apart only of the obsessed person’s body, such as an arm or a hand, and thisthey do by influencing that part of the brain that has relation with that armor hand; in the same way with the tongue and other organs of speech.With any person but Kunâla I would not have allowed my own body to bemade use of for the experiment. But I felt perfectly safe, that he would notonly let me in again, but also that he would not permit any stranger, manor gandharba,72 to come in after him. We went to—— and he**The feeling was that I had suddenly stepped out into freedom. He was besideme and at first I thought he had but begun. But he directed me tolook, and there on the mat I saw my body, apparently unconscious. As Ilooked***the body of myself, opened its eyes and arose. It wasthen superior to me, for Kunâla’s informing power moved and directed it.It seemed to even speak to me. Around it, attracted to it by those magneticinfluences, wavered and moved astral shapes, that vainly tried to whisper inthe ear or to enter by the same road. In vain! They seemed to be pressedaway by the air or surroundings of Kunâla. Turning to look at him, andexpecting to see him in a state of samadhi, he was smiling as if nothing, orat the very most, but a part, of his power had been taken away***another instant and I was again myself, the mat felt cool to my touch, thebhuts were gone, and Kunâla bade me rise.”

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He has told me to go to the mountains of—— where—— and—— usually live, and that even if I were not to see any body the firsttime, the magnetized air in which they live would do me much good.They do not generally stop in one place, but always shift from one place toanother. They, however, all meet together on certain days of the year in acertain place near Bhadrinath, in the northern part of India. He remindedme that as India’s sons are becoming more and more wicked, those adeptshave gradually been retiring more and more toward the north, to the Himálayamountains.***Of what a great consequence is it for me to bealways with Kunâla. And now X tells me this same thing that I have alwaysfelt. All along I have felt and do still feel strongly that I have been once hismost obedient and humble disciple in a former existence. All my hopesand future plans are therefore centred in him. My journey therefore to upcountry has done me one good, that of strengthening my belief, which isthe chief foundation on which the grand structure is to be built.***As I was walking past the end of Ramalinga’s compound holding a smalllamp of European make, and while there was no wind, the light there severaltimes fell low. I could not account for it. Both Kunâla and X werefar away. But in another moment, the light suddenly went out altogether,and as I stopped, the voice of revered Kunâla, who I supposed was manymiles away, spoke to me, and I found him standing there. For one hourwe talked; and he gave me good advice, although I had not asked it—thusit is always that when I go fearlessly forward and ask for nothing I get helpat an actual critical moment—he then blessed me and went away. Norcould I dare to look in what direction. In that conversation, I spoke ofthe light going down and wanted an explanation, but he said I hadnothing to do with it. I then said I wanted to know, as I could explain itin two ways, viz: 1st, that he did it himself, or 2d, that some one else didit for him. He replied, that even if it were done by somebody else, no Yogeewill do a thing unless he sees the desire in another Yogee’s mind.73 The significanceof this drove out of my mind all wish to know who did it, whetherhimself, or an elemental or another person, for it is of more importancefor me to know even a part of the laws governing such a thing, than it is toknow who puts those laws into operation. Even some blind concatenationof nature might put such natural forces in effect in accordance with thesame laws, so that a knowledge that nature did it would be no knowledgeof any consequence.

[To be continued.]

102

PLATO

This portrait was taken from an old work by John Moretus, publishedin 1606 at Antwerp, containing 167 other portraits of ancient Greek and Latinphilosophers, poets, orators, and scholars of renown. Accompanying eachis a description in old Latin, and a literal translation of that which is givenof the head of Plato is as follows:

“This likeness of Plato is represented on some precious stone, perhapsa Carnelian, very beautiful, of oval shape, and in the highest style of art,which one hundred years before, a Cardinal under Julius Cæsar a Pontificanlegate in the Florentine Council had brought from Greece. But it is long103haired and bearded, as are the other likenesses of Plato, as the son of Ailiuswrites, that the first debate between Plato and Aristotle was about the hairand beard, because Aristotle, contrary to the fixed habit and style of Plato,was accustomed to have his hair cut and his face shaved.

“Very like to this portrait is that which is seen cut very artistically inCarnelian stone, and which was once in the possession of the first Cardinalof the Holy Cross, which in addition to the likeness of Plato, has also alikeness of the great teacher himself, Socrates.

“On the pillar of Hermes, which has the head broken off, these wordsare inscribed in Greek: ‘Plato was a son of Ariston, an Athenian.’

“This also Laertius himself confirms, since he writes that he was born atAthens of his father Ariston, in the village Collyteum, eighteen years afterthe second year of the Olympiad, Aminia being chief ruler.

“Moreover there is extant in marble, by Fulvius, a portrait of this samePlato of the very highest artistic skill: and there is another very like to thisby the same artist cut in a most beautiful Carnelian stone which representsPlato at that time an old man, as it would appear, about eighty-one yearsold, at which time, engaged in writing extensively he died, one hundred andeight years after the first year of the Olympiad. In the same Carnelianportrait not only is the forehead of Plato represented very broad on accountof which he was called by the name of Plato, prior to which he had beencalled Aristocles; but also his shoulders are very broad on which accountsome wished him to select a name from the Greek language.

“A statue of this same Plato was dedicated in the Academy, the work of aSilanian sculptor of the highest rank; and Cicero reminds us in his Brutus,of a statue which he had, in these words: ‘Then we erected a statue ofPlato on the public square, etc., etc.’”

Notes on the Cabbalah of the OldTestament.

By Permission of Bro. J. RALSTON SKINNER (McMillan Lodge, No. 141).

I.

I said in my article on Hebrew Metrology,74 that the system embracingit was a language, veiled under the Hebrew text of Scripture, and that “tothe extent to which the language was known among the Jews, the learningand teaching thereof was called ‘Cabbalah.’”

It is a fact that so little is known of Cabbalah that its existence has beendenied. It has seemed to possess a like property with that of Prester John,namely, the more and further he was searched for the less he could be found104and the more fabulous he became. After the same fashion, as very muchwas related of wonders connected with Prester John, so the most marvelousthings are claimed for Cabbalah. The Cabbalistic field is that in which astrologers,necromancers, black and white magicians, fortune tellers, chiromancers,and all the like, revel and make claims to supernaturalism ad nauseam.Claim is also made that it conceals a sublime divine philosophy, which hasbeen attempted to be set forth in a most confused and not understandableway. The Christian quarrying into its mass of mysticism, claims for it supportand authority for that most perplexing of all problems the Holy Trinity,and the betrayed character of Christ. The good, pious, ignorant man picksup Cabbalah at will as a cheap, easy and veritable production, and at once,with the poorest smattering of starved ideas, gives forth to the world, as byauthority, a devout jumble of stuff and nonsense. With equal assurance,but more effrontery the knave, in the name of Cabbalah, will sellamulets and charms, tell fortunes, draw horoscopes, and just as readily givespecific rules, as in the case of that worthy, Dr. Dee, for raising the dead, andactually—the devil.

No wonder then that the whole affair has been discredited and condemnedby the rational and the wise.

Discovery has yet to be made of what Cabbalah really consists beforeany weight or authority can be given to the name. On that discovery willrest the question whether the name should be received as related to mattersworthy of rational acknowledgment.

The writer claims that such a discovery has been made, and that thesame embraces rational science of sober and great worth. He claims thatit will serve to clear up and take away very much of the mysticism which upto this time has been an unexplainable part of religious systems,—especiallythe Hebrew or Jewish, and the Christian, so much so that the supernaturalin those systems will have to give place to the rational, to a very great extent.He claims that that sublime science upon which Masonry is based, is in fact,the substance of Cabbalah,—which last is the rational basis of the Hebrewtext of Holy writ.

Cabbalah is inseparably connected with the text of the Scriptures, andan exposition of the inner sense of the same is as John Reuchlin claimednecessary to a right and full understanding of the Sacred Text. But he sawvaguely, being taught only in a mystic phraseology which was really a blind,and he did not come into possession of the solid, rational grounds of it whichhe could formulate and impart. For this reason, though he was right in hisgeneral assertion, his scheme failed, and his works in this regard, passedaway from the common sense world, and have ever since lived only amongthe mystics and dreamers.

Like all other human productions of the kind, the Hebrew text of the105Bible was in characters which could serve as sound signs for syllabic utterance,or for this purpose what are called letters. Now in the first place,these original character signs were also pictures, each one of them; and thesepictures of themselves stood for ideas which could be communicated,—muchlike the original Chinese letters. Gustav Seyffarth shows that the Egyptianhieroglyphics numbered over six hundred picture characters, which embracedthe modified use, syllabically, of the original number of letters of the Hebrewalphabet. The characters of the Hebrew text of the Sacred Scroll weredivided into classes, in which the characters of each class were interchangeable;whereby one form might be exchanged for another to carry a modifiedsignification, both by letter, and picture and number. Seyffarth shows themodified form of the very ancient Hebrew alphabet in the old Coptic by thislaw of interchange of characters. This law of permitted interchange of lettersis to be found quite fully set forth in the Hebrew dictionaries, such asFuerst’s and others. Though recognized and largely set forth it is very perplexingand hard to understand, because we have lost the specific use andpower of such interchange. In the second place, these characters stood fornumbers—to be used for numbers as we use specific number signs,—though,also, there is very much to prove that the old Hebrews were in possession ofthe so-called Arabic numerals, as we have them, from the straight line 1 tothe zero character, together making 1 + 9 = 10. The order of these numberletters run from 1 to 9, then 10 to 90, then 100 upward. In the third placeit is said, and it seems to be proven, that these characters stood for musicalnotes; so that for instance, the arrangement of the letters in the first chapterof Genesis, can be rendered musically, or by song. Another law of the Hebrewcharacters was that only the consonantal signs were characterized,—the vowelswere not characterized, but were supplied. If one will try he will find thata consonant of itself cannot be made vocal without the help of a vowel;therefore it was said that the consonants made the frame work of a word, butto give it life or utterance into the air, so as to impart the thought of themind, and the feeling of the heart, the vowels had to be supplied. Thus thedead word of consonants became quickened into life by the Holy Spirit, orthe vowels.

This being said then:—

First: The Holy or Sacred Text was given in consonants only, withoutany voweling, or signs of vowels.

Second: The letters were written one after the other at equal distances,without any separation whatever of distinct words, and without any punctuationswhatever, such as commas, semi-colons, colons or periods.

It will be seen at once that a various reading of the text might be hadin many places, both by differing arrangements of letters, and by a differingsupplying of vowels. A very important difference of reading may be106instanced in the first line of Genesis. It is made to be read “B’rash*thbârâ Elohim,” etc., “In the beginning God created the heavens and theearth”; wherein Elohim is a plural nominative to a verb in the third personsingular. Nachminedes called attention to the fact that the text mightsuffer the reading, “Brash ithbârâ Elohim,” etc. “In the head (source orbeginning) created itself (or developed) Gods, the heavens and the earth,”—reallya more grammatical rendering.

What the originally and intended right reading was who can tell?It may be surmised, however, that it was made to subserve a co-ordinating,symmetrical and harmonious working of the characters to unfold and developtheir various uses;—as sound signs to frame a narrative,—as numbersto develop geometrical shapes and the numerical enunciations of theirelements, comparisons and applications,—as pictures to show forth ideas insome accordance with the story told, and finally,—as musical sounds to givean appropriate song to embrace the whole. The whole compass was toembrace rational proof, through operations in nature, of the existence ofthat Divine Contriving Willing Cause which we call God. But be this as itmay there was no end of effort for thousands of years, by the best trainedand most learned men of the Hebrews and Jews, to give and preserve whathad to be decided upon by them as the right reading of the Sacred Text.This reading was certainly perfected as we have it, as early as the time ofEzra; and as to the various readings which offered, the present was perfectedas the orthodox one,—or that one to be received by the profound vulgar.

It must be known that it is claimed for the Sacred Scroll by the Hebrew,that no letter in it has ever been changed, and that even the marginal readingswere part of the original text for a varied use thereof, in perfect accordwith the object of its writing. Unlike the Christian Gospels, with theHebrews and Jews, alike, the original text was sacredly precious as to itsevery and very letter, and had to be thus preserved. To the contrary of this,the Gospels can be changed in their reading to suit the currently changingideas of what the same should be. The marks to indicate “right reading”were after the time of Ezra gradually made public, were called Massorah,and finally, edited by Ben Chajim, were published by Bomberg, in Venice,in the fifteenth century.

After this fashion and mode the books of the Old Testament were preparedand read by the Jews long before the time of the Christian Era.They were thus accepted at that time; and afterwards by the ChristianWorld:—so that, to day, we accept the record, as thus prepared by theancient orthodox Jewish and Hebrew Church.

Whatever may have been the Jewish mode of complete interpretation ofthese books, the Christian Church had taken them for what they show ontheir first face,—and that only. As they may be read orally, so is their107fullest meaning to be gathered from the oral reading; and by means of whatthe sound of the words may convey to the ear the full and complete intendmentof meaning is to be had. The Christian Church has never attributedto these books any property beyond this; and herein has existed its greaterror.

Now, as said, the substance of the Cabbalah is a rendering of the secretdoctrine of the Old Testament, and this is not only asserted, but an argumentis raised about the matter in the following set terms: “If the Lawsimply consisted of ordinary expressions and narratives, ex. gr. the words ofEsau, Hagar, Laban, the ass of Balaam, or of Balaam himself, why should itbe called the Law of Truth, the perfect law, the true witness of God? Eachword contains a sublime source, each narrative points not only to the singleinstance in question, but also to generals.” (Sohar iii, 149 b). “Woe beto the son of man who says that the Tora (Pentateuch) contains commonsayings and ordinary narratives.** There is the garment that every onecan see, but those who have more understanding do not look at the garmentbut at the body beneath it; while the wisest, the servants of the HeavenlyKing, those who dwell at Mount Sinai, look at nothing else but the soul (i.e.,the secret doctrine), which is the root of all the real Law.” (Sohar, iii,152 a).

Now it is a strange thing, that in the quotations made by Dr. Ginsburgin his Essay,75 can be gleaned a series of data wherewith to arrange a philosophyof Cabbalistic teaching, covered by the names and remarks on theTen Sephiroth. The “trick of the thing” lays plainly before the eyes in itsdevelopment, and yet is perfectly concealed from unintelligent observation.In other words, the very text is laughing at the worthy doctor, while he iscriticising it with an apparent aspect of superiority and authority. Thesame thing is to be found in the text of Plutarch’s Morals, by C. W. King,and in many other texts where the like phenomenal mode is practiced. Itin fact is said that the Cabbalah is evolved by “hints scarcely perceptible,”and the cunning of the concealment is something to admire and laugh at.The description in Sohar of the mode of communication tends to explainwhat has been said:

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“The opinion that the mysteries of the Cabbalah are to be found in thegarment of the Pentateuch is still more systematically propounded in thefollowing parable: ‘Like a beautiful woman, concealed in the interior ofher palace, who when her friend and beloved passes by, opens for a momenta secret window and is seen by him alone, and then withdraws herself immediatelyand disappears for a long time, so the doctrine only shows herselfto the chosen (i. e., to him who is devoted to her with body and soul); andeven to him not always in the same manner. At first she simply beckonsat the passer by with her hand, and it generally depends upon his understandingthis gentle hint. This is the interpretation known by the name ofrâmäz. Afterwards she approaches him a little closer, lisps him a few words,but her form is still covered with a thick veil, which his looks cannot penetrate.This is the so-called dārausch. She then converses with him with herface covered by a thin veil; this is the enigmatic language of the hāgadah.After having thus become accustomed to her society, she at last shows herselfface to face and entrusts him with the innermost secrets of her heart.This is the secret of the Law, sod. He who is thus far initiated in the mysteriesof the Tora will understand that all these profound secrets are basedupon the simple literal sense, and are in harmony with it, and from thisliteral sense not a single iota is to be taken and nothing is to be added toit.” (Sohar, ii, 99.)

Sufism,

(Continued.)

SAADIS’ BOOSTAN (FRUIT GARDEN OR GARDEN OF PLEASURE) Continued:

CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE CANDLE AND THE MOTH:

The above translation is from the hand of G. S. Davie but since thisstory is representative of Sufi love, I add another made by S. Robinson.

I remember that one night, when I could not close my eyes in sleep, Iheard the moth say to the taper.

“I am a lover, therefore it is right that I should be burnt, but whereforeshouldst thou be lamenting and shedding tears?”

It replied: “O my poor airy friend, my honey-sweet Shirin is goingaway;

“And since my Shirin hath left me, like Ferhad’s,78 my head is all onfire.”

So spoke the taper, and each moment a flood of sorrow flowed downover its pale cheek.

Then it continued: “O pretender, love is no affair of thine; for thouhast neither patience nor persistency.

“Thou takest to flight before a slight flame; I stand firm till I amtotally consumed.

“Thou mayest just singe a wing at the fire of love; look at me, whoburn from head to foot.”

A part of the night was not yet gone, when suddenly a Peri-faced damselextinguished the light.

Then said the taper: “My breath is departed, the smoke is over myhead;—such my son, is the ending of love!”

If thou wouldst learn the moral of the story, it is this: Only will thepangs of burning affection cease, when life’s taper is extinct.

Weep not over this monument of thy perished friend—rather praiseAllah, that he is accepted by Him.

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If thou art indeed a lover, wash not the pains of love from thy head;wash rather, like Saadi, thy hand from all malevolence.

The man who volunteereth a service of peril will not withdraw hisgrasp from his purpose, though stones and arrows rain down upon his head.

I have said to thee: “Take heed how thou goest to the sea; but ifthou wilt go, resign thyself to its billows.”

Jelaluddin Rumi (Mevlana—Our Lord—Jelalu-’d-din, Muhammed, ErRumi of Qonya) usually called Jelal or Mulla.79 Born A. D. 1195, he died1273.

Jelal is the greatest poet among the Sufis and is their Grand Master ofspiritual knowledge. His name means “Majesty of Faith.” He institutedthe order of the Mevlevi, the “dancing or whirling dervishes,” of which weshall speak more later on. This order is a realization of Jelal’s father’s prophecyabout his son: “The day shall come, when this child will kindlethe fire of divine enthusiasm throughout the world.”

Jelal is truly the greatest Sufi saint, for marvelous were his powers. Inthe Menaqibu’l Afifin (the Acts of the Adepts) by Shemsu-’d-din Ahmed, elEflaki the following acts are recorded against his name. “When five yearsold, he used at times to become extremely uneasy and restless, so much sothat his attendants used to take him into the midst of themselves. Thecause of these perturbations was that spiritual forms and shapes of the absent(invisible world) would arise before his sight, that is, angelic messengers,righteous Genii, and saintly men—the concealed ones of the bowers of theTrue One (spiritual spouses of God), used to appear to him in bodily shapes:*** His father used on these occasions to coax and soothe him bysaying: “These are the Occult Existences. They come to present themselvesbefore you, to offer unto you gifts and presents from the invisible world.”These ecstasies and transports of his began to be publicly known and talkedabout The honorific title of Khudavendgar80 was conferred upon him atthis time by his father, who used to address him as “My Lord.”—“It is relatedthat when Jelal was six years old, he one Friday afternoon was takingthe air on the terraced roof of the house, and reciting the Quran, when someother children of good families came in and joined him there. After a time,one of these children proposed that they should try and jump from thence onto a neighbouring terrace, and should lay wagers on the result. Jelal smiledat this childish proposal, and remarked:111 “My brethren, to jump from terraceto terrace is an act well adapted for cats, dogs, and the like, to perform; butis it not degrading to man, whose station is so superior. Come now, if youfeel disposed, let us spring up to the firmament, and visit the regions ofGod’s realm.” As he yet spake, he vanished from their sight. Frightenedat Jelal’s sudden disappearance, the other children raised a shout of dismay,that some one should come to their assistance, when lo, in an instant, therehe was again in their midst; but with an altered expression of countenanceand blanched cheeks. They all uncovered before him, fell to the earth inhumility, and all declared themselves his disciples. He now told them that,as he was yet speaking to them, a company of visible forms, clad in greenraiment, had led him away from them, and had conducted him about thevarious concentric orbs of the spheres, and through the signs of the Zodiac,showing him the wonders of the world of spirits, and bringing him back tothem so soon as their cries had reached his ears.

At that age, he was used not to break his fast more often than once inthree or four, and sometimes even seven, days.

When Jelal went to Damascus to study, he passed by Sis in UpperCilicia. There, in a cave, dwelt forty Christian monks, who had a great reputationfor sanctity, but in reality were mere jugglers. On the approach ofJelal’s caravan to the cave, the monks caused a little boy to ascend into theair, and there remain standing between heaven and earth. Jelal noticedthis exhibition, and fell into a reverie. Hereupon, the child began to weepand wail, saying that the man in the reverie was frightening him. Themonks told him not to be afraid, but to come down. “Oh!” cried thechild, “I am as though nailed here, unable to move hand or foot.” Themonks became alarmed. They flocked around Jelal, and begged him to releasethe child. After a time, he seemed to hear and understand them. Hisanswer was: “Only through the acceptance of Islam81 by yourselves, all ofyou, as well as by the child, can he be saved.” In the end they all embracedIslam, and wished to follow Jelal as his disciples, but he recommendedthem to remain in their cave, as before, to cease from practisingjugglery, and to serve God in the spirit and in truth. So he proceeded onhis journey.

To prove that man lives through God’s will alone, and not by blood,Jelal one day, in the presence of a crowd of physicians and philosophers,had the veins of both his arms opened and allowed them to bleed until theyceased to flow. He then ordered incisions to be made in various parts ofhis body; but not one drop of moisture was anywhere obtainable. Henow went to a hot bath, washed, performed an ablution, and then commencedthe exercise of the sacred dance.

(To be continued.)

112

The Hermetic Philosophy.

[Continued from June Number.]

The inscription said to have been found on the Smaragdine Tablet andto which reference was made in a former article, and which Dr. Everardrefers to as containing the “Elixir of the philosophers,” is further explainedby the author of Isis, where it is also said “It is for the Hermetic student towatch its motions, to catch its subtile currents, to guide and direct themwith the help of the Athanor, the Archimedean lever of the Alchemist.”82It is further stated in plain words that this mysterious agent “is the universalmagical agent, the astral light, which in the correlation of its forcesfurnishes the Alkahest, the philosophers’ stone, and the elixir of life.”83 Nowone great advantage to the student who follows carefully these hints is,that he soon discovers certain basic principles which reach far and wide,and in Hermetic language enable him to ascend from Earth to Heaven, anddescend from Heaven to Earth, not in a vague, fanciful way, but as applicableto physical phenomena as to philosophical synthesis. These basicprinciples are not hypothesis, they are the first principles of Nature, as manifestedin the phenomenal universe, a thread or clue to the labyrinth of phenomena.

There is a vast difference between modern and ancient science in regardto the Ether: The former hypothecates it to bridge a gap in phenomenaand at once, as if ashamed of its weakness, turns its back upon it. Not soour ancient Hermetic brethren. Modern speculation regarding a fourth dimensionof space apprehends the necessity for something beyond the oldconception, as does physical science. And yet the latter reaches no solidground, though the problem lies in the rubbish derived from analyticalscience, and the necessity which has compelled it to pay tribute. There isa logical, uniform, invariable antithesis in all manifested nature, which atonce suggests the unmanifested. Sometimes the change of a letter or anaccent in a word or its division into syllables produces wonderful results, e. g.,atonement, at-one-ment. So here in the phenomenal universe, nothing andno-thing are not synonymous. To say that the ether fills all space, penetratesthe densest matter, and gives rise by emanation to the whole phenomenaluniverse, and yet that it is nothing is nonsense, but that it is no-thingis perfectly true. The ether is to the phenomenal universe what the 0 is tothe mathematician, nothing in itself and yet from association, implication orinvolution, it enters into every form and quantity. Oken has shown84 thatthere are really two zeros, or that zero exists as 0+ and 0-, and even herebegins the science of symbolism in the ancient Mathesis. It is in this113shoreless ocean of ether that suns and solar systems are suspended. It isthe alkahest or universal solvent from which all forms and qualities of matterand life proceeds, and into which they return. It is luminous, and yet theabode of darkness, the Unmoved Mover of Plato.

Take now the three dimensions of space, and we find the idea of length,breadth and thickness are associated with objects. Where there is no objectupon which the eye can rest, we have then no length, no breadth, no thickness,i. e., Ether, the antithesis of objective forms in which occur all phenomena.This ether is called the Mirror of Isis, because in it are impressedor mirrored all forms. When these forms are clothed upon then occurs,first, a positing; second, motion; third, the “picture” in the ether is involvedand the outer material shape evolved. Nay, there is no first, second, thirdabout it, for all occurs coincidently. The last analysis of physics is matter,force and motion; and these three, inseparable on the physical visual plane,resolve back into the ocean of ether, which contains them all potentially, andwhich sends them out as an indissoluble trinity. Compared with matterthen, the ether is transcendental, and yet we cannot say it is nothing, as hasalready been pointed out. Now all life, all matter, all forms, are in theiressence cyclic. This is readily seen in the colloidal forms incident to organiclife, but even in crystalline forms, though often overlooked, it is none the lessapparent.

In relation to objective manifestation, preserving the idea of cyclic form,the ether is spoken of as the center which is everywhere, and the circumferencewhich is nowhere.

Proceeding now with the idea of center and circumference (as yet onlyan idea) let us imagine a globule of protoplasm to spring instantly intovisual existence. The act of positing was geometrical, i. e., “position withoutextension.” Let this positing represent force, and extension representmatter, typically, (in all directions) but this tension and extension begetsmotion, all together; creation, from the hitherto “without form and void” i. e.,the ether.

What was the immediate coefficient of the positing? a picture, a Divineidea, an essential form, projected in the ether. This idea is now beingclothed upon, or involved in matter, and coincidently the outer materialshape and structure is being evolved. Here is an equation being solved,and from this on, it is easy to trace what occurs even under a good microscope.We are, however, interested in principles rather than processes, thereforewe will preserve our typical sphere with its center and circumference.

We shall presently come back to the Smaragdine inscription, and thenbe able to see what a revelation it contains, and what a magical key itaffords to unlock the doors of knowledge.

B.

[To be continued.]

114

Living the Higher Life.

“I have no desire for any other line of life; but by the time I had awakened toa knowledge of this life, I found myself involved by circ*mstances against which Ido not rebel, but out of and through which, I am determined to work, neglecting noknown duty to others.”—Letter from a Friend.

The “Dweller of the Threshold” which stares even advanced occultistsin the face and often threatens to overwhelm them, and the ordeals ofChelaship or of probation for Chelaship, differ from each other only in degree.It may not be unprofitable to analyze this Dweller and those ordeals.For our present purpose, it is enough to state, that they are of a triunenature and depend upon these three relations: (1) To our nationality; (2) toour family; and (3) to ourselves. And every one of these three relations isdue to the assertion of a portion of our own past Karma, that is to say, toits effects.

Why should we be born in a particular nation and in a particularfamily? Because of the effect of a particular set of our Karmic attractions,which assert themselves in that manner. I mean that one set of our pastKarmas exhaust themselves in throwing us in our present incarnation amidsta particular nation, another set introducing us into a particular family; anda third set serving to differentiate or individualize us from all the othermembers of the nation or of the family. One of our Eastern proverbs says:“the five children of a family differ like the five fingers of a hand.” Unlesswe look at this difference from this standpoint, it must always appear to usa riddle, a problem too difficult to solve, a mystery, in short, why childrenborn of one family, while they have some traits common to all, should stillappear to differ vastly from one another. What applies to the family appliesalso to the nation, of which families are but units; and also to mankind as awhole, of whom nations are but families or units. The only way to decidethe great question of the age, whether the laws of nature are blind andmaterial, or spiritual, intelligent and divine, is, it seems to me, to point out inconnection with every subject, the absolutely intelligent and divine mannerin which these laws act, and how they force us to realize the economy ofnature. This is the only way by which we could become spiritual; and Iwould, once for all, call upon my co-workers for the cause, to realize at everystep of their study, as far as possible, the Divine Intelligence thus manifestingitself. Otherwise, how much soever you might believe or take it forgranted, that the forces that govern the universe are spiritual, the belief,however deep rooted it might appear, would be of little use to you when youhave to pass through the ordeals of Chelaship; and then you are sure tosuccumb and exclaim that the “Law is blind, unjust and cruel,” especiallywhen your selfishness and personality overwhelm you. When once a practicaloccultist and a learned philosopher met with, what seemed to him a115 “seriouscalamity and trial,” in spite of himself he exclaimed to me frankly; “the lawof Karma is surely blind, there is no God; what better proofs are needed?”So deep-rooted in human nature is infidelity and selfishness; no one needtherefore to be sure of his own spiritual nature. No amount of lip learningwill avail us in the hour of need. We have to study the law in all its aspectsand assimilate to our highest consciousness,—that which is called by DuPrel super sensuous consciousness—all the data which go to prove andconvince us that the Power is spiritual. Look around and see whether anytwo persons are absolutely identical, even for a time. How intelligent mustbe the power that ever strives to keep each and every one of us totally differenton the whole, while, if analyzed, we possess some traits in common,even with the Negro, with whom we are remotely allied.

In this connection I shall refer you to a passage in the article on “Chelasand Lay Chelas” (vide column 1, page 11 of “Supplement to the Theosophist”for July, 1883);—“The Chela is not only called to face all latent evil propensitiesof his nature, but in addition, the whole volume of maleficent poweraccumulated by the community and nation to which he belongs**until the result is known.” I shall only ask you to apply the same principleto your family relations affecting your present incarnation. Thus seventhings are found to secure us a victory, or a sad, inglorious defeat in themighty struggle known as the Dweller of the threshold and the ordeals ofChelaship:—(1) The evil propensities common to ourselves and to ourfamily; (2) those common to ourself and our nation; (3) those common toourself and to mankind in general, or better known as the weakness of humannature, the fruits of Adam’s first transgression; (4 to 6) the noble qualitiescommon to us and to these three; (7) the peculiar way in which the 6 setsof our past Karmas choose or are allowed to influence us now, or their effectsin producing in us the present tendency. The adept alone can take theseventh or last mentioned item completely into his own hands; and everymortal who would, as I have since recently begun to reiterate, direct all hisenergies to the highest plane possible for him (“Desire always to attain theunattainable”—says the author of “Light on the Path”),—such a mortaltoo could more or less do the same thing as the adept, in so far as he actsup to the rule. Every Chela, and also those who have a desire to be Chelaseven, as they suppose secretly, have to do with the first six propensities orinfluences.

The world is inclined—at least in this Kali Yuga (the Dark Age)—alwaysto begin at the wrong end of anything and direct all its faculties to theperception of effects and not of their causes. So the ideas of “renunciation,”“asceticism” and of the “true feeling of universal Brotherhood” (or“mercy,” as I call it, in accordance with South Indian Ethics), all of whichare compatible with Gnanis, or the most exalted of Mahatmas, all these have116come to be recognized by all our Theosophists, in general, as the means ofprogress for a beginner; while the real means of progress for us mortals—dutiesto our own families and to our own nation, or “kindness” and “patriotism”in the highest and ethical sense of the terms—are discarded.True, from the standpoint of a Jivanmukta, a true friend of humanity, thesetwo Sadhanas are really “selfishness”; still, until we attain that exaltedstate, these two feelings should be made the ladders for raising ourselves, themeans of not only getting ourselves rid of our family defects and naturalidiosyncrasies, but also of strengthening in ourselves the noble qualities of ourfamilies and of our nation. Until we reach that ideal slate where the blessedsoul has to make neither good nor bad Karma, we must strive to be constantlydoing “good” Karma, in order that we might become Karma-less(nish Karmis).

Let it not be understood at all, that I mean by “family duties” and“national duties,” false attachments to the family or to the nation. Familyduty consists not in sensuality or pleasure-hunting, but in cultivating and inelevating the emotional nature (the fourth principle), of ourselves and of ourfamily; in being equally “kind”, not only to the members of the family, butalso to all creatures, and in enjoying all such pleasures of the family life asare consistent with the acquirement of “wealth” (all the means necessaryfor the performance of Dharma or whole duty) according to the teachingsof Valluvar, and in utilizing such pleasures and means for the performance ofour duty to our nation. Patriotism consists similarly in theosophising ourown nation, in not only getting ourselves rid of our national defects, as well asother members of the nation rid of the same, but also in strengthening inourselves and in our nation as a whole, all the noble qualities which belongto our nation; in the enjoyment of the privileges85 of the nation and usingthem as a means for the performance of Dharma. If family duties are takendue care of, our duties to the nation and to humanity would, to a great extent,take care of themselves unimpeded. Our national duties, if strictly performed,serve to purify our fifth lower principle of its dross and to establishand develop the better part of it, while the performance of our duty to Humanityor the realization of universal tolerance and mercy, purifies the lower (human)stuff in the fifth higher principle and makes it divine, thus enabling us tofree ourselves gradually from the bonds of ignorance common to all humanbeings.

The above assertions, might, at first sight, seem rather bold and untheosophical.But I should venture to state my conviction that the wholeedifice of Aryan religions and Aryan philosophy is based upon these principles,and that, on a careful consideration of the subject, the great importance117attached to household life (Grihasta ashrama) in that philosophy, wouldbe fully borne out. To my mind no ascetics, no teachers of mankind, howevereminent and full of the highest knowledge, are really such good andpractical benefactors of humanity as Valluvar, of ancient times, who incarnatedon earth for the express purpose, among others, of setting an example ofan ideal household life to mortals who were prematurely and madly rushingagainst the rocks of renunciation, and of proving the possibility of leadingsuch a life in any age however degenerated; or as Ráma, who, even afterhaving become an avatar-purusha, came down amidst mortals and lead ahousehold life.

It has often been contended that the world has not progressed on thepath, because gnanis, or Mahatmas, have dwindled in their number andgreatness, and because it is Kali-Yuga, or the dark age, now. Such argumentsare due to our mistaking the effects for their causes. The only wayto prepare the way for the advent of a favorable Yuga and for the increase ofthe number and greatness of Mahatmas, is to establish gradually the conditionsfor the leading of a true household life. I should unhesitatingly state,that that is the duty of earnest Theosophists and real philanthropists.

Is it not conceded by all philanthropists that unselfish labors forhumanity can alone relieve us from the ocean of Sainsara (Rebirth), developour highest potentialities and help us to alchemise our human weakness?Applying the same principle to unselfish discharge of our family and nationalduties, my position becomes tenable. A Mahatma has, it appears, declaredthat He has still “patriotism.” But He has not said nor would say, thatHe has still family “attachments.” This proves that He has got out of thedefects of the family to which He belongs, while He is only striving to getout of national defects, some of which at any rate cling to Him. A Buddhawould say, that He has “mercy,” but no “patriotism.”

The only effectual way to get out of family defects is to discharge allour duty to our family before leaving it, as ascetics, or before we die.Blessed is he86 who, in each of his incarnations, then and there, gets rid of thedefects of the family into which he is ushered, thereby converts those defectsin his parents, brothers and sisters, into noble qualities, thus strengtheningand developing the good qualities both of himself and of his family, thenstrives to be born in the same family again and again, until he himself becomesa Buddha and assists his family to become a family fit for a Buddhato be born into, while he becomes the cream of all the noble qualities of thefamily without being tainted with its idiosyncrasies. A Dugpa (BlackMagician) is frequently born in the same family and becomes the cream ofall its evil propensities. Here again is the operation of the sublime and118divinely intelligent law of universal and natural economy asserting itself.This is beautifully allegorized in the story of a Jivanmukta churning out ofthe ocean, the elixir of life and leaving the visha (the poison, all the evil propensities)for the Dugpas. This is one of the meanings of the allegory.Avoiding all personalities and questionable facts, I shall rely solely upon ourPuranas and scriptures to prove that in every family where Adepts andGnanis are (or choose to be) frequently born, often Dugpas are also born, asa matter of course. Krishna was the greatest of Gnanis and his uncle Kausa(for our present purpose) was a terrible Dugpa. The five Pandavas had ahundred wicked cousins, the Kauravas. Devas and the whole brood ofwicked Asuras were born of the same parent. Vibhishana had for hisbrother, Ravana the prince of Dugpas; so had the good Sugriva a brotherlike Vali. Prahlada had a monster for his father.

Take the case of one who has not done all his duty to his family,before he dies, or before he takes the vows of renunciation and becomes anascetic. Such ascetics find themselves attracted by the family defects andselfishness of themselves (which hitherto perhaps lay more or less dormantand now become kindled and awakened by the selfishness of the relatives)and are disturbed in the performance of the duties of their new order orAshrama, however unselfish their relatives might have been “unconsciously”or unintentionally. In spite of themselves these relatives arrest the progressof the ascetics in whom the family defects become thus strengthened anddeveloped. Such is the mysterious law of attraction. This man mustbe born again (1) either in the same family, with the family defects strengthened,both in himself and in his family; (2) or in another family. In thefirst case, the noble qualities of the family are not strengthened and thereforegradually disappear both from him and from the family. In the secondcase, he becomes an undutiful son, brother or husband, in his new family,firstly because of the natural law of repetition, which, with the terribleKarmic interest, strengthens the tendency in him to disregard duty; secondlybecause of the “counter family attractions” (or repulsions). Let not thisunfortunate wanderer from the post of his family duty console himself withthe foolish idea that this tendency would confine its havoc to family traits(good and evil) and to family duties alone. It would extend itself in alldirections, wherever it can; it would make him disregard his duties to hisnation and to himself (or in other words, to humanity). He would suddenlybe surprised to find himself apathetic to his nation and to his highestnature, or to mankind. Such are the mazes and unknown ramifications ofour evil or good propensities. Any evil or noble element of human natureconverts itself, under “favorable” conditions into any other element howeverapparently remote. The conditions are there ready wherever theelement is strong; where there is a will there is a way. Performance offamily duties therefore develops patriotism and mercy.

119

I do not at all mean to say that the effects of Karma always assert themselvesin the same shape or form; but they often might and do. Nor do Imean that the affinities above stated, blossom and ripen in the incarnationimmediately succeeding; they might develop ten or even one hundredincarnations after; but in such a case, the Karma only accumulates enormousinterest. The affinities might not develop at the same time in bothhim and her, who was once his wife; if they did at the same time, theaccount could be easily settled,—otherwise, woe to him and to her! Supposingthat the attractions for him are developed in her, while the attachmentsfor her are not developed in him at the same time; the result mightbe, that she pines and languishes for him, sends her poisonous darts consciouslyor “unconsciously” against him; if these arrows do not kindle thecorresponding nature in him, for the time being they frustrate his achievementsin other directions. Supposing by the time the affinities in him aredeveloped, he becomes an initiate and she becomes, (let us suppose) hispupil (male or female). If at the time the pupil’s affinities have becomeconverted into devotion for the initiate, the latter becomes blinded in hisphilanthropic work and noble duties of a sage, and commits, through theinfatuation of a love for the pupil, serious blunders, which result in a catastropheto both of them and to humanity: and both the pupil and initiatefall down and have to mount their rugged pathway again with increaseddifficulties in their way.

Once, in an age and in a country, when and where household life continuesto be ideal, one single wretch commits the first act of transgression byimpetuously rushing into the circle of ascetics, or by dying before whollydischarging his duty to his family, the natural result is that both himself, hisfamily, and his nation, become thereby seriously affected. The Akasa87 becomesaffected by the impulse to transgress in this direction; this impulseforces itself gradually (with accumulated interest, redoubled force) uponothers; the ignoble example becomes a precedent; other cases of a like naturefollow in quick succession. In course of time, (just when a sad descendingcycle begins, such is the divine intelligence of the law that economizesenergies and makes things fit it) the leading of the ideal family life becomesalmost impossible and very rare; the whole community is thus ruined.Learned and great adepts retire to other spheres (where there then is an ascendingcycle) and leave the nation to be swallowed by a cataclysm afterages of degradation and vice.

Let us now reverse this case, and suppose that in the most degeneratenation, in the darkest of cycles, one philanthropist becomes unselfish andintelligent enough to set a noble and intelligent example by fulfilling allfamily duties; then, as naturally as in the preceding case, the precedent120gradually gains acceptance; the way is paved for the advent of an ascendingcycle; Gnanis bless the noble man and come down from other unfavorablespheres, where descending cycles begin to dawn.

Now it may be easy to understand why Chelas and lay Chelas (whohave not yet thrown off their family defects and thus become the cream oftheir family’s good qualities) are told to be careful lest they become Dugpas(Black Magicians).

I will ask you to apply the same kinds of arguments to the necessityfor performing (and the failure to perform) our duties to our nation and tomankind. You can see that the phenomena of heresy, downfall of religions,rise of new religions, the birth in Europe of a Max Müller, who expatiatesupon the greatness of the Vedic philosophy, and of Bradlaughs andother infidel sons of Christian parents—all these are due to the fact (and also toother causes), that the individuals concerned had not in some one or otherof their past incarnations, done their duty to the nations (or religions), towhich they respectively belonged. A study of the times when and in themanner in which the traits of these men are brought into play should beprofitable in several ways. Extending the analogy, it may be said thatheartlessness, murder, cannibalism, etc., are due to failure to discharge, inpast incarnations, one’s duty to humanity (that is to one’s self).

In conclusion it might be added that the most important element in the“Dweller of the Threshold,” and in the ordeals of Chelaship, is familydefects, which ought to be first “conquered;” then in order come nationaldefects and the “diseases of the flesh” in general. Though all these threehave to be got rid of simultaneously as far as possible, and all the three kindsof duties performed, still beginners should pay more attention to the firstthan to the second, and more to the second than to the third, and none ofthese neglected.

In those happy Aryan ages, when Dharma was known and performedfully, those men and women who did not marry, remained in the family forperforming their family duties and led a strictly ascetical and Vedantic lifeas Brahmacharis and Kannikas (or virgins). Those alone married, who werein every way qualified for leading a grihasta (household) life. Marriagewas in those days a sacred and religious contract, and not at all a means ofgratifying selfish desires and animal passions. These marriages were of twokinds: (1) Those who married for the express purpose of assisting eachother (husband and wife) in their determination to lead a higher life, in fulfillingtheir family duties, in enjoying all pleasures enjoined for such a lifeand thereby acquiring the means for attaining the qualifications for higherashrama of renunciation (Sannyása), and, above all, for giving the world thebenefit of children, who would become gnanis and work for humanity.Such a husband and wife might be regarded as not having in their previous121incarnations been able enough to become ripe for Chelaship. (2) Those whohad, in their past incarnations already fitted themselves completely for enteringthe sanctuary of Occultism and gnana marga (path of wisdom). Oneof them, the Pati (the master or “husband”) was the Guru who had advancedfar higher than his Patni (co-worker or pupil or “wife”). As soonas the alliance between them was made, these retired into the forest to leadthe life of celibacy and practical Occultism. But, before so retiring, theyhad invariably promised to their parents and other members of their familyto assist and elevate them even from a distance and offered to periodicallyadjust88 the inner life of all the relatives. I quote the language generallyused in making such promises:—“Whenever mother, father, sister andbrothers, any of you think of me in your hour of need, wherever or whateverI may be, I solemnly promise to lend you a helping hand.”

Murdhna Joti.

[To be continued.]

Studies in the Upanishads.

[BY A STUDENT.]

[Continued from May number.]

Longfellow, in the lines last quoted, symbolized the Universe by animmeasurable wheel forever turning in the stream of time. Allowing for thewestern habit of studying effects and not causes, this is a fair simile. Yet it isfaulty in that it presupposes two co-existing eternities; the wheel of theUniverse, and the stream in which it turns. There can be but one eternity.

Saunaka asks in this Upanishad a natural question, propounded bynearly every thinking man, especially by students of occultism who arecontinually seeking a royal road to the accomplishment of their objects.He wishes to be told what may be the great solvent of all knowledge. Thereply of Angiras points out two great roads, which include all the others.The lower road is the one of hard work for countless births, during whichwe acquire knowledge slowly in all directions, and, of course, when that ispossessed, one rises to the higher road.

This is the true initiation, nature, so to speak, acting as the initiator.In replying to Saunaka, Angiras did not mean to be understood, that aman could in one birth pass over the lower road, but that the progress of ahuman monad toward perfection proceeded in a certain fixed manner whichincluded all experiences. Of course if we say that we appear on the earthonce only, and then disappear from it, to the place called by the spiritualistsof America, “the summer land,” and by the christian, “heaven,” there is122no need for one to acquire the lower knowledge, for that might be obtainedin the life after death. But we regard it as true that the spirit, in order toacquire complete knowledge, must inhabit a human form, and one term oftenancy in such a form will not be enough for the testing of the countlessvarieties of life, of temptation, of triumph, failure and success.

The sage Angiras in this Upanishad looks at man from the standpointof one who can see the great stream of life which flows through theeternal plain, and therefore he could not have meant to apply his words toone incarnation, but to the whole series through which man has to passuntil he reaches “immortal, blest nirvana.”

In the journey along this road we will encounter great differences inthe powers of our fellow travellers. Some go haltingly and others quickly;some with eyes bent on the ground, a few with gaze fixed on the great goal.Those who halt or look down will not reach the end, because they refuse totake the assistance to be found in the constant aspiration to the light. Butwe are not to blame them: they have not yet been often enough initiated tounderstand their error. Nature is kind and will wait for them much longerthan their human fellows would if they were permitted to be their judges.This ought to give us a lesson in charity, in universal brotherhood. Veryoften we meet those who show an utter inability to appreciate some spiritualideas which we quite understand. It is because they have not, so far, beenable to transmute into a part of themselves, that which we have been sofortunate as to become possessed of, and so they seem devoted to thingsthat to us appear to be of small value.

The Bagavad-Gita says that there is no detriment or loss to one’s effortsin any direction, be it good or bad; that is, in going through these countlessincarnations, all inquiry, every sort of investigation, no matter even if itseems at the close of any one life that the life was wasted, is so much energyand experience stored up. For although, in the course of one existence,physical energy is expended, there is, all the while, a storing up of spiritualenergy which is again a power in the next succeeding life.

In consequence of the modern, western system of education, we are aptconstantly to forget the existence of the great force and value belonging toour super-sensuous consciousness. That consciousness is the great registerwhere we record the real results of our various earthly experiences; in it westore up the spiritual energy, and once stored there, it becomes immortal,our own eternal possession. The question then will be asked: “How isone to store up such spiritual energy: do we do it unconsciously, and howare we to know that any has been stored up?” It is to be done by trying toknow and to act truth; by “living in the eternal,” as Light on the Pathdirects. To live thus in the eternal, does not mean that we shall abandon123the cares and struggles of life, for so surely as we do we must suffer, but thatwe should try to make the real self direct its aspirations ever to the eternaltruth.

This series of births is absolutely necessary, so that the “lower knowledge”can be acquired; and just so long as we do not acquire that, we mustbe reborn. Here and there will occur exceptions to this rule, in thosegreat souls who, with “an astonishing violence,” leap beyond and over allbarriers, and by getting the higher knowledge, become at the same time,possessors of the lower knowledge also.

In the Chaldean Oracles such souls are thus described: “More robustsouls perceive truth through themselves, and are of a more inventive nature,”and by Proklus in I Alkibiad: “such a soul being saved, according to theoracle, through its own strength.” But even this rapid progress must beregarded as comparative, for even these “robust souls,” had to go throughcertain incarnations in which they were accumulating to themselves that verystrength and ability to outstrip their fellows which, later on, placed them inthe front rank.

In consequence of our ignorance of what we really are, not knowingat the time we begin the struggle in this present life whether the real maninside has passed through incarnations full of this necessary experience ornot, we must not, because of the fancied importance we give ourselves,neglect the lower knowledge. There are many pitfalls besetting the road.Perchance we feel a certain degree of illumination, or we are able to see orhear in the astral world, and at once the temptation presents itself to claimto ourselves a spiritual greatness not our own. The possession of such astralacuteness is not high spirituality per se, for one might be able, as Buddha declaresin the Saddharma-Pundarika, to smell the extraordinary odors arisingin ten points of space which are not perceived by ordinary people, or to hearthe innumerable and strange voices, sounds, bells, discords and harmoniesproduced by the whole host of unknown and unseen spirits of the earth, air,water and fire, and still be altogether devoid of spirituality. If we let ourselvesthen, be carried away by this, it is only a form of pride that precedesa severe fall. Being carried away with it, is at once a proof that we are notmaster, but are mastered by what is merely a novel experience.

But if we wisely and carefully test all experience, being willing todescend low enough to learn and study so that the instrument may be tunedand perfected, we may avoid the pitfalls, or be able to cross them should theybe inevitable, whereas if we are deluded by supposed self-illumination, andrun after that to the exclusion of all study, we will perhaps, enjoy a periodof excitement and of self-satisfaction, but it will end, and the end will bebitter. As Buddha says:124 “He who ignores the rotation of mundane existences,has no perception of blessed rest.”

The very fact that a man is in the world and has a continual fight withhis passions and inclinations, proves that he is not yet in any condition toleave it. And of even the very far advanced, it was said by those who werenear the time of the Upanishads:

“The disciple who by his discrimination has escaped from the tripleworld, thinks he has reached pure, blessed nirvana; but it is only by knowingall the laws of the lower world, and the universal laws as well, thatthe immortal, pure, blest nirvana is reached. There is no real nirvanawithout all-knowingness; try to reach this.”

Correspondence.

London, June 17, 1886.

As No. 5 of “The Biogen Series,” Professor Coues has reprintedRobert Dodsley’s “Œconomy of Human Life,” which he considers is basedon Theosophical Ethics. The history of this little treatise is rather curious.It was originally published in 1750 and purported to be by a Brahmin, butthe authorship was generally ascribed to Lord Chesterfield. The great celebritywhich the book at one time attained, was mainly due to this mistakenopinion. Dodsley, however, did not long persist in his disguise. It wentthrough numerous editions, found many imitators, and has been translatedinto French, Italian, German and Bengali. The moral maxims containedin this little volume are of a character to admit of their attribution to LordChesterfield. Their claim to an especial Eastern origin receives a strikingcomment from the way in which the law of retribution, the nature of thesoul, the eternal paradise of God, and other similar topics are regarded. Inthe treatment of these subjects, the author follows the theology of theChristian church rather than Brahmanical philosophy. The association ofthe name Kuthumi with the book, so perplexing to understand, is not a biographicalfact, as Prof. Coues explains in his “fore-word” (p. 10). It onlyremains to state clearly what is implied in the fore-word that the TheosophicalSociety has no special code of morals, ready made and rigorously defined,for the acceptance of its members on admission. Prof. Coues isdeserving of praise for rescuing from oblivion a book, in many ways calculatedto do good.
Fraternally,

Mohini M. Chatterji.

Reviews and Notes.

The Biogen Series (Estes & Lauriat, Boston, Mass.). This seriesof publications is under the editorial management of Prof. Coues, the wellknown Scientist and Theosophist. The series has just reached its fifthnumber “Kuthumi, or the Economy of Human Life.” This is a reprint of alittle volume, originally issued in 1770, but under the classical pen of Prof.125Coues who has added an introduction, and the faultless typography ofEstes & Lauriat, the little book is a very different affair from the earlieredition. Number four of the series which is also only just out of press,bears the significant title, “Can Matter Think,” and is reprint of anarticle which was written in India and published some years ago in TheTheosophist. By no means the least important part of these publications arethe notes and editorial comments of Prof Coues. Number four of the serieshas both an introduction and an appendix from the Professor’s pen. Togive these publications such extended notice as they deserve would occupymore space and time than is at our command, while the exceedingly readableform and low price at which they are issued, renders such reviewunnecessary, as they are within reach of all.

These little books are in short, classics, and as such, substantial additionsto the literature of the age, while their bearing on the great problemsof Theosophy, can hardly be over estimated. Prof. Coues’ familiarity withthe whole field of modern research, his exactness, which comes from scientifictraining, his remarkable command of first-class English, and his insightinto the complex problems of psychology, place these books in the forefrontof Theosophic literature, and we cordially commend them to our readers.

J.D. Buck.

THE SANSCRIT LANGUAGE.

Several letters have been written and inquiries propounded to the Editorregarding Sanscrit, and in one or two instances the assertion has been madethat we were incorrect in saying that Sanscrit is not really a dead language.In reply to those asking about the language, we refer them to Perry’s SanscritPrimer (Ginn & Co., Boston), Lanman’s Sanscrit Reader and Whitney’sSanscrit Grammar.

To the others, we quote from Perry’s Primer, § 21, p. 7: “The Sanscritis used in India to this day very much as Latin was used in Europe in theprevious century; it is a common medium of communication between thelearned, be their native tongues what they may, and it is not the vernacularof any district whatever.” And in India, the Editor was told by manyBrahmins that it is in constant use in all religious convocations and assembliesconvened among people of learning who come from widely separatedparts of Hindustan.

Thoughts.—By Ivan Panin, (Cupples, Upham & Co., Boston.) Theauthor says that he does not know why he writes, but the thoughts jotteddown are put forth as his own. Many of them are good and worth remembering.The book is of size convenient for the pocket, and well bound; thethoughts are topically arranged and numbered consecutively from 1 to 435; thefirst is, that to be never unhappy is the greatest misfortune; and the last, that126next to the pleasure of seeing beautiful things, is to describe them. Thebest one is No. 205, that nature preaches many a fine sermon on silence, as:the loud thunder hurts not, but the silent lightning; silent gravity binds allworlds together; silent snow covers the ground, but noisy rain makes puddlesand then runs away. Another good one is No. 188: “Always indeed,tell the truth, but do not always speak it;” also No. 80: “Abhor his vice,but not the man; for he is like thee a son of God.”

The Spirit of the New Testament.—By a woman. (Rockwell &Churchill, Boston, 1885.) We are informed that the author is a Theosophistand wrote this before joining the Society. It is divided into 3 parts.I, Relates to Jesus; II, The Warfare of the Truth; III, The Letters and Evidences.She adheres to the idea of the immaculate conception, while notadvocating the theological dogma of the Divinity; this seems to us not tofollow. We cannot help pointing out that Jesus, the subject of this book,apparently violated filial duty when he refused to recognize his mother at thetime he was told that she waited without. Also on page 10, the author surmizesthat “probably not more than a score of children perished” by theorder of King Herod. There is no historical record of the “slaughter of theInnocents,” but it is important and ought not to be lightly passed over. Asimilar legend is told regarding Krishna, the Hindu incarnation, thousandsof years before Jesus, for King Kausa his uncle, ordered the slaughter of allthe male infants in his kingdom, but Krishna escaped to another city underthe protection of the great God, (see the Mahabarata). Again Gaffarel andothers say, that really it referred to the persecution of the Kabalists and wisem*n of Herod’s day, for they were called “innocents” and “babes.” Nowthis tale has an occult signification, in common with the incident of Jesusrefusing to recognize his mother.

The book is an excellent one, and if christendom held the same views,the millenium would advance. The author thinks that the spirit of thework and words of Jesus, if lived up to by his followers, would raise thewestern world to a higher plane, and in that we agree with her. But wecannot agree that Jesus came to the whole world, or that St. John’s revelationis for humanity. Both of them were only speaking to the races theywere born in, revealing again a part of the knowledge and doctrine whichanciently prevailed among all peoples, and which, even in their own day,were fully known in the farther East. Each time and people has its ownprophet and sacred book, but it does not follow, if the last be the best forthe people to whom it is revealed, that therefore it is the best of all.

At the beginning of each Manvantara (the remanifestation of a worldand man upon it), a planetary spirit appears among men, and implants thegreat ideas afterwards held intuitionally. They are projected with a spiritual127force and power that carries them through all the ages of that manvantara,now appearing and again apparently lost to sight. The original impulse everynow and then, receives additions, through beings of a lower illuminationthan those who started them, as: Jesus, Buddha, Confucius and others, whoappear in intermediate periods.

Similarly, great events, such as the occurrences related as anterior to Krishna’s,Buddha’s and Jesus’ birth, as well as the slaughter of the innocents and thedeath of Osiris, have an inherent spiritual force, wherever they really tookplace, that carries them down the stream of time and causes them to reappearamong all peoples as a part of the biographies of different sacred personages.

This author has our approval, though worth but little, for she shows akeen insight. Witness on p. 517: “Believe not those who exalt womanabove man, for they are equal powers. The use of the feminine pronoun indescribing the soul, the earth, the moon** has no profound scientificor philosophical foundation.

“Believe not those who claim to give final wisdom to the world; forthere must be many instruments of truth.”

And on p. 519: “Sufficient guides are in that development of seershipwhich is the necessary and natural sequence of the ripening of the intellectand moral sense, and which must and will grow. To man’s own conscience]and judgment is left the supreme utilization of these first universal efforts atintercommunion between the material and spiritual planes of existence.”

We regret that our limited space prohibits a more extended notice.

Sinnett.—Mr. A. P. Sinnett of London, author of Esoteric Buddhism,has just brought out a new novel of a theosophical cast. We have not receiveda copy as there has not been time, but hope to notice it in the Augustnumber. Its title is “Union” .

Theosophical Activities.

The American Board of Control—will meet in Rochester July 4th.This will be an important meeting, being the first one since the new era ofAmerican Theosophical Activity. It is hoped that each year hereafter willsee conventions of the Society when each Branch will be represented by adelegate.

Joshee.—Bro. Gopal Vinayak Joshee was in Boston May 28th, at theannual meeting of the Free Religion Association, and delivered an addressbefore them upon “What is lacking in Christianity,” which was reported inThe Index, of June 10th, ult. It deserves perusal, and must have seemedto its hearers like plain speaking.

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Alabama.—A new Branch of the society is being organized here, theprovisional charter having been issued. We hope also soon to hear ofanother in Texas, where a good Theosophist has settled.

Malden.—The theosophists here are in earnest and active. They haveheartily adopted the suggestion of the New York Branch about discussionsin condensed form being printed for circulation among members.

Cincinnati.—This Branch has been hard at work, and has had thebenefit of several addresses and thorough explanations of hermetic doctrinesfrom a well known and well versed theosophist.

Abridgements of Discussions.—The discussions and study of everymember of the Society and of each Branch should not be kept exclusivelyto themselves, except when they may relate to necessarily secret matter, butought to be made known in some way to all other members. To that end,the N. Y. Branch has issued the first of a series of leaflets for private circulation,containing abstracts of these discussions. They contain the ideas ofmany different people upon the subjects of Karma, Reincarnation, and otherdoctrines of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.

All branches ought to contribute notes to this work, so that the leafletsmay appeal to as many minds in the society as possible. If a central editorcould be hit upon that would also be a good idea.

The Aryan Theosophical Society of New York.—Regular meetingshave been held each week, since our last issue, two during this month beingopen ones, at which addresses were delivered and discussions had. On the8th ult., the subject was that of evolution as laid down in theosophical literature,and at one meeting, the lecture was illustrated by reference to a famouscarved temple roof in India, the blackboard being used for roughoutlines of the design.

During the last month, the following books have been donated to thelibrary of the Branch, by Bro. Edson D. Hammond: Ancient MysteriesDescribed (Hone, 1823); The Obelisk and Freemasonry (Weisse, 1880);Psychological Review (London), 12 Nos. 1882; 2 of 1883, when Reviewstopped. The library has now increased to over 125 vols. and has beenconsiderably used by the members.

That subtle self is to be known by thought alone; for every thought ofmen is interwoven with the senses, and when thought is purified, then theself arises.—Mundaka Upanishad.

OM

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No. 5.

In the beginning this was Self alone—undeveloped. It became developedby form and name. The Self entered thither to the verytips of the finger nails, as the fire in the fireplace. He cannot beseen: for, in part only, when breathing, he is breath by name; whenseeing, eye by name; when hearing, ear; when thinking, mind, byname. All these are but the names of his acts. And he who regardshim as the one or the other, does not know him, for he is apart fromthem. Let men worship him as the Self, for in the Self, all theseare one. This Self is the footstep of everything, for through it oneknows everything, and as one can find again by footsteps whatwas lost, thus he who knows this may find the Self.—Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad,1 Adh., 4 Brah., 7 v.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. AUGUST, 1886. No. 5.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

Star Colors and Animal Magnetism.

It is well known that yellow is the complementary of blue, and red ofgreen, color, and it struck me that, relating to this subject, the remarks ofMr. Isaac Sharpless, who is an undoubted authority in astronomical matters,are of some importance. Writing from Haverford College Observatory,June 3d, instant, he says:

“The question of star colors has been receiving attention from the handof an English gentleman, W. S. Franks. He has examined carefully thecolors of a list of 1893 of the brightest stars, with especial reference to thedistribution in the heavens of the different colors. He finds 962 white stars,614 yellow, 168 orange, 10 red, 15 green, 59 blue, 58 purple and 7, forsome reason, have no colors given. He finds that the constellations whichcontain a large percentage of white stars are in or near the Milky Way, andwherever stars are closely associated together; while the yellow and orangestars are most plentiful in large straggling constellations.

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“It is well known that a certain kind of spectrum is connected with certainstar colors. The yellow stars belong to the class of our sun and includesuch bright stars as Capella. The white stars, like Vega, have a spectrumof a great number of fine lines, and the red gives a banded spectrum. It hasbeen a favorite theory that the colors indicate the age of the stars, if not inyears, at least in development. That the white are the youngest: as theycool they become yellow, then red, and, finally invisible, just as a piece ofiron would in cooling down from a white heat. There is much to commendthis idea, though, of course, as to the relative ages of the stars we know verylittle, and some changes appear to be in the opposite direction. Perhapsthere are people to whom the idea of different colors in stars is a novelty.They have a general idea that there are bright points of light overhead, atnight, and probably they have observed, in a general way, that some arebrighter than others. It will not require a very close watch, however, to addto the knowledge of the sky the additional fact that they are differently colored.Castor and Pollux which now shine in the west in the evening, arevery evidently diverse, and a careful amateur can go over the heavens andnotice among the brighter stars quite a variety.

“But a telescope increases the capacities for this work immensely. Nearlyall the very red stars are too faint to be seen by the naked eye, and manywhich show the strongest contrasts of color are double stars, which requireconsiderable magnifying power to separate them. Blue and green stars arenever solitary, but associated with a red or a yellow star, which is nearly alwaysbrighter, so that color has something to do with association. There arealso sometimes clusters of stars which show great variety of color. Sir JohnHerschel describes one in the Southern Hemisphere which resembled a massof colored gems. There is probably a prolific field of discovery yet undevelopedin connection with star colors.”

The experiments of Reichenbach and others have shown that fromcrystals and human bodies emanate not only influences of a positive andnegative character—which are also referred to in the Path at p. 86—but alsothat certain colors are seen by sensitives to arise from the human head, eyes,and hands. Now, as animal magnetism is slowly forcing recognition fromthe scientific world, why are we not justified in giving some credence to theviews held by the old Hermetic philosophers, that the human being derivesits magnetism and vitality from the stars: that is, that these colors seen bysensitives, are to be directly traced to the sidereal influences and atmospheres.They gave to each color an appropriate star, and we find curiouslyenough, that although it is claimed against them that they were ignorant andhad no appliances, they, without apparatus, knew that the stars had colors,while to the sun they ascribed life. Now in this century our astronomers131tell us, as above, of star colors of great variety and peculiar combination.These are mere hints, however, which I would like more competent men toenlarge upon.

Isaac Myer.

[Note.—We are personally acquainted with several persons who can seethese magnetic colors, and they all agree in the main as to the conditions ofhealth or of temper which accompany them. Mere quick thoughts they seeas bright sparks; sensuality seems pink or reddish; while life and wisdom,appear as blue. It is interesting to note also, that in the Hindu system,when Krishna is represented as the life giver, or as the principle of life, he ispainted blue, which color Reichenbach found proceeded from the positivepole; while the passive mendicant or ascetic of Hindustan, has to wear theyellow robe, which stands for the negative pole that emits the yellow ray. It isalso rather curious that the ancient Egyptians in their papyri painted wisdom,which is cold, of a yellow color, and the son of life appears in blue.—Ed.]

A Hindu Chela’s Diary.89

(Continued from July Number.)

“I have always felt and still feel strongly that I have already once studiedthis sacred philosophy with Kunâla, and that I must have been, in a previouslife, his most obedient and humble disciple. This must have been a fact,or else how to account for the feelings created in me when I first met him,although no special or remarkable circ*mstances were connected with thatevent. All my hopes and plans are centred in him, and nothing in the worldcan shake my confidence in him especially when several of my Brahmin acquaintancestell me the same things without previous consultation.***

“I went to the great festival of Durga yesterday, and spent nearly thewhole day looking in the vast crowd of men, women, children and mendicantsfor some of Kunâla’s friends, for he once told me to never be sure thatthey were not near me, but I found none who seemed to answer my ideas.As I stood by the ghaut at the river side thinking that perhaps I was leftalone to try my patience, an old and apparently very decrepit Bairagee pluckedmy sleeve and said: ‘Never expect to see any one, but always be ready toanswer if they speak to you; it is not wise to peer outside of yourself for thegreat followers of Vasudeva: look rather within.’

“This amazed me, as I was expecting him to beg or to ask me for information.Before my wits returned, he had with a few steps mingled with agroup of people, and in vain searched I for him: he had disappeared.But the lesson is not lost.

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“To-morrow I return to I——.

“Very wearying indeed in a bodily sense was the work of last week andespecially of last evening, and upon laying down on my mat last night aftercontinuing work far into the night I fell quickly sound asleep. I had beensleeping some hour or two when with a start I awoke to find myself in perfectsolitude and only the horrid howling of the jackals in the jungle to disturbme. The moon was brightly shining and I walked over to the windowof this European modeled house threw it open and looked out. Findingthat sleep had departed, I began again on those palm leaves. Just after Ihad begun, a tap arrested my attention and I opened the door. Overjoyedwas I then to see Kunâla standing there, once more unexpected.

“‘Put on your turban and come with me,’ he said and turned away.

“Thrusting my feet into my sandals, and catching up my turban, Ihurried after him, afraid that the master would get beyond me, and I remainunfortunate at losing some golden opportunity.

“He walked out into the jungle and turned into an unfrequented path.The jackals seemed to recede into the distance; now and then in the mangotrees overhead, the flying foxes rustled here and there, while I could distinctlyhear the singular creeping noise made by a startled snake as it drew itselfhurriedly away over the leaves. Fear was not in my breast for master wasin front. He at last came to a spot that seemed bare of trees, and bendingdown, seemed to press his hand into the grass. I then saw that a trap dooror entrance to a stairway very curiously contrived, was there. Stairs wentdown into the earth. He went down and I could but follow. The doorclosed behind me, yet it was not dark. Plenty of light was there, but whereit came from I cared not then nor can I now, tell. It reminded me of ourold weird tales told us in youth of pilgrims going down to the land of theDevas where, although no sun was seen, there was plenty of light.

“At the bottom of the stairs was a passage. Here I saw people butthey did not speak to me and appeared not to even see me although theireyes were directed at me. Kunâla said nothing but walked on to the end,where there was a room in which were many men looking as grand as hedoes but two more awful, one of whom sat at the extreme end.”

[Here there is a confused mass of symbols and ciphers which I confessI cannot decipher, and even if I had the ability to do so, I would check myself,because I surmise that it is his own way of jotting down for his ownremembrance, what occurred in that room. Nor do I think that even a plainreading of it would give the sense to any one but the writer himself, for thisreason, that it is quite evidently fragmentary. For instance, I find amongthe rest, a sort of notation of a division of states or planes: whether of consciousness,of animated, or of elemental life, I cannot tell; and in each133division are hieroglyphs that might stand for animals, or denizens of theastral world, or for anything else—even for ideas only, so I will proceed atthe place of his returning.]

“Once more I got out into the passage, but never to my knowledgewent up those steps, and in a moment more was I again at my door. Itwas as I left it, and on the table I found the palm leaves as I dropped them,except that beside them was a note in Kunâla’s hand, which read:

“‘Nilakant—strive not yet to think too deeply on those things you havejust seen. Let the lessons sink deep into your heart, and they will have theirown fruition. To-morrow I will see you.’****

“What a very great blessing is mine to have had Kunâla’s company forso many days even as we went to——. Very rarely however he said a fewwords of encouragement and good advice as to how I should go on. Heseems to leave me as to that to pick my own way. This is right, I think,because otherwise one would never get any individual strength or power ofdiscrimination. Happy were those moments, when alone at midnight, wethen had conversation. How true I then found the words of the AgroushadaParakshai to be:

“‘Listen while the Sudra sleeps like the dog under his hut, while the Vaysa dreamsof the treasures that he is hoarding up, while the Rajah sleeps among his women. Thisis the moment when just men, who are not under the dominion of their flesh, commencethe study of the sciences.’90

“The midnight hour must have powers of a peculiar nature. And Ilearned yesterday from glancing into an Englishman’s book, that even thosesemi barbarians speak of that time as ‘the witching hour,’ and it is told methat among them ‘witching’ means to have magic power.****

“We stopped at the Rest House in B—— yesterday evening, butfound it occupied and so we remained in the porch for the night. But oncemore I was to be blessed by another visit with Kunâla to some of his friendswhom I revere and who will I hope bless me too.

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“When every one had quieted down he told me to go with him to thesea which was not far away. We walked for about three quarters of an hourby the seashore, and then entered as if into the sea. At first a slight fearcame into me, but I saw that a path seemed to be there, although water wasall around us. He in front and I following, we went for about seven minutes,when we came to a small island; on it was a building and on top ofthat a triangular light. From the sea shore, the island would seem like anisolated spot covered all over by green bushes. There is only one entranceto go inside. And no one can find it out unless the occupant wishes theseeker to find the way. On the island we had to go round about for somespace before we came in front of the actual building. There is a little gardenin front and there was sitting another friend of Kunâla with the same expressionof the eyes as he has. I also recognized him as one of those whowas in the room underground. Kunâla seated himself and I stood beforethem. We stayed an hour and saw a portion of the place. How very pleasantit is! And inside he has a small room where he leaves his body when he himselfmoves about in other places. What a charming spot, and what a delightfulsmell of roses and various sorts of flowers! How I should wish to visit thatplace often. But I cannot indulge in such idle dreams, nor in that sort ofcovetousness. The master of the place put his blessing hand upon my head,and we went away back to the Rest House and to the morrow full of strugglesand of encounters with men who do not see the light, nor hear the great voiceof the future; who are bound up in sorrow because they are firmly attachedto objects of sense. But all are my brothers and I must go on trying to dothe master’s work which is only in fact the work of the Real Self which is Alland in All.”

Notes on the Cabbalah of the OldTestament.

By Permission of Bro. J. RALSTON SKINNER (McMillan Lodge, No. 141).

II.

Ginsburg and others tell us that Raymond Lully and John Picus deMirandola had acquired knowledge of the Hebrew and the Caballah.Mirandola studied Hebrew and Cabbalistic theology under JochananAleman, who came to Italy from Constantinople, and—“found that there ismore Christianity in the Cabbalah than Judaism; he discovered in it prooffor the doctrine of the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Divinity of Christ, theheavenly Jerusalem, the fall of the angels, the order of the angels,” and soon, and so on. “In 1486, when only 24 years old, he published 900 theses,which were placarded in Rome, and which he undertook to defend in thepresence of all European scholars, whom he invited to the Eternal City,promising to defray their traveling expenses. Among the theses was thefollowing: ‘No science yields greater proof of the Divinity of Christ thanmagic and the Cabbalah.’”

Through Picus de Mirandola, Reuchlin became aware of this phase ofHebrew philosophy or theosophy, as, by a school of the rabbins, a recognizedappurtenant to the Hebrew Scriptures. He not only examined intothe Cabbalah to satisfy his thirst for facts of literature, but, on investigation,became a convert to the system,—“within two years of beginning to learnthe language, published (1494) his De Verbo Mirifico, and afterwards(1516) with more matured learning, his De Arte Cabbalistica.” And thus135the joint efforts of Mirandola and Reuchlin established a field of literature,of the Cabbalah, which has always flourished, and will continue to flourishso long as our civilization shall last.

It is interesting and useful to place this great fact, but it is a matter ofespecially great weight and value that the knowledge of the Cabbalah wassprung upon the world of letters, with, and as an essential part of the Reformationitself. Not that the philosophy of the Cabbalah became engraftedinto the study and development of Hebrew (and consequently Christian)theosophy:—for, because of lack of knowledge of what the Cabbalah reallywas, such could not be the case,—but it was entitled so to be, and the assertionof its existence as a real element of Scripture was, even then, sostrongly and enduringly made, that, though an unknown quantity except byname, it has ever since stood firmly, and ready to have such claim madegood:—with a vitality that has outworn four hundred years of patientwaiting.

Of course there was a field of Jewish Cabbalistic literature,—not open,but confined, for the most part, as a kind of sacred mystery, within narrowand restricted limits, even among the Jews themselves. It was of the samenature with what is called, to-day, The Speculative Philosophy of FreeMasonry, an ever seemingly substantive embodiment out of surroundingshadowy mists and mental fogs, wherein a doubt always exists whether afterall there is in the nebulous matter of the mist itself anything from whencesubstance may congeal; or, it may, for illustration, be compared to the cityof King Arthur, before whose gate Gareth, standing, says: “But these mymen—(your city moves so weirdly in the mist),—doubt if the King be Kingat all, or come from Fairy land: and whether this be built by magic, and byfairy kings and queens, or whether there be any city at all, or all a vision.”It is necessary to make a brief mention of this literature with its sources;both that these may be known, and that a foundation may be laid for whatis stated as to the reality of Cabbalah, and its significance.

There is almost no teaching of the Cabbalah in the English languageexcept the Essay by Christian D. Ginsburg, LL. D., to which we have referred.Dr. Ginsburg says: “It is a system of religious philosophy, or moreproperly, of theosophy, which has not only exercised for hundreds of yearsan extraordinary influence on the mental development of so shrewd a peopleas the Jews, but has captivated the minds of some of the greatest thinkersof Christendom in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and which claimsthe greatest attention of both the philosopher and theologian.”

It is faintly claimed that some statements applying to Cabbalah are tobe found in the Talmud; but apart from this we have:—(1) The Commentaryon the Ten Sephiroth, by R. Azariel ben Manachem (1160-1238),who was a pupil of Isaac the Blind, and master of the celebrated R. Moses136Nachmanides, (2) The Book Sohar (Light), or Midrash, Let there beLight, claimed to have been a revelation from God, communicated throughR. Simon ben Jochai, A. D. 70-110, to his select disciples. This book hasbeen pronounced by the ablest critics to have been a pseudograph of thethirteenth century,—the composition of Moses de Leon, who lived in Spain;who, by the admission of his wife and daughter after his death, first publishedand sold it as the production of R. Simon ben Jochai, and (3) TheBook Jetzirah or Book of Creation,—of unknown age and authorship, butmentioned as early as the eleventh century in the Book Chazari, by R.Jehudah Ha Levi,—as the literary sources for the entire system and scopethereof, so far as disclosed. It is from these sources that the entire volumeof Cabbalistic literature has had rise and development.

From these sources, and the numberless treatises and expositionsthereon, the history of the subject matter and containment of Cabbalah islaid down as follows: It was first taught by God himself to a select companyof angels. After the fall the angels taught it to Adam. From Adamit passed to Noah, thence to Abram, the friend of God who carried it toEgypt. Moses, who was learned in all the wisdom of Egypt, was initiatedinto it from the land of his birth. He covertly laid down the principles ofits doctrines in the first four books of the Pentateuch, but withheld themfrom Deuteronomy (“this constitutes the former the ‘man’ and the latterthe ‘woman’”). Moses initiated the seventy elders, and they again passedthe sacred and secret doctrine down to the heads (continually imparting thesame) of the Church of Israel. David and Solomon were adepts in it.No one dared to write it down till the supposititious Simon ben Jochai, whor*ally lived and taught, as one of the most celebrated doctors, at the time ofthe destruction of the second temple; and his teachings are claimed to constitutethe Book of Sohar, published, as already said, by Moses de Leon ofValladolid, in Spain. But Ben Jochai, or whoever worked under his name,though he wrote and published, as said, covered the true doctrine by veils,so that no one but an initiate, or, as the saying runs, “by the gift of God,”could penetrate behind them;—though the veils of the words still plainlyheld the secret doctrine, to those who could see. The Cabbalah, as an expositionto the Sacred Text of Holy Writ, was claimed to contain theWisdom of God in every branch and department of His working,—and allterms and descriptions were exhausted to express the ineffable reward to himwho might be permitted to penetrate behind the veil, either by initiation or“by the gift of God;” satiating every function of enjoyment, and affordingan indescribable bliss, in the ultimate possessions of the Divine conceptions.

More definitely:—The exposition of the system treats of the impersonalFirst Cause manifesting within the limits of the finite. “Before he gaveany shape to this world, before he produced any form, he was alone, with137outa form and resemblance to anything else.91 Who, then, can comprehendhim, how he was before the creation, since he was formless? Hence, it isforbidden to represent him by any form, similitude, or even by his sacredname, by a single letter or a single point; and to this, the words, ‘Ye sawno manner of similitude on the day the Lord spake unto you’ (Deut. iv. 15)—i.e., ye have nor seen anything which you could represent by any formor likeness,—refer” (Sohar 42 b, 43 a, Sec. AB):—And this shows clearlyenough that the supposed sacred names of Scripture do not have referenceto the Impersonal First Cause, as its essential designations, but rather to itscreations.** Then—“The creation, or the universe, is simply thegarment of God woven from the Deity’s own substance (The Impersonalmanifesting in the cosmos, in modes to be expressed by the sacred namesand otherwise). For although, to reveal himself to us, the Concealed of allthe Concealed, sent forth the Ten Emanations (the Ten Sephiroth) calledthe Form of God, Form of the Heavenly-Man, yet since even this luminousform was too dazzling for our vision, it had to assume another form, or hadto put on another garment which consists of the universe. The universe,therefore, or the visible world, is a further expansion of the Divine Substance,and is called in the Cabbalah, ‘the Garment of God.’” (Sohar i, 2 a)—“Thewhole universe, however, was incomplete, and did not receive itsfinishing stroke till man was formed, who is the acme of the creation, and themacrocosm uniting in himself the totality of beings,—‘the heavenly Adam,’i. e., the Ten Sephiroth, who emanated from the highest primordial obscurity(The Impersonal First Cause), created the earthly Adam.” (Sohar ii, 70 b).This is more definitely expressed in another place, where it says:—“Jehovah(for which stands the letter jod, or j or i) descended on Sinai in fire,” theword for which is a-sh fire. Let the j, or i, the signature for Jehovah,descend in the midst of this word, and one will have a i sh, which isthe Hebrew word for man man; thus man became out of theDivine fire——“Man is both the import and the highest degree of creation,for which reason he was formed on the sixth day. As soon as man wascreated every thing was complete, including the upper and nether world, forevery thing is comprised in man. He unites in himself all forms.” (Sohariii, 48 a)—“But after he created the form of the Heavenly Man, he used itas a chariot (Mercabah) (wheels, circles) wherein to descend, and wishes tobe called by this form, which is the sacred name Jehovah.” (Sohar i, 42 b,43 a, section AB.)

It is to be observed especially, as to the ground work of the Cabbalah,that the first manifestation was in the “Ten Sephiroth,” or Emanations, so138called, out of which came the “Heavenly Man”; and the human or earth manrepresented these Ten Sephiroth in himself. “The lower world is madeafter the pattern of the upper world; everything which exists in the upperworld is to be found as it were in a copy on earth; still the whole is one.”(Sohar i, 20 a.)

Thus it is that the compass of the Cabbalah, by Sohar, is idealized inthe form of a man. This man represented the combination of the Ten Sephiroth,or, as systematically called, Emanations, in which as a unity the wholecosmos existed in its segregated detail; and through which all knowledgethereof, physically, psychically and spiritually, was to be had, in passivenessand in activities;—and through which these activities, as of all potencies—asof angels and powers,—had their special existences. These Emanationshad names of qualities, as Beauty, Strength, Wisdom, etc., etc., each namebeing located upon one of nine parts marked out on the form of the man;each of which was called a Sephira. The totality of the man being taken asone, this added to the nine made ten; and as a number this was the letterjod, already spoken of. The locations of these Sephiroth (shown as circles)are united one with another, so that one Emanation may flow into another;one into all, and all into one;—and the 22 letters of the alphabet with the10 vowel sounds, are found therein, or thereby; and these are calledthe “thirty-two ways or canals of Wisdom”; and as these letters stoodalso for numbers, there is in this containment every possible mode of expressionby word and number. The exposition of the Old Testament, especiallythe Thora, in the secret or esoteric way, is claimed under this statement;—thatis, by numbering the letters of words, and by their permutations andchanges of positions; so that this is one of the functions of the Emanationsor Sephiroth; and a mighty one for disclosing the Wisdom of God.

The Book Jetzirah deals especially with these letters and numbers:“By thirty-two paths of secret wisdom, the Eternal, the Lord of Hosts, theGod of Israel, the living God, the King of the Universe, the Merciful andGracious, the High and Exalted God, He who inhabiteth eternity, Gloriousand Holy is His name, hath created the world by means of numbers, phoneticlanguage and writing.”

The Commentary on the Ten Sephiroth, by R. Azariel Ben Menachem, asits name implies, is directly in consonance with the Sohar.

As to the Book Jetzirah, Dr. Ginsburg says: “The Book Jetzirah,which the Cabbalists claim is their oldest document, has really nothing incommon with the cardinal doctrines of the Cabbalah. There is not a wordin it bearing on the En Soph (Impersonal First Cause), the Archetypal Man,”and so on, and so on. But here the doctor is at fault for this reason:—Theword “Sephiroth” means “Numbers,” and the Ten Sephiroth means the TenNumbers; and in the Cabbalistic way these are composed out of a geomet139ricalshape. The circle is the first naught, but out of this naught developsa straight vertical line, viz: the diameter of this circle. This is the firstOne; and having a first one, from it comes 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and7 and 8 and 9,—the circle or naught and its diameter one, the embracementof all together, forming the comprehensive Ten, or Ten Numbers, Ten Sephiroth,Ten Emanations, the Heavenly Man, the great Jah, of the ineffablename. Hence the contents of the book Jetzirah are of the very essence ofthe other two, and all are one.

Sufism,

NOTES ON JELALUDDIN RUMI—Continued:

—Space forbids us to dwell any longer upon the miracles of this wonderfulman of whom Shems Tebreez once asserted, in Jelal’s College, that“whosoever wished to see again the prophets, had only to look on Jelal, whopossessed all their qualifications; more especially of those to whom revelationswere made, whether by angelic communications, or whether in visions; thechief of such qualities being serenity of mind with perfect inward confidenceand consciousness of being one of God’s elect. Go and look upon Jelal, ifthou wish to comprehend the signification of that saying ‘the learned arethe heirs of the prophets,’ together with something beyond that, which I willnot here specify.”

We must add a few passages from Jelal’s lectures, &c. These were hislast instructions, “the best of mankind is he who benefiteth men” and, “the best ofspeech is that which is short and to the purpose.” Jelal once at a funeralspoke thus: “The ordinary reciters, by their services, bear witness that thedeceased lived a Muslim. My singers, however, testify that he was a Muslim,a believer, and a lover of God.” He added:140 “Besides that; when thehuman spirit, after years of imprisonment in the cage and dungeon of thebody, is at length set free, and wings its flight to the source whence it came,is not this an occasion for rejoicings, thanks, and dancings? The soul inecstacy, soars to the presence of the Eternal; and stirs up others to makeproof of courage and self sacrifice. If a prisoner be released from a dungeonand be clothed with honour, who would doubt that rejoicings are proper?So, too, the death of a saint is an exactly parallel case.” Once, whenrequested to give a lecture to men of science, he answered: “A tree ladenwith fruit, had its branches bowed down to the earth therewith. At the time,doubts and gainsayings prevented the gardeners from gathering and enjoyingthe fruit. The tree has now raised its head to the skies, and beyond. Canthey hope, then, to pluck and eat of its fruit?”—

Jelal’s chief work, and the reference-book of Sufism, is the Mesnevi(Mathnawi) usually known as the Mesneviyi Sherif, or Holy Mesnevi. Itis truly one of the most famous books of the East, studied and commentedupon wherever dogmatic religion has been abandoned for esoteric truth.

From the preface we quote the following:

“This is the book of the Rhymed Couplets (Mathnawi, Mesnevi). Itcontains the roots of the roots of the roots of the one (one true) Religion(of Islam); and treats of the discovery of the mysteries of reunion and sureknowledge. It is the Grand Jurisprudence of God, the most glorious Lawof the Deity, the most manifest Evidence of the Divine Being. The refulgencethereof “is like that of a lantern in which is a lamp”92 that scatters beamsmore bright than the morn. It is the paradise of the heart, with springs andfoliage. One of these springs is “the fount named Salsabil”93 by the brethren ofthis religious order;94 but, by saints and those miraculously endowed, it is called“the Good Station,”95 and “the Best Resting place.”96 The just shall eat anddrink therein, and the righteous shall rejoice and be glad thereof. Like theEgyptian Nile, it is a beverage for the patient, but a delusion to the peopleof Pharaoh and to blasphemers; even as God, whose name be glorified, hathsaid: “He misleads therewith many, and He guides therewith many; butHe misleads not therewith (any), save the wicked.”97

“It is a comfort to man’s breast, an expeller of cares. It is an expositionof the Quran, an amplification of spiritual aliments, and a dulcifier of thedisposition; written “by the hands of honorable scribes”98 who inscribedtheron the prohibition: “Let none touch it save the purified.”99 It is (arevelation) “sent down (from on high) by the Lord of (all) the worlds,100 whichvanity approacheth not from before, nor from behind,”101 which God watchesover and observes, He being “the best of a Preserver,”102 and “The Most Compassionateof the merciful ones,”103 unto whom pertain (many) titles, his utmosttitle being God, whose name be exalted.”

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Further on he says: “I have exerted myself to enlarge this book ofpoetry in rhyming couplets, which contains strange and rare narratives,beautiful sayings, and recondite indications, a path for the devout, and agarden for the pious, short in its expressions, numerous in their applications.”—

The Mesnevi is said to contain twenty-six thousand six hundred andsixty couplets and a large part of them ought to be cited here, but space forbids.We offer a few selections entirely at random.

The doctrine, which Jelal was most emphatic about was the extinguishmentof Self, and his teachings are quite characteristic for him, though thegeneral doctrine is a common one among the Sufis. He argues for simplicity.He tells us a story about a dispute between Chinamen and Greeks beforethe Sultan, as to who is the more skilful of the two nations, in the art ofdecoration. The Chinese ask for and get thousands of colours and workhard, while the Greeks ask for no color; they only polish their front,

“Effacing every hue with nicest care,”

and when the Sultan came to examine the relative merit of Chinese gorgeousnessand Greek simplicity,

(To be continued.)

The Singing Silences.

Theosophists may be interested in an experience which I have namedas above; “Singing”—because of a peculiar resonance which I then hear;“Silences”—because this resonance only reaches me in moments of retirementand silence.

Occurring throughout a lifetime, at infrequent and remote intervals,they have, since I became a Theosophist, increased until they embrace allisolated moments. They consist of a resonance difficult to describe, butresembling the vibrant note of a distant locomotive, resounding in the nightatmosphere of a mountain gorge, and partaking somewhat of that melodiouswail caused by running the moistened finger around the rim of a glass.Sometimes, though rarely, a low orchestral harmony unites briefly with thismonotone. Unable to find any word which conveyed this cadence, I nowdiscover that the word “Aum,” (hitherto unknown to me,) does so exactly,the A sound being the opening note, which prolongs itself into the M, or145closing sound, when the keynote is then struck over again. Thus the“Singing Silences” mainly consist of innumerable repetitions of the word“Aum,” distinctly and musically uttered, having a resonant or vibrant quality,and a measured rise and fall, such as all sound assumes if one alternatelycloses and uncloses the ear. If the analyst will alternately inhale air withthe mouth and expel it with the nostrils, he will gain a fair idea of thissound minus its musical vibration.

It is, moreover, invariably accompanied by a sensation of physical repose,even peace, and a perfect mental quiescence which falls about me likean enfolding mantle. The frequency of these moments has greatly increasedsince my attention has been specifically turned to them. Hitherto,beyond a momentary curiosity as to their nature, I attached no importanceto their occurrence; the very rarity caused them to be easily forgotten in thewhirl of every day life; I admitted to myself with surprise, however, that myinnumerable pleasures, my keen enjoyments, shrank to nothing before thedeep delight of these brief but peculiar moments, and I applied to them theopening lines of Faber’s hymn to music.

Reading the article on “Aum” in the April “Path,” I was startled bysuch passages as this: “There is, pervading the whole universe, a hom*ogeneousresonance, sound, or tone, which acts, so to speak, as the awakeneror vivifying power, stirring all the molecules into action.” I then called tomind various facts connected with Sound, as for instance, that a regimentmarching over a bridge is ordered to “break step,” lest the regular footfallstrike the “coefficient of vibration,” which would destroy the bridge: alsothat the measured trot of the smallest dog will cause a perceptible vibration in awire bridge, no matter what its size. Moreover, the monotonous sound ofthe railroad, in time changes the texture of the car wheels and axles fromfibrous into crystalline, with consequent fracture.

In Reichenbach’s “Researches on Magnetism,” we find this statement.*** “The following laws prevail in nature. A. Thereresides in matter a peculiar force, hitherto overlooked, which, when thecrystalline form has been assumed, is found acting in the line of the axes.”

Since then, the hom*ogeneous tone acts upon all the molecules ofcreation, may not this singing resonance cause such a transformation ofbrain energy as to vivify or awaken it, in time, to the True, or Central Idea?We have seen that Sound, so to speak, polarises certain particles of matterattracting them to the earth, the great magnet, from which they came; itconfers upon other particles this same magnetic power, as in the case ofcrystallisation; it awakens similar tones, as when several untouched harpsvibrate in harmony when the musical key note is struck upon one alone.Why then may not the thought awakened by a fixed musical sound be intime attracted to the real source of that sound, of all sound? And as146thought causes a disturbance among the molecules of the brain, some sound,however aerial, must accompany this vibration; does not my brain thenanswer this singing resonance with the note hom*ogeneous to all the etherealspace?

In the article from “The Path” before quoted, I find the followinglines. “Having taken the Bow, the great weapon (Om), let him place onit the arrow (the Self), sharpened by devotion;***Brahman is called the aim. It is to be hit by a man who is not thoughtless.”The “Singing Silences” are superinduced by meditation, thought, devotion:the closest imitation of them possible to the human voice consists inchanting, half aloud, the word “Aum,” over and over, as heretoforedescribed. Do those Yogees who repeat “Aum” thousands of times daily,follow this practice in order to produce the resonance, or hom*ogeneoustone, and to calm the mind, (as they claim to do,) by means of the harmoniousmonotony thus engendered? True, it fails to lead them to thehigher knowledge, but is this not because the mental condition is selfinduced, like the delusive trances of self mesmerization? On the otherhand, if (as they claim again,) it throws them into a trance like state orcrystallisation of thought, is not this because it is after all, in some measure,akin to the natural resonance? The idea herein advanced would thus seemto be further supported, since this mechanical repetition of “Aum,” and itssedative power, is as the power of the microcosm, faintly outlining that ofthe macrocosm, (or real resonance,) to lead towards the calm which incubatesthe dawning thought and leads towards the true Illuminated State.“The Path” goes on to state that we are “led by the resonance, which isnot the Divine Light itself, towards that Radiance which is Divine; theresonance is only the outbreathing of the first sound of the entire Aum.”

This constant and peculiar singing, provocative as it is of a peacefulabstraction so great as to exclude all outer things and thoughts, seems toinduce a state which draws the hearer into the border lands of Spirit.Works on eastern travel and foreign witnesses, alike affirm that manyfaquirs repeat “Aum,” and also “Rama,” thousands of times, merely becausethey are told that such a thing is useful, while others do it with the mindfixed on realizing the True. Studious investigation always reveals a deepphilosophy underlying religious forms, from which there is no reason tosuppose this one to be exempt.

Listening attentively to the “Singing Silence,” I fall, after a brief space,into an unbroken and dreamless sleep which lasts for hours; hearing, withoutlistening, I experience a sensation of physical refreshment and mentalplacidity. It came to me uncalled for, unnoticed, unrecognized; whenfinally a sense of pleasure fastened upon my mind, I idly accepted it, butwithout questioning, as a curious personal peculiarity. It was only when,147giving myself up to thoughts of higher things, I met it upon the thresholdof meditation, found it daily recurring, daily growing in distinctness andpower, that I recognized it as a possible psychical experience. As I neverstrove to produce it at the outset, so I never attempt to increase or evoke itnow; I should not know how to set about doing so. It influenced me; Ihave no control whatever over it. It comes as it wills, and is not subject tomy command.

Is this then one of the practical significances or uses of “the word Om,as expressed in tone?” Does this bell-like resonance have such an effectupon the molecules of the human body, (including those of the brain,) asto polarize them in time to The Spirit? If there are those who doubt theexistence of a great undercurrent of universal tone, described by “The Path”as Nada Brahma,—“the divine resonance upon which depends the evolutionof the visible from the invisible,”—they will at least grant its probabilitywhen they consider that this has been admitted by some of the greatest intellectsof the world, many of whom firmly believed in the “music of thespheres.” Plato taught it. Maximus Tyrius says that “the mere propermotion of the planets must create sounds, and as the planets move at regularintervals, these sounds must be harmonious.” The Cyclopœdia Britanicasays, “the origin of musical sounds consists in the regular, periodic vibrationof some surface in contact with the air, whereby motion is imparted to theair. The loudness or intensity of the note depends on the magnitude of themotion or pitch.” The regular motions of the planets of our system, as wellas those of known moving stars, such as Sirius, may well be accompaniedby a rythmical sound arising from the ether waves thus set in motion.That we do not hear it, may be due to the density of our atmosphere, yet itmay be none the less transmitted along the ether waves and heard by theinner ear of those whose sense is developed. Pythagoras was the firstphilosopher to suggest this idea, which is mentioned by Shakespear:

He also speaks of it again in Pericles.

“Keppler’s idea of the universe was essentially Pythagorean and Platonic.He thought that the planetary movements were related to musical intervals.”(Cyclo. Brit.) Montaigne, Milton, Donne, Pope, Newton, Tycho-Brahe andothers believed in the “music of the spheres.” Faber beautifully attributed148it to the vibration caused by the shooting rays of light on their journeyearthward:

All are agreed that the idea has come down to us from the earliest times.

Finally, if this resonance exists as the great undertone of nature, it isprobable, natural and consistent that it should be a stepping stone towardsreaching Spirit, since harmony and accord are vitally necessary to our progressin either the physical or the psychical world. The effect of harmonioussound on the moral nature of man has received much scientific attention inrelation to its influence over the insane. The Rev. R. H. Haweis speaks ofit in “Music and Morals,” as “the much neglected study of MusicalPsychology.” His remarks are greatly to our present point. “What hasNature done for the musician? She has given him sound.**Thoughts are but wandering spirits that depend for their vitality upon themagnetic current of feeling.***Emotion is oftenweakened by association with thought, whereas thoughts are always strengthenedby emotion. I have endeavored to***to showthat there is a region of abstract emotion in human nature;****that, this region of emotion consisted of infinite varieties of mentaltemperature that upon these temperatures or atmospheres of the soul dependedthe degree, and often the kind of actions of which at different times we werecapable.** Who will deny that the experience of such soul-atmospheresmust leave a definite impress upon the character?*** But if, as we have maintained, music has the power of actually creatingand manipulating these mental atmospheres, what vast capacities, for goodor evil must music possess!”***The Bible itself paysa tribute to the emotional effect and power of changing the soul’s atmospherepossessed by even such a primitive instrument as David’s Harp. “Whenthe evil Spirit from God was upon Saul, then David took an harp, and playedwith his hand. So Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil Spirit departedfrom him.” (1 Sam. xvi, 23.) I have no doubt whatever that theacknowledged influence of music over the insane might be far more extensivelyused; indeed if applied judiciously to a disorganized mind, it mightbe as powerful an agent as galvanism in restoring healthy and pleasurableactivity to the emotional regions. Who can deny then, if such a mysteriouscommand as this is possessed by music over the realm of abstract emotion,that music itself must be held responsible for the manner in which it dealswith that realm, and the kind of succession, proportion and degrees of thevarious emotional atmospheres it has the power of generating.

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Testimony upon these various points might be multiplied, but is notthe above sufficient to indicate a possibility at least that these “SingingSilences” are closely allied to “Nada Brahma,” the omnipresent sound, thevibration caused perhaps by the speeding of Light, (which is the first DivineThought,) from the Central Sun, and in the mighty harmony of its coming,awakening and vivifying all things?

Julius.

On the Soul of Man.

Being the replies to two out of forty questions, by Jacob Behmen,in the year 1620. From the translation made in 1647.

TO THE EIGHTH QUESTION:

After what manner doth the soule come into the Body of Man?

My beloved friend: I understand this question to be meant concerningits propagation; for Moses telleth you how it came into Adam, and we havedeclared that before; but if you ask concerning its propagation, how itcometh into a childe in the mother’s wombe, we must put on another habit.

2. You know what is written in our third booke very punctually andat large, with many circ*mstances concerning its propagation; how Adamwas created one Image, he was both man and woman before Eve; he had(within him) both Tincture of the Fire, and of the Water; that is soule andspirit; he should have brought his similitude out of himself, an image ofhimself, out of himself by his imagination and his owne Love, and that hewas able to do without rending of the body.

3. For, as we have mentioned before, the soule had power to changethe body into another forme, and so also it had power to bring forth atwig out of itself, according to its property, if Adam had stood out in theTriall.

4. But when he imagined according to the Omnipotence, and let inthe spirit of this world into the soule, and the serpent into the Tincture, andtooke a longing in himself after the earthly fruite, to eate of evill and good,then also his Tincture conceived such an image as was half earthly; viz: amonster, into which also the Turba (the gross lower elements), then instantlyinsinuated itself and sought the limit (that is, filled it as far as possible).

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5. And so the noble image was found in the earthly, and then destructionand death began, and Adam could not bring forth, for his omnipotencewas lost.

6. And should indeed have ever been lost, if the heart of God had notinstantly turned itself with the word of promise, into Adam’s soule; whichdid so preserve it, that its image must perish and the soule must sinkedowne with the heavenly body through death into the new life, where itsspirit will be renewed againe.

7. And thus Adam in impotence fell asleep; and then the secondcreation began, for God tooke the Tincture of the Water, as a twig out ofAdam’s soule, and a rib out of Adam, and halfe of the crosse that was inAdam, and made a woman of them.

8. As you know that the woman hath the one halfe crosse in her head,and the man the other, for the spirit of the soule dwelleth in the head, inthe braine, out of which spirit God hath taken a twig (viz: a childe out of thespirit of the soule of Adam) and hath given it to the woman.

9. And hath given the tincture of the water to her, that she should notbring forth Devills, and the man hath the tincture of fire, viz: the trueOriginall of Life.

10. And therefore the woman hath gotten the matrix, viz: the tinctureof Venus, and the man hath the tincture of fire: understand, the womanhath the tincture of Light, which cannot awaken Life—the Life ariseth inthe tincture of fire.

11. And so it cannot be otherwise now, but that they must propagateas beasts doe, in two seeds: the man soweth soule, and the woman sowethspirit; and being sowne in an earthly field, it is also brought forth after themanner of all beasts.

12. Yet nevertheless all the three principles are in the seed, but theinward cannot be knowne by the outward, for in the seed the soule is notliving: but when the two tinctures are brought together, then it is a wholeessence; for the soule is essentiall in the seed, and in the conception becomethsubstantiall.

13. For so soon as the fire is struck upon by Vulcan, the soule iswholly perfect in the essence and the spirit goeth instantly out of the souleinto the tincture, and attracteth the outward dominion to itself, viz: theStarres together with the Aire.

14. And then it is an eternall childe, and hath the corruptible spiritalso with the Turba cleaving to it, which Adam tooke in by his imagination.

15. Then instantly the Turba seeketh the limit in the spirit of thisworld, and will enter into the limit, and so soone as the soule hath its life,151the body is old enough to die: and thus, many a soule perisheth in the Essence,105while it is in the sulphur in the seed.

16. But that you may perceive that the man hath the tincture of thefire, and the woman the tincture of the light in the water, viz: the tinctureof Venus; you must observe the eager imagination of both towards oneanother: for the seed in the essence eagerly seeketh the life, the masculinein the woman in Venus, and the feminine in the fire, in the originall of lifein the man: as we have very cleerly demonstrated in the third Booke, andtherefore we refer the reader thither.

17. And we answer here, that soule cometh not at all into the body,or is breathed into it from without, but the three principles have each ofthem its own artificer: one worketh with fire in the centre, and the othermaketh tincture and water, and the third maketh the earthly MysteriumMagnum.106

18. And yet it (soule) is not any new thing, but the seed of man andwoman, and is onely conceived in the mixture, and so onely a twig growethout of the tree.107

TO THE ELEVENTH QUESTION:

How and where is it seated in Man?

A thing which is unsearchable, and yet seeketh and maketh a groundin itself; that hath its originall, and seat in its first conception, where itconceiveth itself in itself: therein is its limit, viz: in the most innermost,and it goeth forth out of itself, and seeketh forward, where then it alwaysmaketh one glasse according to the other, untill it finds the first again, viz:the unsearchable limit.

2. Thus also is the soule, it is in God conceived in the heart, and theword which conceived it was in the heart, viz: in the centre; and soit continueth in the figure and in the seat, as it was comprehended by thefiat; and so it is still at this day.

3. It dwelleth in three principles: but the heart is its originall; it is theinward fire in the heart, in the inward blood of the heart; and the spirit ofit which hath a glance from the fire is in the tincture: for it is cloathed withthe tincture, and burneth in the heart.

4. And the spirit moveth upon the heart in the bosom of the heart,where both principles part themselves, and it burneth in the tincture in abrimstony light: and diffuseth itself abroad into all the members of the wholebody: for the tincture goeth through all the members.

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5. But the true Firesmith in the centre—master workman—sitteth inthe heart, and governeth with the spirit in the head where it hath its counsellhouse, viz: the mind and senses, also the five chief counsellors, viz: the fivesenses, which arise from the five spirits of understanding, as we have declaredin our third booke; and in our second, and in our first.108

6. The soule is indeed seated in the inward principle, but it movetheven in the outward, viz: in the starres and elements, and if it be not an ape,and suffer itself to be captivated, it hath power enough to rule them, and ifthe soule plungeth itself into God, the outward must be obedient to it.

7. And if it cometh againe into the outward, riding upon the chariotof the bride, and so have the Holy Ghost for an assistant, no assault of theDevill is of any consequence, it destroyeth his nest, and driveth him out,and he must stand in scorne and shame.

8. And this is our answer to this question; but it must not be so understoodas that if a man be beheaded, and so his blood gush out and the outwardlife perishes, this reacheth the soule and killeth that; no, it loseth oneprinciple indeed thereby, but not even the essence of that principle, for thatessence followeth it in the tincture, in the spirit, as a shadow.

9. For the outward essence reacheth not the inward in the soule, butonely by the imagination; there is nothing else in this world, no fire, norsword, that can touch the soule, or put it to death,109 but onely the imagination;that is its poyson.

10. For it originally proceeded from the imagination, and remainethin it eternally.

Living the Higher Life.

[Concluded from July Number.]

Needless to say, that such vows were conscientiously kept, and that thosewho were not really able to do so never made such promises nor retiredfrom the side of their family, but chose to belong to the first class of marriedpeople. This second class of persons who thus retired into the forest andbecame hermits, were called Vanaprasthas. They always obtained the fullconsent110 of their near relatives and renounced “pleasures” and materialprosperity (money making, etc.).

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The fourth highest order of life was complete renunciation (Sannyasis).These were the blessed few who had, then and there, in each incarnation, gotout of family defects. Only those were admitted into this order whom thedefects of no family could affect. Long before their admission into this order,they had, by fulfilling family duties, successively, incarnation after incarnationgone far beyond the reach of family defects. Brahmacharis and Kannikascould, after they had discharged family duties, become Sannyasis. Allexcept those belonging to the second order of life, were called upon anddid take a vow to give up one or more of their dearest and strongest defects.

Such, my friends, were the Laws of Manu. If any of you couldestablish a community on a better foundation, I should be happy to give upmy allegiance to the great Sage, Saviour, and Legislator. As every Manuestablishes the same Manava Dharma again and again, and as the Manusare higher than Buddha and other founders of religions, I should call uponyou to pay all possible attention to this subject. Manu is higher, becausehe overshadows a Buddha.

I must request the readers, to study every word and the whole of thispaper (if it deserves to be so called) and not tear it piece-meal or interpretpassages and phrases in it, as they please. I must add, that by “familyduties” I do not at all mean sacrificing your duty or conviction and Truth,to gratify the whims or selfish nature or sectarian views of any of your“relatives.” But I use the expression “family duties” in a peculiar sense,namely “that course and only that course of action, speech and thoughts bywhich you can not only get rid of your family defects in this very incarnation,but also strengthen in yourself all the noble qualities of your family, andwhich will at the same time enable your relatives (parents, brothers, sisters,wife, children, etc.,) also to get rid of the same defects and strengthen inthemselves the same good qualities—so that you might be born again andagain in the same family.” “Patriotism” is used in a similar manner;and the article “Elixir of Life” (see Theosophist) should be read in thelight of this paper.

The question is asked, “Has the dweller of the threshold an objectiveform; upon what does its objective form depend; does it always appear toevery one in the same form as it did to Glyndon in Bulwer’s story?”

It is objective to those who have gone very far.

It depends upon (1) a certain thing I shall not here name; (2) the stageof development to which the chela or occultist has attained or is near attaining;(3) the mode of regarding elementals and the Dweller, peculiar to the chelaor occultist, to his family and to his nation, or rather to the national andfamily legends or religion; (4) which form, more or less monstrous or incongruous,would be most frightful and overpowering to him at the criticalperiod. Subject to the above four conditions, the Dweller assumes a form154according to the manner in which the chela or occultist has or has notfulfilled his threefold duties, and according to the manner in which the sevenfoldelements of the Dweller assert themselves upon him. The better he hasfulfilled the threefold duties, the less does the Dweller affect him. Ofcourse the form is not necessarily the same for every one.

Why did the Dweller appear to Glyndon’s sister, who was not undergoingprobation, and why in the same form?

Because she was sympathetic and sensitive enough. The principleinvolved in this case is the same as in obsession.

The Dweller might either be but one elemental, or a group or severalgroups of elementals assuming one collective form. It is one elemental,when the crisis comes at the very commencement of the chela’s or occultist’sattempt to elevate his lower nature. This is the case when he has the least(Karmic) stamina for the “uphill path.” The later on his path is waylaidthe more numerous are the elementals of which the Dweller is composed.

It need not be imagined that this appearance or influence confronts thechela only once until he reaches the first initiation, and an initiate only onceduring the interval between two initiations. It appears as often as the stockof his Karmic stamina falls below the minimum limit.

By Karmic stamina is meant the phala (effect or fruit) of past unselfish,good Karma that has become ripened. Though the occultist might havean immense quantity of past unselfish good Karma stored up, still, if duringhis crisis there be not a sufficient number of present unselfish good thoughtsto ripen a sufficient portion of that quantity, he finds himself destitute of thenecessary stock of stamina. Few are they who have already laid upa good quantity of unselfish good Karma; and fewer still are they who havethe requisite degree of unselfish and spiritual nature during the period oftrial; and there are still fewer who would not rush for further Yoga development,without having all the requisite means.

When not qualified fully for it, we ought to and could go on developingourselves in the ordinary way, and try to secure the necessary means byleading an unselfish life and setting an example to others, and this is thestage of nearly all ordinary Theosophists. They, in common with all theirfellows, are influenced by a “Dweller,” which is the effect upon them oftheir own, their family, and national defects; and although they may never,in this life, see objectively any such form, the influence is still there, and iscommonly recognized as “bad inclinations and discouraging thoughts.”

Seek then, to live the Higher life by beginning now to purify yourthoughts by good deeds, and by right speech.

Murdhna Joti.

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Musings on the True Theosophist’sPath.

“The way of inward peace is in all things to conform to the pleasureand disposition of the Divine Will. Such as would have all things succeedand come to pass according to their own fancy, are not come to know thisway; and therefore lead a harsh and bitter life; always restless and out ofhumor, without treading the way of peace.”

Know then Oh Man, that he who seeks the hidden way, can only findit through the door of life. In the hearts of all, at some time, there arises thedesire for knowledge. He who thinks his desire will be fulfilled, as thelittle bird in the nest, who has only to open his mouth to be fed; will verytruly be disappointed.

In all nature we can find no instance where effort of some kind is notrequired. We find there is a natural result from such effort. He whowould live the life or find wisdom can only do so by continued effort. Ifone becomes a student, and learns to look partially within the veil, or hasfound within his own being something that is greater than his outer self, itgives no authority for one to sit down in idleness or fence himself in fromcontact with the world. Because one sees the gleam of the light ahead hecannot say to his fellow “I am holier than thee” or draw the mantle of seclusionaround himself.

The soul develops like the flower, in God’s sunlight, and unconsciouslyto the soil in which it grows. Shut out the light and the soil grows dampand sterile, the flower withers or grows pale and sickly. Each and everyone is here for a good and wise reason. If we find partially the why we arehere, then is there the more reason that we should by intelligent contactwith life, seek in it the farther elucidation of the problem. It is not thestudy of ourselves so much, as the thought for others that opens this door.The events of life and their causes lead to knowledge. They must be studiedwhen they are manifested in daily life.

There is no idleness for the Mystic. He finds his daily life among theroughest and hardest of the labors and trials of the world perhaps, but goeshis way with smiling face and joyful heart, nor grows too sensitive for associationwith his fellows, nor so extremely spiritual as to forget that some otherbody is perhaps hungering for food.

It was said by one who pretended to teach the mysteries “It is needfulthat I have a pleasant location and beautiful surroundings.” He who is a trueTheosoph will wait for nothing of the sort, either before teaching: or whatis first needful, learning. It would perhaps, be agreeable, but if the Divine156Inspiration comes only under those conditions, then indeed is the Divineafar from the most of us. He only can be a factor for good or teach how toapproach the way, who forgetting his own surroundings, strives to beautifyand illumine those of others. The effort must be for the good of others,not the gratifying of our own senses, or love for the agreeable or pleasant.

Giving thought to self will most truly prevent and overthrow your aimsand objects, particularly when directed toward the occult.

Again there arises the thought “I am a student, a holder of a portionof the mystic lore.” Insidiously there steals in the thought “Behold I ama little more than other men, who have not penetrated so far.” Know thenoh, man, that you are not as great even as they. He who thinks he is wiseis the most ignorant of men, and he who begins to believe he is wise is ingreater danger than any other man who lives.

You think, oh, man, that because you have obtained a portion ofoccult knowledge, that it entitles you to withdraw from contact with the restof mankind. It is not so. If you have obtained true knowledge it forcesyou to meet all men not only half way, but more than that to seek them.It urges you not to retire but, seeking contact, to plunge into the miseryand sorrow of the world, and with your cheering word, if you have no more(the Mystic has little else) strive to lighten the burden for some strugglingsoul.

You dream of fame. We know no such thing as fame. He who seeksthe upward path finds that all is truth; that evil is the good gone astray.Why should we ask for fame? It is only the commendation of those westrive to help.

Desire neither notice, fame or wealth. Unknown you are in retirement.Being fameless you are undisturbed in your seclusion, and can walk thebroad face of the earth fulfilling your duty, as commanded, unrecognized.

If the duty grows hard, or you faint by the way, be not discouraged,fearful or weary of the world. Remember that “Thou may’st look forsilence in tumult, solitude in company, light in darkness, forgetfulness inpressures, vigor in despondency, courage in fear, resistance in temptation,peace in war, and quiet in tribulation.”

American Mystic.

Reviews and Notes.

Theosophy in the Press.—A great many articles, both editorial andotherwise, have within the past few months appeared in the daily papers, themost of them full of misstatements mixed with ignorance of not only Theosophy,but also of many things well known in literature. One paper devotedtwo columns to the subject, and the editor called them thorough and accurate,yet we find in it the mind cure treated as Theosophy, and then all the cranky157notions the writer could rake up in New York and Boston are called “Buddhistbosh.”

But some Theosophists have been guilty of ventilating in the papers thestatement that Theosophy is astralism, that is to say, that the object of theSociety is to induce people to go into the study and practice of spirit raising,cultivating the abnormal faculties, of clairvoyance and the like, ignoringentirely the prime object, real end, aim and raison d’etre of the movement—universalbrotherhood and ethical teaching. In fact, we make bold toassert, from our own knowledge and from written documents, that the Mahatmas,who started the Society, and stand behind it now, are distinctlyopposed to making prominent these phenomenal leanings, this hunting afterclairvoyance and astral bodies, and that they have so declared most unmistakeably,stating their wish and advice to be, that “the Society shouldprosper on its ethical, philosophical and moral worth alone.”

Theosophists should haste to see that this false impression created atlarge, that it is a dangerous study, or that it is in any way dangerous, or thatwe conceal our reasons for what we are doing, is done away with. There isproof enough to their hand. India has nearly 120 branches, all studyingfreely and openly how best to purify their own lives, while they bring toothers a knowledge of right doctrine. America has a dozen branches, nearlyall of which know that the impressions referred to are ridiculous. If one ortwo persons in the Society imagine that the pursuit of psychical phenomenais its real end and aim and so declare, that weighs nothing against the immensebody of the membership or against its widespread literature; it ismerely their individual bias.

But at the same time, this imagination and misstatement are dangerous,and insidiously so. It is just the impression which the Jesuit college desiresto be spread abroad concerning us, so that in one place ridicule may follow,and in another a superstitious dread of the thing; which ever of those mayhappen to obtain, they would be equally well pleased.

Let Theosophists attend to this, and let them not forget, that the onlyauthoritative statement of what are the ends and objects of the Society, iscontained in those printed in its by-laws. No amount of assertion to thecontrary by any officer or member can change that declaration.

“Last Words” of Moncure D. Conway.—We do not refer to a book,but to an article written by Mr. Conway in the Forum upon the subject ofTheosophy. He declares to those who are honored by his personal acquaintance,that that article is really “the last word to be said on the subject,”and he desires all people to read it, so that their delusions may bedispelled. In this he is wise, because certain delusions held by some peoplewould be at once dispelled upon reading his lucubrations.

Mr. Conway has been excessively bitter against Theosophy ever since158he went to the headquarters in Madras, and was well treated and entertainedby the unsuspecting Theosophists there. Almost in the same hour that hewas being housed and fed there, he was writing to the Glasgow Herald—hehad not yet got into the Forum—an article abusing those who extendedto him their hospitality. He had been there but a few hours, and so greatwas his penetration, that in that short time, he had succeeded, as he said, inunravelling the whole mystery, in pricking the bubble. But how he grewso wise in such short space, we do not know. His solution was and is, thatMadame Blavatsky produced Mahatmas, Aryan literature, Sanscrit language,Astral bodies and all the rest, by means of a curious thing called “glamour,”which is vulgarly called “pulling the wool.” But Conway gives a littlemore power to this glamour than the vulgar phrase, for he ascribes to itsome power over the imagination. He does not say how we are to knowwhether or not his own perceptions were “glamoured”; for he has thehardihood to assert that Madame Blavatsky, the arch conspirator, was foolenough to unburden her heart to him, a decaying English divine, and toweakly confess upon a mere plain interrogation put by him, that “it is allglamours.” For our part, we are led to believe, from certain informationand after having, subsequent to Mr. Conway’s return to London, conversedwith him, that the “glamour” used on the occasion, was so powerful as toaffect Mr. Conway’s perception to such an extent, that he is willing to accusehimself of such a foolish thing as trying to make us believe that Blavatskymade a full confession to him. It is really “all glamours”; but after all,the Forum is not a bad sort of a magazine for Theosophy to get into, eventhrough the instrumentality of this “glamoured” clergyman.

However, as Theosophy sometimes has prophets, we hope and trust,that his own entitlement of his thoughts on the subject may not be fateful,and not be his “last words.”

Sinnett.—In our July issue a printer’s error gave the wrong title toMr. Sinnett’s new book. It is called “United” and not Union, as was printedin July.

Theosophical Activities.

New York: The Aryan Theosophical Society continues to publish*ts short Abridgement of Discussions, which are circulated to all Branches,and have met with commendation.

At a recent meeting Mr. C. H. A. Bjerregaard lectured on mysticism,showing how much the world is indebted to its mystics. Mr. Bjerregaardpromises the Society further lectures in the Fall.

The Rochester Convention was held July 4th, 1886, at Mrs. Cable’shouse in Rochester. Delegates attended from fourteen Branches, and en159thusiasticmeetings were held July 4th and 5th. The report of the Secretaryshowed a gain in Branches, of over 100 per cent. since July, 1885.

Important orders were received from India, being the resolutions of acouncil meeting held in Adyar, at which it was resolved that AmericanTheosophical Branches shall form into a general American Council, similarand subject to the parent body, and thus being democratic and more like abrotherhood. Arrangements were made for carrying these orders into fulleffect, and soon, perhaps, we will have another convention.

Rochester Branch.—This Branch held a public meeting near the endof July, which was duly advertised, and well attended by intelligent people.Mr. E. Sasseville, of that Branch, read a paper on Reincarnation, and Mrs.Cables addressed the meeting on the Inner Life of Man. This is reallythe first public Theosophical meeting we have had in America, and marksan era. Strangely too, it occurred in Rochester, where the spiritual rappingsfirst were heard. The members who got it up and carried it out arenot those who have become the most famous, but are a band of devotedsouls who believe in the cause and are willing to let it be known. It isthrough such people always that the most work is accomplished for theprogression of any cause.

The Psychical Research Societies of London and America.—TheLondon society some time ago had a long report made by one of its members,a Mr. Hodgson, in which the Theosophical Society is attacked, andMme. Blavatsky is branded as the greatest impostor of modern times. Bymany weak people who swear by authority, and who do not rely upon theirown judgment, this report has been accepted as final, and has preventedthem from giving any further attention to the study of either Theosophy orAryan literature. We are not sorry for the Society, but commiserate thosewho, thus deluded, have lost a golden opportunity. The cause of theosophydoes not depend, however, upon them, and still flourishes in every land.

In the Religio Philosophical Journal a long letter is printed, signed“F. T. S.” in which the Psychical Research Society of America is givena warning. The writer specifies his charges in the name of theosophists,to be as follows:

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“Preferring the general charge that you are not what you pretend to be,we specify:

1. That you know nothing of psychic science.

2. That you do not know how to conduct psychic research.

3. That you do not know what it is that you are in search of.

4. That you would not know a psychic result to be such if youreached it.

5. That you do not know how to judge the evidence upon whichpsychic phenomena rests.

6. That you do not know of anything really worth investigating inpsychic science.

7. That you do not know how to learn and do not really want to betaught.

And yet you are pleased to style yourselves ‘The American Society forPsychical Research.’ We say to you, gentlemen, that being what you are,your very name is an insult to psychic science, and would be, were it known,a just cause of offense to hundreds of thousands who have reached that goaltoward which you have resolutely turned your backs. In discussing thecharges which we bring against you, we shall take occasion to show you thatyou are not in the line of psychic evolution, but surely tending in the oppositedirection. If you do not heed our warning, if you do not desist andturn to the rightabout before it is too late, every hope that you entertain willbe frustrated, your every endeavor will yield you shame and confusion, yourgoal will prove to be the pillory of public opinion, and your first real lessonin psychic science will have been learned when psychic research into yourown souls shows you what it is to be made a laughing-stock.”

He then goes on to catechise the Society with a long list of questionsdirected to showing that they never studied psychical science, that they donot know even the rudiments of the simplest phenomenon, to all of whichquestions the answer must be “No.”

As this letter applies just as well to the London Society, we hope itwill be read by those who are interested. The London gentlemen went sofar as to accept the conclusions of an investigator who got all his factssecond-handed, and who could not possibly have had the real evidence.Among other things he says that the editor of this Magazine went to Indiato investigate “but was not allowed to see the (famous) shrine.” Thisstatement was false, and merely the result of the ignorance of Mr. Hodgson,for we not only saw the shrine, but after seeing everything, ordered it closedup from the prejudiced prying eyes and steel jimmies of Englishmen whocame afterwards, and the very drawing of the premises used by Mr.Hodgson in his report, after being falsified, was made by the editor of thisMagazine.

From study let a man proceed to meditation, and from meditation tostudy; by perfection in both, the supreme spirit becomes manifest. Studyis one eye to behold it, and meditation is the other.—Vishnu Purana.

Neither by the eyes, nor by spirit, nor by the sensuous organ, by austerity,nor by sacrifices, can we see God. Only the pure, by the light of wisdom andby deep meditation can see the pure God.—Upanishads. Only the pure inheart shall see God.—Jesus.

“Lead me from the unreal to the real! Lead me from darkness to light!Lead me from death to immortality!”—Saman and Yagur Vedas, and Brih.Upan.

The small, old path stretching far away, has been found by me. On itsages who know Brahman move on to the heavenly place, and thence higheron, entirely free.—Yajnavalkya.

OM

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No. 6.

The Supreme Universal Spirit is One, simple and indivisible;being all, pervading all, sustaining all, the good, the bad and theignorant alike.

I am the origin of all. From me all proceeds. For those whoare constantly devoted, dead in me, do I, on account of my compassion,destroy the darkness which springs from ignorance, by thebrilliant lamp of spiritual knowledge.—Bagavad-Gita.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. SEPTEMBER, 1886. No. 6.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

Theosophic Morals.

Some remarks professedly concerned with “The Higher Life,” appearingin “The Path” for July, over the nom de plume of Murdhna Joti, strikeme as presenting the readers with so narrow and unwholesome a view ofTheosophic principles, that I find myself impelled to point out some of themisconceptions from which they seem to arise. That hard-worked phrasethe “Dweller on the Threshold” has been interpreted in many fantastic senses,but surely it has never before been saddled with so ludicrously inappropriatea meaning as in this essay where it is made to stand for love of kindredand love of country. That these ennobling sentiments are what the writermeans by “family defects” and “national defects” is apparent from thepassage that would be little less than blasphemous in the ears of any realoriental Chela with whom I have ever been acquainted,—in which:162—“AMahatma has, it appears, declared that he has still patriotism. But he hasnot said nor would say that he has still family attachment. This proves thathe has got out of the defects of the family to which he belongs, while he isonly striving to get out of national defects, some of which at any rate clingto him.” The reference here is of course to one of the letters quoted byme in the Occult World, in which the writer so beautifully shows that theexalted rank in nature to which he has attained, leaves him as free as everto entertain generous emotions of sympathy with the race to which his latestpersonality belongs. If he had been dealing with the subject from anotherpoint of view he would have equally shown himself to be,—as I have goodreason to believe that he is,—animated by still more specific attachments tocertain persons of his physical kindred. “Defects” of family and defectsof nationality may undoubtedly be reflected in given individuals, and likeany other personal failings may in such cases stand in the way of devotionto the Higher Life; but such defects are not those which are convertibleterms, according to the extraordinary essay before me, with healthy patriotismand domestic affection. And I can hardly imagine a more grotesquelymisleading account of occult progress than that which represents the “beginner”as employed upon first extinguishing his regard for his relations, andgoing on to teach himself indifference to the land of his birth. If the extravaganceof such a doctrine could be enhanced in an essay addressed toWestern readers, it would be thus intensified by its author’s reference to the“family duties” which must be duly accomplished first before the promisingneophyte in the training subsequently prescribed for him is at liberty toenter the “circle of ascetics.” A certain haziness clings round his theoryas to the nature of these duties, but enough is said to show any readerfamiliar with India, that the writer’s mind is running on the exoteric customsof the Hindu which constitute the local superstitions of the commonpeople,—a designation which applies equally to one caste as to another,for modern Brahmins may be as thoroughly dissociated from the spirit ofthe esoteric doctrine and as hopelessly saturated with corrupt conventionalitiesas British churchwardens or the corresponding functionaries in America.Some such fancies derived from exoteric Hindu thinking have clearly inspiredthe article under notice. In India even exoteric thinking recognizesthe existence of Mahatmas and theories concerning the methods by whichtheir condition may be approached, but Theosophic students in Europe andAmerica should be on their guard against supposing that every thing whichemanates from an Indian source, must on that account be true occult philosophy.

Especially in India, but in other parts of the world too, in variousdisguises we continually encounter the fundamental blunder of the merefakir that progress in occult development is to be acquired by simulatingsome of the external characteristics of a development that has been accomplished.No doubt there are states of immaterial existence to which human163beings may ultimately climb,—at distances of time as immeasureable asthose heights themselves, where such relative attributes as those which investembodied human beings with specific attachments, will be merged inthe higher mysteries of nature, which we can talk about already, perhaps,and assign names to, but assuredly cannot yet realize, or even effectuallycomprehend. But it may be, there is hardly any level even in Adeptship, atwhich still embodied humanity is ripe to shed such attachments, and thenotion of talking about attempting this from the point of view of incipientchelaship is as ludicrous as it would be to talk about pruning a seedlingwhich had just protruded its first green shoot above the ground; and suggests,in regard to human illustrations, the notion of a beardless youngster, whopresents himself to a barber to be shaved. We Theosophists are engaged inan undertaking which makes it very desirable that we should not render ourselvesridiculous; and though there is no endeavor possible for us which isbetter entitled to respect than an honest attempt to lead “the Higher Life,”we may perhaps more easily bring discredit on our movement by talkingnonsense about that grand ideal, than in any other way. We may go further,indeed, than the mere recognition of nobility attaching to the pursuit of theHigher Life. We may grant that no one can truly be said to have assimilatedthe principles of esoteric teaching unless these have made a sensibleimpression on his conduct and on the practical attitude he assumes in relationto others and the world at large. But it will be a matter to be determinedby each man’s temperament, how far he keeps his own personaldealings, so to speak, with the great principles of Theosophy a privatetransaction between himself and his conscience, or how far he ventures to bringthem into relief by devoting himself especially as a Theosophist to the taskof preaching exalted morality. I am now of course passing out, on my ownaccount, into the ocean of Theosophic discussion in general, and the sentencejust penned has no reference to the article I began by reviewing,—whichappears to me to be very far from promulgating any morality or evencoherent sense, exalted or otherwise. But on the subject at large a fewgeneral remarks at this juncture may perhaps not be inappropriate.

The most exalted morality imaginable is inevitably deduced from theprinciples of occult science, for by explaining to mankind how it is that theyreally evolve through successive lives, each depending on the last and onall its predecessors as summed up in the last, the basic motives for goodconduct are set out with far greater precision than they can be suggested bythe bribes or threats of conventional religion. Such temptations and warnings,as experience has shown, come to be distrusted or no longer feared as themanifestly erroneous conceptions with which they are entangled, becomeapparent to advancing intelligence. Then, loving the right still, under theinfluence of an inner intuition they have not learned to interpret properly,164people attempt sometimes to supply the vacant places of their vanished faith,with painful abstract theories of a barren duty, which take their rise in nointelligible sanction and tend to no specific result. For mere morality divorcedfrom religion and justified by no prospects of future existence, it is impossiblethat the human mind could permanently furnish a nourishing soil. Toprovide for the gathering emergency the esoteric doctrine is now beginningto shine on the world. In the longer freedom with which it will shinehereafter, no doubt it will do much more even than explain to men thescientific and satisfactory reasons why, right is right, why the pursuit of goodconduces to happiness and vice versa. Already indeed, it is made apparentthat the highest degrees of exaltation possible for human beings, can onlybe attained in connection with a pursuit of good which has a still moresubtle motive than the thirst for spiritual happiness—which is animated bythat unsurpassably sublime intention (often talked about so glibly, but surelyrealized so seldom) unselfishness and disinterested zeal for the welfare ofothers. But even if we do not handle that exalted topic—which sits ill uponthe lips of any preachers who do not at all events outshine the averageachievements of ordinary good men in the exercise of unselfishness, is therenot in what is put forward above in the first purpose of Theosophy a sufficientlyexhilarating task to absorb our best energies? To be laying thefoundations of the future system of thought which must in due time replace—asthe guiding rule of men’s lives—the earlier and cruder prescriptions ofa priestcraft that their widening comprehension of Nature is fast outgrowing,—isnot that a sufficiently magnificent task for the Theosophical Society?

Certainly esoteric teaching opens up possibilities before the sight ofardent spiritual aspirants that suggest to some eager hearts the pursuit of anobject—which if rightly understood may be more magnificent still, but which,as contemplated in the beginning may often be prompted by a relativelyselfish motive,—the personal pursuit of Adeptship. But in its original purposethe welfare of mankind at large and not the enlistment of new recruits in thearmy of chelaship was as I read its design, the idea of the TheosophicalSociety. And how was that design to be carried out? This question seemsto me to touch a point which it is highly important to keep in view at thepresent moment. The Theosophical movement did not begin by preachingde haut en bas an all but impossible code of ethics. It began by the highlypractical course of linking its operations with one of the most growing impulsesin the most spiritually minded sections of the Western community.These were not the merely good and pious representatives of still surviving,though decaying religious systems; they were not the hopeless howeverunselfish exponents of a barren philosophy that threw forward no light onthe future; they were found mainly among people who in one way or another,and following various false beacons, perhaps, were realizing that discoveries165were possible beyond the barriers that had formerly seemed to set a limit to therange of the human senses. The bold though bewildered pioneers of psychicinquiry were naturally marked out, indeed, to be appealed to first by theesoteric teachers. For them above all was the rudderless condition of modernreligions thought a dark and threatening danger. Along the road they hadset out to travel they would certainly not stop short. But readers of Theosophicl*terature will not require to be reminded where the study of occultphenomena un-illuminated by occult morality must ultimately conduct itsenthusiasts. The classes referred to were best qualified to receive the newdispensation: and most urgently in need of it. To them therefore the Theosophicalpropaganda in the beginning was directed, and this is the considerationwhich will be seen to explain the mystery that has so frequentlybeen discussed in more recent years—the free and so to speak the extravagantdisplay of occult wonders and marvellous phenomena with which the adventof the Theosophical movement was heralded. Its directors as it were,had to put themselves at the head of the psychic movement generally, inorder to direct its future course aright, and they could not do this withoutcommanding the attention of persons already largely experienced inpsychic investigation.

No doubt the time has now gone by when the policy that thus inauguratedthe Theosophical movement is either practicable or desirable. “Theage of miracles is past,” for us as for mankind at large,—always makingallowance for the familiar correction required by the saying that the age forhelping on the more general comprehension of those resources of naturewith which the “miracles” had to do has not passed, by any means. Theinterpretation of Nature—the promulgation of truth concerning the “powerslatent in Man”—to the end that the world at large may the better understandits own destinies and promote its own healthier development through an immediatefuture, is still the ample task that lies before the working membersof our organization. Again let us say that no one proposes to divorce thisfrom recognition with which it is so intimately blended, of the sublimemorality expressed in the phrase—the Brotherhood of Man. But in ourzeal for the starry goal in the far distance, it will be discreet, on our part,to avoid the mistake of the Greek philosopher and not to forget the groundat our feet.

A. P. Sinnett.

Note.—The admirable letter which we have printed above from the ablepen of the author of Esoteric Buddhism is a good instance of the truth that thereare many ways of arriving at the same goal, and incidentally it also illustrateshow difficult it is for those who look at any subject by the light of their own“ray” to appreciate the view taken of it by one whose mental constitutionis different. Both Murdhna Joti and Mr. Sinnett are right from their own166points of view, and as they understand themselves. Both seem to us to bewrong as they probably understand each other. Patriotism and family attachmentsas understood by Mr. Sinnett are good things, for he characterisesthem by the adjectives “healthy” “ennobling” “generous.” It cannot besupposed from either a critical or casual reading of “The Higher Life” thatMurdhna Joti advocates the elimination of any statement to which these termswould apply. But patriotism and family attachments may be narrow, bigoted,and founded upon an ignorance of other countries and other families, and uponan inability to perceive in other nations and persons the very qualities thatmake us feel warmly toward those we are acquainted with, intensified by acorresponding blindness to faults we have become habituated to and perhapspartake of ourselves. It is the “provincialism” of patriotism which breedsthe prejudice in favor of things which are a part of our “larger selves,” andwhich is bad; and this narrowness in the case of family attachment (a differentthing from personal affection), makes us fancy that our family geeseare more beautiful than our neighbor’s swans. It is in this sense, it seems tous, that the family defects in question are held by Murdhna Joti as thingsto get rid of, and may be said to enter into that practical conception “theDweller on the Threshold;” and it is in this sense that a Mahatma may besupposed to lose them. As we rise to a higher level we perceive in clearerdistinction the lights and shades in our own country and family, and we seealso that much the same lights and shades exist elsewhere and everywhere;we lose at the same time the personal prejudice which made lights and shadesof a particular tint more agreeable to us than others; and thus we are broughtto view all countries and families in their true light and in their real proportions.But the process by which this is accomplished is more of thenature of a levelling up than of a levelling down. The attachment of a villageris at first confined to his village; as his mind expands, his interestsextend themselves progressively to the country, the state, and the nation.This last entails an expenditure of “generous feeling” which is exhaustivefor most men; but a Mahatma has enough left to stretch out over the wholeof humanity. Anything smaller would not be “ennobling” or “generous”in his case.

We cannot agree, however, with Mr. Sinnett, in his criticism of MurdhnaJoti’s article, as to its presenting a false view of “Theosophic morals.” Thefact, at which the learned author of the Occult World hints, that a certainMahatma has “specific attachments” to relatives, does not prove that Hestill has “family defects.” Perhaps the writer of “Living the Higher Life”might have been better understood by Mr. Sinnett if he had in his firstpaper, intimated that while family defects were to be got rid of, the noblequalities of the family, were to be strengthened; but this seems to be plainlyinferred, and is actually to be found in the paper, (p. 153, 3d paragraph);167and all through the first paper, it is strenuously insisted, that the only theosophicmorality, is that one which compels us to unselfishly perform ourduty in our family where we are placed by inevitable Karma.

Not only has a Mahatma said He “still had patriotism,” but He hasalso stated more emphatically, that “in external Buddhism is the road totruth.” He cannot therefore agree with Mr. Sinnett in the objection that exotericIndian thought and religion led to error. In complete knowledge ofthis second declaration of the Mahatma, we read and printed Murdhna Joti’spaper, as we have “Theosophic Morals.” We see in the paper criticisedhigh aspiration and excellent precepts.

There are many modes of life; there are lower and higher planes. Noman in one short article can write away all possible future misconceptions;both sides must be presented, and they shall be in this Magazine. We needtherefore here warn readers, that Mr. Sinnett does not by any means desirethem to understand that in saying that the Mahatma quoted has “certainspecific attachments,” he would convey the impression that such a great Beinghas to struggle with the limitations of a family, or that he has given up onelegitimate set of ties only to assume others similar. Far from that. The natureof the attachment referred to, is quite as undefinable at Mr. Sinnett’s handsas it is at those of the readers, and we think it would be wise for the critic tostate with clearness what the attachment is, in order that all readers may forthemselves be able to judge of the full meaning, extent and connection ofMr. Sinnett’s reference, and what use can properly be made of it for comparisonor analysis.

The Mahatma studies the Bagavad-Gita in its higher sense, and allthrough that book the “passionless ascetic” is lauded. What does it mean?Neglect of life and family? Never! But sometimes one gets out of familydefects quite naturally. Yet the world says that Bagavad-Gita inculcatesstony hearted selfishness, even as they carp at Light on the Path when itsays “the eyes must be incapable of tears; ambition and desires must bekilled out.” These are hard sayings. Theosophy is full of difficult sayings,just as Jesus of the Christians said his parables were. But Bagavad-Gita isthe divine colloquy; and it is asserted that a Mahatma dictated Light onthe Path.—[Ed.]

Hermes Trismegistus.

THE FOURTH STATE OF MATTER DESCRIBED IN THESMARAGDINE TABLET.

That a tablet, now called the Smaragdine, was found there is no doubt.Its discovery is attributed by tradition to an isarim or initiate, who it is said,took it from the dead body of Hermes—this could not have been the168Egyptian god Thoth—which was buried at Hebron, in an obscure ditch.The tablet was held between the hands of the corpse. Some authors saythat it was of emerald, which I do not believe; it probably was of greenstrass or paste, an imitation of emerald, in the manufacture of which theEgyptians excelled. Be it as it may, the contents evidently refer to thatsubtile body, called by the great scientist Sir William Thompson, “the luminiferousæther,”—to that mysterious, invisible to us, something, in whichthe matter-atoms float, the azoth of the Hermetic philosophers, the astrallight of the occultists, the akasa of the Hindus; which physical science attemptsto grasp, comprehend and sometimes use, under the name of electricity,magnetism, heat, light, etc; which is experimentally made visible,in one of its forms, by means of Professor Crookes “radiant matter” and whichhe terms the fourth state of matter. It permeates all things, going throughflesh and blood, and steel and glass, the diamond and sapphire, with thefacility of water through a net. A translation of this tablet is:111

“It is true without falsehood, certain and very veritable, that that whichis below, is as that which is above, and that that which is on high, is as thatwhich is below, so as to perpetuate the miracles of all things.

“And as all things have been and come from One, by the mental desireof One, so all things have been produced from that One only by adaptation.

“The Sun (Osiris) is thence the father, and the Moon (Isis) the mother.The Air, its womb, carries it thence, and the Earth is its nurse.

“Here is the producer of all, the talisman of all the world.

“Its force (or potentiality) is entire, if it is changed into the Earth, youseparate the Earth from the Fire, the subtile from the gross. Sweetly, butwith great energy, it mounts from the Earth to the Heaven, and again descendsto the Earth with powerful energy, and receives the potentiality of thesuperior and inferior things.

“You have, by this means, the light (or fire) of the whole universe. Andupon account of this, all obscurity itself, with that, will fly entirely thence.

“In this is the energy the strongest of all energy, for it vanquishes allsubtile things and penetrates all the solid things.

“Thus the world was created. From this will be and will go out admirableadaptations, of which the medium is here.

“And because of these reasons I am called Hermes Trismegistus,possessing the three divisions of the philosophy of the universe.

“It is complete, this that I have said of the operation of the Sun.”

The reader must take note, that the fire referred to here, is not the perceptiblefire, but the hidden occult fire, which is concealed in all things, and169only becomes evident through a tearing asunder of the atoms. The fire,which we see, is the black fire, the other the unseen, is the white fire. Sothe ancient Hebrew philosophy says, the Tablets of the Law given to Moses,were written by the Deity with black fire on white fire. It is referred to butconcealed in the Maasey B’resh*th, the great occult book of which is theBook of Genesis.

Isaac Myer.

A Hindu Chela’s Diary.

[This was begun in the June number.]

“I have been going over that message I received just after returningfrom the underground room, about not thinking yet too deeply upon what Isaw there, but to let the lessons sink deep into my heart. Can it be true—mustit not indeed be true—that we have periods in our development whenrest must be taken for the physical brain in order to give it time as a muchless comprehensive machine than these English college professors say it is,to assimilate what it has received, while at the same time the real brain—aswe might say, the spiritual brain—is carrying on as busily as ever all thetrains of thought cut off from the head. Of course this is contrary to thismodern science we hear so much about now as about to be introduced intoall Asia, but it is perfectly consistent for me.

“To reconsider the situation: I went with Kunâla to this undergroundplace, and there saw and heard most instructive and solemn things. I returnto my room, and begin to puzzle over them all, to revolve and re-revolve themin my mind, with a view to clearing all up and finding out what all maymean. But I am interrupted by a note from Kunâla directing me to stopthis puzzling, and to let all I saw sink deep into my heart. Every word ofhis I regard with respect, and consider to hold a meaning, being neverused by him with carelessness. So when he says, to let it sink into my‘heart,’ in the very same sentence where he refers to my thinking part—themind—why he must mean to separate my heart from my mind and togive to the heart a larger and greater power.

“Well, I obeyed the injunction, made myself, as far as I could, forgetwhat I saw and what puzzled me and thought of other things. Presently,after a few days while one afternoon thinking over an episode related in theVishnu Purana,112 I happened to look up at an old house I was passing andstopped to examine a curious device on the porch; as I did this, it seemedas if either the device, or the house, or the circ*mstance itself, small as it was,opened up at once several avenues of thought about the underground room,made them all clear, showed me the conclusion as vividly as a well demon170stratedand fully illustrated proposition, to my intense delight. Now couldI perceive with plainness, that those few days which seemed perhaps wastedbecause withdrawn from contemplation of that scene and its lessons, hadbeen with great advantage used by the spiritual man in unraveling thetangled skein, while the much praised brain had remained in idleness. Allat once the flash came and with it knowledge.113 But I must not dependupon these flashes, I must give the brain and its governor, the material towork with.********

“Last night just as I was about to go to rest, the voice of Kunâlacalled me from outside and there I went at once. Looking steadily at mehe said: ‘we want to see you,’ and as he spoke he gradually changed, ordisappeared, or was absorbed, into the form of another man with awe-inspiringface and eyes, whose form apparently rose up from the material ofKunâla’s body. At the same moment two others stood there also, dressed inthe Tibetan costume; and one of them went into my room from which Ihad emerged. After saluting them reverently, and not knowing their object,I said to the greatest,

“‘Have you any orders to give?’

“‘If there are any they will be told to you without being asked,’ hereplied, ‘stand still where you are.’

“Then he began to look at me fixedly. I felt a very pleasant sensation asif I was getting out of my body. I cannot tell now what time passed betweenthat and what I am now to put down here. But I saw I was in apeculiar place. It was the upper end of—— at the foot of the—— range.Here was a place where there were only two houses just opposite to eachother, and no other sign of habitation; from one of these came out theold faquir I saw at the Durga festival, but how changed, and yet the same:then so old, so repulsive; now so young, so glorious, so beautiful. Hesmiled upon me benignly and said:

“‘Never expect to see any one, but always be ready to answer if theyspeak to you; it is not wise to peer outside of yourself for the great followersof Vasudeva: look rather within.’

“The very words of the poor faquir!

“He then directed me to follow him.

“After going a short distance, of about half a mile or so, we came to anatural subterranean passage which is under the—— range. The path isvery dangerous; the River—— flows underneath in all the fury of pent upwaters, and a natural causeway exists upon which you may pass; only oneperson at a time can go there and one false step seals the fate of the traveller.171Besides this causeway, there are several valleys to be crossed. After walkinga considerable distance through this subterranean passage we came into anopen plain in L—— K. There stands a large massive building thousandsof years old. In front of it is a huge Egyptian Tau. The building restson seven big pillars each in the form of a pyramid. The entrance gate has alarge triangular arch, and inside are various apartments. The building isso large that I think it can easily contain twenty thousand people. Someof the rooms were shown to me.

“This must be the central place for all those belonging to the——class, to go for initiation and stay the requisite period.

“Then we entered the great hall with my guide in front. He wasyouthful in form but in his eyes was the glance of ages.**The grandeur and serenity of this place strikes the heart with awe. In thecentre was what we would call an altar, but it must only be the place wherefocuses all the power, the intention, the knowledge and the influence of theassembly. For the seat, or place, or throne, occupied by the chief——the highest—— has around it an indescribable glory, consisting of aneffulgence which seemed to radiate from the one who occupied it. The surroundingsof the throne were not gorgeous, nor was the spot itself in any waydecorated—all the added magnificence was due altogether to the aura whichemanated from Him sitting there. And over his head I thought I saw as Istood there, three golden triangles in the air above—Yes, they were thereand seemed to glow with an unearthly brilliance that betokened their inspiredorigin. But neither they nor the light pervading the place, were producedby any mechanical means. As I looked about me I saw that othershad a triangle, some two, and all with that peculiar brilliant light.”

[Here again occurs a mass of symbols. It is apparent that just at thisspot he desires to jot down the points of the initiation which he wished toremember. And I have to admit that I am not competent to elucidatetheir meaning. That must be left to our intuitions and possibly future experiencein our own case.]

“14th day of the new moon. The events of the night in the hall ofinitiation gave me much concern. Was it a dream? Am I self deluded?Can it be that I imagined all this? Such were the unworthy questions whichflew behind each other across my mind for days after. Kunâla does notrefer to the subject and I cannot put the question. Nor will I. I am determined,that, come what will, the solution must be reached by me, orgiven me voluntarily.

“Of what use to me will all the teachings and all the symbols be, if Icannot rise to that plane of penetrating knowledge, by which I shall my172self,by myself, be able to solve this riddle, and know to discriminate thetrue from the false and the illusory? If I am unable to cut asunder thesequestioning doubts, these bonds of ignorance, it is proof that not yet haveI risen to the plane situated above these doubts.***Last night after all day chasing through my mental sky, these swift destroyersof stability—mental birds of passage—I lay down upon the bed,and as I did so, into my hearing fell these words:

“‘Anxiety is the foe of knowledge; like unto a veil it falls down beforethe soul’s eye; entertain it, and the veil only thicker grows; cast it out, andthe sun of truth may dissipate the cloudy veil.’

“Admitting that truth; I determined to prohibit all anxiety. Well Iknew that the prohibition issued from the depths of my heart, for that wasmaster’s voice, and confidence in his wisdom, the self commanding natureof the words themselves, compelled me to complete reliance on the instruction.No sooner was the resolution formed, than down upon my facefell something which I seized at once in my hand. Lighting a lamp, beforeme was a note in the well known writing. Opening it, I read:

“‘Nilakant. It was no dream. All was real, and more, that by yourwaking consciousness could not be retained, happened there. Reflect uponit all as reality, and from the slightest circ*mstance draw whatever lesson,whatever amount of knowledge you can. Never forget that your spiritualprogress goes on quite often to yourself unknown. Two out of many hindrancesto memory are anxiety and selfishness. Anxiety is a barrier constructedout of harsh and bitter materials. Selfishness is a fiery darknessthat will burn up the memory’s matrix. Bring then, to bear upon this othermemory of yours, the peaceful stillness of contentment and the vivifying rainof benevolence.’”114*****

[I leave out here, as well as in other places, mere notes of journeys andvarious small matters, very probably of no interest.]

“In last month’s passage across the hills near V——, I was irresistiblydrawn to examine a deserted building, which I at first took for a grain holder,or something like that. It was of stone, square, with no openings, nowindows, no door. From what could be seen outside, it might have beenthe ruins of a strong, stone foundation for some old building, gateway ortower. Kunâla stood not far off and looked over it, and later on he asked me173for my ideas about the place. All I could say, was, that although it seemedto be solid, I was thinking that perhaps it might be hollow.

“‘Yes,’ said he, ‘it is hollow. It is one of the places once made byYogees to go into deep trance in. If used by a chela (a disciple) his teacherkept watch over it so that no one might intrude. But when an adept wantsto use it for laying his body away in while he travels about in his real, thoughperhaps to some unseen, form, other means of protection were often takenwhich were just as secure as the presence of the teacher of the disciple.’‘Well,’ I said, ‘it must be that just now no one’s body is inside there.’

“‘Do not reach that conclusion nor the other either. It may beoccupied and it may not.’

“Then we journeyed on, while he told me of the benevolence of notonly Brahmin Yogees, but also of Buddhist. No differences can be observedby the true disciple in any other disciple who is perhaps of a differentfaith. All pursue truth. Roads differ but the goal of all remains alike.”

*** “Repeated three times: ‘Time ripens and dissolvesall beings in the great self, but he who knows into what time itself is dissolved,he is the knower of the Veda.’

“What is to be understood, not only by this, but also by its beingthree times repeated?

“There were three shrines there. Over the door was a picture whichI saw a moment, and which for a moment seemed to blaze out with lightlike fire. Fixed upon my mind its outlines grew, then disappeared, when Ihad passed the threshold. Inside, again its image came before my eyes.Seeming to allure me, it faded out, and then again returned. It remainedimpressed upon me, seemed imbued with life and intention topresent itself for my own criticism. When I began to analyze it, it wouldfade, and then when I was fearful of not doing my duty or of being disrespectfulto those beings, it returned as if to demand attention. Its description:

“A human heart that has at its centre a small spark—the spark expandsand the heart disappears—while a deep pulsation seems to pass through me.At once identity is confused, I grasp at myself; and again the heart reappearswith the spark increased to a large fiery space. Once more that deepmovement; then sounds (7); they fade. All this in a picture? Yes! forin that picture there is life; there might be intelligence. It is similar tothat picture I saw in Tibet on my first journey, where the living moon risesand passes across the view. Where was I? No, not afterwards! It was inthe hall. Again that all pervading sound. It seems to bear me like ariver. Then it ceased,—a soundless sound. Then once more the picture;174here is Pranava.115 But between the heart and the Pranava is a mighty bowwith arrows ready, and tightly strung for use. Next is a shrine, with the Pranavaover it, shut fast, no key and no keyhole. On its sides emblems of humanpassions. The door of the shrine opens and I think within I will see thetruth. No! another door? a shrine again. It opens too and then another,brightly flashing is seen there. Like the heart, it makes itself onewith me. Irresistible desire to approach it comes within me, and it absorbsthe whole picture.

“‘Break through the shrine of Brahman; use the doctrine of theteacher.’”116

[There is no connection here of this exhortation with any person,and very probably it is something that was said either by himself, in soliloquy,or by some voice or person to him.

I must end here, as I find great rents and spaces in the notes. Hemust have ceased to put down further things he saw or did in his real innerlife, and you will very surely agree, that if he had progressed by that timeto what the last portions would indicate, he could not set down his reflectionsthereon, or any memorandum of facts. We, however, can never tellwhat was his reason. He might have been told not to do so, or might havelacked the opportunity.

There was much all through these pages that related to his daily familylife, not interesting to you; records of conversations; worldly affairs; itemsof money and regarding appointments, journeys and meetings with friends.But they show of course that he was all this time living through his set workwith men, and often harassed by care as well as comforted by his familyand regardful of them. All of that I left out, because I supposed thatwhile it would probably interest you, yet I was left with discretion to giveonly what seemed to relate to the period marked at its beginning, by hismeetings with M——, and at the end by this last remarkable scene, thedetails of which we can only imagine. And likewise were of necessityomitted very much that is sufficiently unintelligible in its symbolism to besecure from revelation. Honestly have I tried to unlock the doors of theciphers, for no prohibition came with their possession, but all that I couldrefine from its enfolding obscurity is given to you.

As he would say, let us salute each other and the last shrine ofBrahman; Om, hari, Om!

Trans.]

175

Karma.

The child is the father of the man, and none the less true is it:

“This is the doctrine of Karma.”

But in what way does this bygone wrong and right affect the presentlife? Is the stern nemesis ever following the weary traveler, with a calm,passionless, remorseless step? Is there no escape from its relentless hand?Does the eternal law of cause and effect, unmoved by sorrow and regret,ever deal out its measure of weal and woe as the consequence of pastaction? The shadow of the yesterday of sin,—must it darken the life ofto-day? Is Karma but another name for fate? Does the child unfold thepage of the already written book of life in which each event is recordedwithout the possibility of escape? What is the relation of Karma to thelife of the individual? Is there nothing for man to do but to weave thechequered warp and woof of each earthly existence with the stained anddiscolored threads of past actions? Good resolves and evil tendencies sweepwith resistless tide over the nature of man and we are told:

“Whatever action he performs, whether good or bad, every thing donein a former body must necessarily be enjoyed or suffered.” Anugita, cp III.

There is good Karma, there is bad Karma, and as the wheel of lifemoves on, old Karma is exhausted and again fresh Karma is accumulated.

Although at first it may appear that nothing can be more fatalistic thanthis doctrine, yet a little consideration will show that in reality this is not thecase. Karma is twofold, hidden and manifest, Karma is the man that is,Karma is his action. True that each action is a cause from which evolvesthe countless ramifications of effect in time and space.

“That which ye sow ye reap.” In some sphere of action the harvestwill be gathered. It is necessary that the man of action should realize thistruth. It is equally necessary that the manifestations of this law in theoperations of Karma should be clearly apprehended.

Karma, broadly speaking may be said to be the continuance of thenature of the act, and each act contains within itself the past and future.Every defect which can be realized from an act must be implicit in the actit*elf or it could never come into existence. Effect is but the nature of theact and cannot exist distinct from its cause. Karma only produces themanifestation of that which already exists; being action it has its operation intime, and Karma may therefore be said to be the same action from another176point of time. It must, moreover, be evident that not only is there a relationbetween the cause and the effect, but there must also be a relation betweenthe cause and the individual who experiences the effect. If it were otherwise,any man would reap the effect of the actions of any other man. Wemay sometimes appear to reap the effects of the action of others, but this isonly apparent. In point of fact it is our own action

It is therefore necessary in order to understand the nature of Karmaand its relation to the individual to consider action in all its aspects. Everyact proceeds from the mind. Beyond the mind there is no action and thereforeno Karma. The basis of every act is desire. The plane of desire oregotism is itself action and the matrix of every act. This plane may be consideredas non-manifest, yet having a dual manifestation in what we callcause and effect, that is the act and its consequences. In reality, both theact and its consequences are the effect, the cause being on the plane ofdesire. Desire is therefore the basis of action in its first manifestation onthe physical plane, and desire determines the continuation of the act in itskarmic relation to the individual. For a man to be free from the effects ofthe Karma of any act he must have passed to a state no longer yieldinga basis in which that act can inhere. The ripples in the water caused bythe action of the stone will extend to the furthest limit of its expanse, butno further, they are bounded by the shore. Their course is ended whenthere is no longer a basis or suitable medium in which they can inhere; theyexpend their force and are not. Karma is, therefore, as dependent uponthe present personality for its fulfillment, as it was upon the former for the firstinitial act. An illustration may be given which will help to explain this.

A seed, say for instance mustard, will produce a mustard tree and nothingelse; but in order that it should be produced, it is necessary that theco-operation of soil and culture should be equally present. Without theseed, however much the ground may be tilled and watered, it will not bringforth the plant, but the seed is equally inoperative without the joint actionof the soil and culture.

The first great result of Karmic action is the incarnation in physical life.The birth seeking entity consisting of desires and tendencies, presses forwardtowards incarnation. It is governed in the selection of its scene ofmanifestation by the law of economy. Whatever is the ruling tendency, thatis to say, whatever group of affinities is strongest, those affinities will lead itto the point of manifestation at which there is the least opposition. It incarnatesin those surroundings most in harmony with its Karmic tendenciesand all the effects of actions contained in the Karma so manifesting will beexperienced by the individual. This governs the station of life, the sex, the177conditions of the irresponsible years of childhood, the constitution with thevarious diseases inherent in it, and in fact all those determining forces ofphysical existence which are ordinarily classed under the terms, “heredity,” and“national characteristics.”

It is really the law of economy which is the truth underlying these termsand which explains them. Take for instance a nation with certain specialcharacteristics. These are the plane of expansion for any entity whose greatestnumber of affinities are in harmony with those characteristics. The incomingentity following the law of least resistance becomes incarnated in thatnation, and all Karmic effects following such characteristics will accrue tothe individual. This will explain what is the meaning of such expressionsas the “Karma of nations,” and what is true of the nation will also apply tofamily and caste.

It must, however, be remembered that there are many tendencies whichare not exhausted in the act of incarnation. It may happen that the Karmawhich caused an entity to incarnate in any particular surrounding, was onlystrong enough to carry it into physical existence. Being exhausted in thatdirection, freedom is obtained for the manifestation of other tendencies andtheir Karmic effects. For instance, Karmic force may cause an entity to incarnatein a humble sphere of life. He may be born as the child of poorparents. The Karma follows the entity, endures for a longer or shorter time,and becomes exhausted. From that point, the child takes a line of life totallydifferent from his surroundings. Other affinities engendered by formeraction express themselves in their Karmic results. The lingering effects ofthe past Karma may still manifest itself in the way of obstacles and obstructionswhich are surmounted with varying degrees of success accordingto their intensity.

From the standpoint of a special creation for each entity entering theworld, there is vast and unaccountable injustice. From the standpoint ofKarma, the strange vicissitudes and apparent chances of life can be consideredin a different light as the unerring manifestation of cause and sequence. Ina family under the same conditions of poverty and ignorance, one child willbe separated from the others and thrown into surroundings very dissimilar.He may be adopted by a rich man, or through some freak of fortune receivean education giving him at once a different position. The Karma of incarnationbeing exhausted, other Karma asserts itself.

A very important question is here presented: Can an individual affecthis own Karma, and if so to what degree and in what manner?

It has been said that Karma is the continuance of the act, and for anyparticular line of Karma to exert itself it is necessary that there should bethe basis of the act engendering that Karma in which it can inhere and operate.But action has many planes in which it can inhere. There is the178physical plane, the body with its senses and organs; then there is the intellectualplane, memory, which binds the impressions of the senses into aconsecutive whole and reason puts in orderly arrangement its storehouse offacts. Beyond the plane of intellect there is the plane of emotion, the planeof preference for one object rather than another:—the fourth principle of theman. These three, physical, intellectual, and emotional, deal entirely withobjects of sense perception and may be called the great battlefield ofKarma.117 There is also the plane of ethics, the plane of discrimination ofthe “I ought to do this, I ought not to do that.” This plane harmonizesthe intellect and the emotions. All these are the planes of Karma or actionwhat to do, and what not to do. It is the mind as the basis of desire thatinitiates action on the various planes, and it is only through the mind that theeffects of rest and action can be received.

An entity enters incarnation with Karmic energy from past existences,that is to say the action of past lives is awaiting its development as effect. ThisKarmic energy presses into manifestation in harmony with the basic natureof the act. Physical Karma will manifest in the physical tendencies bringingenjoyment and suffering. The intellectual and the ethical planes are also inthe same manner the result of the past Karmic tendencies and the man as heis, with his moral and intellectual faculties, is in unbroken continuity withthe past.

The entity at birth has therefore a definite amount of Karmic energy.After incarnation this awaits the period in life at which fresh Karma begins.Up to the time of responsibility it is as we have seen the initial Karma onlythat manifests. From that time the fresh personality becomes the ruler ofhis own destiny. It is a great mistake to suppose that an individual is themere puppet of the past, the helpless victim of fate. The law of Karma isnot fatalism, and a little consideration will show that it is possible for an individualto affect his own Karma. If a greater amount of energy be takenup on one plane than on another this will cause the past Karma to unfolditself on that plane. For instance, one who lives entirely on the plane ofsense gratification will from the plane beyond draw the energy requiredfor the fulfillment of his desires. Let us illustrate by dividing man intoupper and lower nature. By directing the mind and aspirations to thelower plane, a “fire” or centre of attraction, is set up there, and in order tofeed and fatten it, the energies of the whole upper plane are drawn down andexhausted in supplying the need of energy which exists below due to theindulgence of sense gratification. On the other hand, the centre of attractionmay be fixed in the upper portion, and then all the needed energy goesthere to result in increase of spirituality. It must be remembered that179Nature is all bountiful and withholds not her hand. The demand is made,and the supply will come. But at what cost? That energy which shouldhave strengthened the moral nature and fulfilled the aspirations after good,is drawn to the lower desires. By degrees the higher planes are exhaustedof vitality and the good and bad Karma of an entity will be absorbed on thephysical plane. If on the other hand the interest is detached from theplane of sense gratification, if there is a constant effort to fix the mind on theattainment of the highest ideal, the result will be that the past Karma willfind no basis in which to inhere on the physical plane. Karma will thereforebe manifested only in harmony with the plane of desire. The senseenergy of the physical plane will exhaust itself on a higher plane and thusbecome transmuted in its effects.

What are the means through which the effects of Karma can be thuschanged is also clear. A person can have no attachment for a thing he doesnot think about, therefore the first step must be to fix the thought on thehighest ideal. In this connection one remark may be made on the subjectof repentance. Repentance is a form of thought in which the mind is constantlyrecurring to a sin. It has therefore to be avoided if one would setthe mind free from sin and its Karmic results. All sin has its origin in themind. The more the mind dwells on any course of conduct, whether withpleasure or pain, the less chance is there for it to become detached from suchaction. The manas (mind) is the knot of the heart, when that is untied fromany object, in other words when the mind loses its interest in any object, therewill no longer be a link between the Karma connected with that object andthe individual.

It is the attitude of the mind which draws the Karmic cords tightlyround the soul. It imprisons the aspirations and binds them with chains ofdifficulty and obstruction. It is desire that causes the past Karma to takeform and shape and build the house of clay. It must be through non-attachmentthat the soul will burst through the walls of pain, it will be onlythrough a change of mind that the Karmic burden will be lifted.

It will appear, therefore, that although absolutely true that action bringsits own result, “there is no destruction here of actions good or not good.Coming to one body after another they become ripened in their respectiveways.”—Yet this ripening is the act of the individual. Free will of manasserts itself and he becomes his own saviour. To the worldly man Karmais a stern Nemesis, to the spiritual man Karma unfolds itself in harmonywith his highest aspirations. He will look with tranquility alike on pastand future, neither dwelling with remorse on past sin nor living in expectationof reward for present action.

180

Sufism,

(Continued.)

PART II.—SYMBOLS.

The practical expounders and preachers of Sufism are the Dervishes, the monks of Islam.

It must have become clear to our readers, that the sweet and peacefulsentiments of the couplet of Katebi, placed as motto over our first part, arethe expressions of at least one side of the inner life of Sufism. But, if welisten more closely, we shall hear the plaintive note of the nightingale moredistinct and perceive more readily the gloom of the cypress; both of them,like the soul of man, bewail in melancholy our disunion from Deity. That,too, is another side of Sufism, which now has been illustrated, and wehave given enough quotations to show, that the highest aim of the Sufi isto attain self-annihilation by losing his humanity in Deity.

So far the direct teachings as they lie on the surface of our quotations.The grand undercurrents are the relations of The Universal Self and TheIndividual Self. The expression “Self” has not been used, but “God”and “Soul” because of the peculiarity of the exoteric forms of currentMohammedan Theology, which the Sufi-Doctors find themselves bound toobserve.

We have yet to quote the Sufi poets Hafiz, Jami, Nizami, Attar andothers, but as their teachings are veiled under symbols, they naturally findtheir place in this our second part, and shall be treated fully toward the end.We will begin with the more ecstatic features of practical Sufism, with theDervishes, the Moslem saints, and thus develop the subjective forms of Sufism.We shall come to appreciate the use of a ritualistic service and asceticpractices, when we see these framed in close harmony with the laws ofNature and conductive to Union with Self.

Where we use the phrase The Personal, our readers will understand itas the subjective equivalent for the objective “Self.”—

An historic study of the rise of Sufism out of original asceticism, willafford us an excellent view of the evolution of Sufism itself as well as ofall other forms of Mysticism. Hence we must devote some space to it.

181

It must undoubtedly be maintained that asceticism and monastic lifeare entirely inconsistent with Mohammedanism, and in fact Mohammedhimself was far from anything like it, and constantly preached against it,advocating an active life and an aggressive religion.

But neither Mohammed nor his followers could stem the tide of asceticinfluences from the East, from Buddhism; nor from the West, fromChristianity. These two religious systems had existed for centuries and wereboth characterized by monastic institutions, and missionary spirit. But,much deeper than these individual influences lies the power of a new historiccycle beginning about a century after Mohammed, just at the time we findthe greatest number of Islam saints, with a distinctive monastic cast. Theera is characterized by a new civilization in the West, and a consolidation ofthe Eastern conquests. The Mohammedan power encircles Christendomand threatens to destroy both Church and Christianity. In the East itself aterror of existence befell the minds of men and has left the strongest impressionsin the writings of such men as Ata Salami and Hasan, &c.

Even in Mohammed’s lifetime an attempt was made to engraft theelements of the contemplative life upon his doctrine. The facts are wellknown. One evening, after some more vigorous declamations than usualon the prophet’s part—he had taken for his theme the flames and torturesof hell—several of his most zealous companions, among whom the namesof Omar, Ali, Abou-Dharr, and Abou-Horeirah are conspicuous, retired topass the night together in a neighbouring dwelling. Here they fell intodeep discourses on the terrors of divine justice, and the means to appease orprevent its course. The conclusion they came to was nowise unnatural.They agreed that to this end the surest way was to abandon their wives, topass their lives in continued fast and abstinence, to wear hair-cloth, andpractice other similar austerities: in a word, they laid down for themselvesa line of conduct truly ascetic, and leading to whatever can follow in such acourse. But they desired first to secure the approbation of Mohammed.Accordingly, at break of day, they presented themselves before him, to acquainthim with the resolution of the night, as well as its motives and purport;but they had reckoned without their host. The prophet rejected theirproposition with a sharp rebuke, and declared marriage and war to be farmore agreeable to the Divinity than any austereness of life or mortificationof the senses whatever, and the well known passage of the Quran: “Otrue believers, do not abstain from the good things of the earth which Godpermits you to enjoy,” revealed on this very occasion, remains a lastingmonument of Mohammed’s disgust at this premature outbreak of asceticfeeling. This lesson and many others of a similar character, for the timebeing, checked any and all appearance of declared forms of asceticism, butcould not prevent the ultimate triumph of the truer and better parts of182human nature. “Fate” would have it, that within his own family, liehidden the germs, destined in after ages, down to the present day, andprobably as long as Islam shall exist, to exert the mightiest influence in theMohammedan world.

Ali, Mohammed’s cousin, and Ali’s son Hasan, his grandson Zein elAbidin, and after them Djaufar es Sadik, Mousa el Kadhim, Ali er Ridha,and others of their race, were members of a family which became the verybackbone of asceticism. They were successively looked up to by individualascetics as the guides and instructors in word and deed of self-denial andabnegation.

In the Menaqibu l Arafin (the Acts of the Adepts) it is related that theProphet one day recited to Ali in private the secrets and mysteries of the“Brethren of Sincerity” enjoining him not to divulge them to any of theuninitiated, so that they should not be betrayed; also, to yield obedience tothe rule of implicit submission. For forty days, Ali kept the secret in hisown sole breast, and bore therewith until he was sick at heart. As hisburden oppressed him and he could no more breathe freely, he fled to theopen wilderness, and there chanced upon a well. He stooped, reached hishead as far down into the well as he was able; and then, one by one, heconfided those mysteries to the bowels of the earth. From the excess ofhis excitement, his mouth filled with froth and foam. There he spat outinto the water of the well, until he had freed himself of the whole, and hefelt relieved. After a certain number of days, a single seed was observed tobe growing in that well. It waxed and shut up, until at length a youth,whose heart was miraculously enlightened on the point, became aware ofthis growing plant, cut it down, drilled holes in it, and began to play uponit airs, similar to those now performed by the dervish lovers of God, as he pasturedhis sheep in the neighbourhood. By degrees, the various tribes ofArabs of the desert heard of this flute-playing of the shepherd, and its famespread abroad. The camels and the sheep of the whole region would gatheraround him as he piped, ceasing to pasture that they might listen. Fromall directions, the nomads flocked to hear his strains, going into ecstasies withdelight, weeping for joy and pleasure, breaking forth in transports of gratification.The rumor at length reached the ears of the Prophet, who gaveorders for the piper to be brought before him. When he began to play inthe sacred presence, all the holy disciples of God’s messenger were moved totears and transports, bursting forth with shouts and exclamations of purebliss, and losing all consciousness. The Prophet declared that the notes ofthe shepherd’s flute were the inspiration of the holy mysteries he had confidedin private to Ali’s charge.

Thus it is that, until a man acquires the sincere devotion of the linnet-voicedflute-reed, he cannot hear the mysteries of183 “The Brethren of Sincerity”in its dulcet notes, or realize the delights thereof; for “faith is altogethera yearning of the heart, and a gratification of the spiritual sense.”

In regard to “The Brethren of Sincerity” mentioned above it canbe said that the Mohammedans in the East know perfectly well that thereexists on earth, among the initiated, a secret hierarchy which governs thewhole human race, infidels as well as believers, but that their power is oftenexercised in such a manner that the subjects influenced by it know not fromwhat person or persons its effects proceed.

In this hierarchy the supreme dignity is vested in the Khidr. This is aman indeed, but one far elevated above ordinary human nature by histranscendent privileges. Admitted to the Divine Vision, and possessed inconsequence of a relative omnipotence and omniscience on earth; visibleand invisible at pleasure; freed from the bonds of space and time; by hisubiquitous and immortal powers appearing in various forms on earth to upholdthe cause of truth; then concealed awhile from men; known in variousages as Seth, as Enoch, as Elias, and yet to come at the end of time as theMahdi; this wonderful being is the centre, the prop, the ruler, the mediatorof men of ascetic habits and retirement, and as such he is honoured withthe name of Kothb, or axis, as being the spiritual pole round which and onwhich all move or are upheld. Under him are the Aulia, or intimate friendsof God, seventy-two in number (some say twenty-four), holy men living onearth, who are admitted by the Kothb to his intimate familiarity, and whoare to the rest the sources of all doctrine, authority, and sanctity. Amongthese again one, pre-eminent above the rest, is qualified by the vicarious titleof Kothb-ez-zaman, or axis of his age, and is regarded as the visible depositaryof the knowledge and power of the supreme Kothb—who is oftennamed, for distinction’s sake, Kothb el-Akthab, or axis of the axes—and hisconstant representative amongst men. But as this important election andconsequent delegation of power is invisible and hidden from the greaternumber even of the devotees themselves, and neither the Kothb-ez-zamannor the Aulia carry any outward or distinctive sign of dignity and authority,it can only be manifested by its effects, and thus known by degrees to theouter world, and even then rather as a conjecture than as a positive certainty.

On the authority of the famous saint of Bagdad, Aboo-Bekr el Kettanée,E. W. Lane118 states that the orders under the rule of this chief are calledOmud (or Owtad), Akhyar, Abdal, Nujaba, and Nukaba, naming them accordingto their precedence, and remarks that perhaps to these should beadded an inferior order called Ashab ed-Darak, that is “Watchmen” or“Overseers.” The Nukaba are three hundred and reside in El-Gharb184(Northern Africa to the West of Egypt); the Nujaba are seventy and residein Egypt; the Abdal are forty and are found in Syria; the Akhyar are sevenand travel about the earth; the Omud are four and stand in the corners ofthe earth. The members are not known as such to their inferior unenlightenedfellow-creatures, and are often invisible to them. This is most frequentlythe case with the Kothb, who, though generally stationed at Mekka,on the roof of the Kaaba, is never visible there, nor at any of his otherfavorite stations, yet his voice is often heard at these places.

Let us add that their great power is supposed to be obtained by self-denial,implicit reliance upon God, from good genii and by the knowledgeand utterance of “the most great name.”

Eflaki, the historian, has given us the links of a spiritual series, throughwhom the mysteries of the dervish doctrines were handed down to and inthe line of Jelaludin er Rumi.

Ali communicated the mysteries to the Imam Hasan of Bara, who diedA. D. 728. Hasan taught them to Habib, the Persian († A. D. 724) whoconfided them to Dawud of the tribe Tayyi († A. D. 781) who transmittedthem to Maruf of Kerkh († A. D. 818); he to Sirri († A. D. 867) and heto the great Juneyd († A. D. 909). Juneyd’s spiritual pupil Shibli († A. D.945) taught Abu-Amr Muhammed, son of Ilahim Zajjaj († A. D. 959) andhis pupil was Abu-Bekr, son of Abdu-llah of Tus, who taught Abu-AhmedMuhammed, son of Muhammed Al-Gazzali († A.D. 1111), and he committedthose mysteries to Ahmed el-Khatibi, Jelal’s great-grandfather, who consignedthem to the Imam Sarakhsi († A. D. 1175). Sarakhsi was thespiritual teacher of Jelal’s father Baha Veled, who taught the SayyidBurhanu-d-Diu Termizi, the instructor of Jelal.—We shall now proceedwith the history.

(To be continued.)

Please note the following correction of previous article: Footnote, page 143,August No. of the Path, should read “Free translation by J. Freeman Clarke.”

Reticence of Mahatmas and Evolutionof the Individual.

Members of the Theosophical Society and the general public havealike manifested a wide divergence of opinion both as regards the fundamentalaim of the Society, and its adaptation to individual cases. To get aright view of these points, it is first absolutely necessary that the Societyshould be considered as a whole, and to remember that like every movementin the physical or spiritual world, it must be governed by the great law of185Evolution. This is its primal Cause, and the evolution of the individual itsprimary work. It is not, as its history shows, an ephemeral institution, tolast for a given period, like a hospital, or a society to benefit animals, orpoor children, or fallen women. It is a spoke of the universal wheel ofEvolution. When the world contained a body of persons sufficiently developedon the spiritual plane, they naturally formed a nucleus, from whichrays presently diverged to various parts of the globe. Stimulating centres ofenergy which are constantly expanding through the individual efforts oftheir members. What is true of the whole body is true also of its componentparts, and each individual, in mental capacity and psychical conditions isprecisely what his previous experience, or his evolutionary ratio entitles himto be. Only by means of ever increasing effort on his own part, can he invigoratethese powers.

In founding the Theosophical Society, it was hoped that the unitedlabors of all for each and of each for all, might result in so much enlightenmentand expansion of individuals as the friction of many minds, all directedto one issue, should through the correlation of moral forces afford. Hencethe Society was based upon the idea of Universal Brotherhood.

There are at present two classes of persons who misinterpret this aim ofthe Society. The first class is variously composed of,—(A) those personswho suppose the Society to be solely devoted to a large phase of the subject,such as the progressive development of the entire body of the present race,or to the united interests of great masses of people, leaving the individualaltogether alone in the uphill path of his own spiritual development. (B)Various persons in different parts of the world who have seen fit, coincidentlywith giving in their adherence to the idea of Universal Brotherhood, to ridiculeit as “a mere sham” or “a pure formula” or “an utopian impossibility:”the wavering incredulity of every such person arises no doubt from individualor constitutional peculiarity. (C) Such as suppose this basic idea tobe an elastic declaration which may always be used as a shield to ward offthe unpopular or chaffing accusation of an interest in Mysticism. (D) Thosewho base their denial of universal brotherhood upon the very sensible rulerequiring applicants for initiation to have endorsem*nt from active fellowsof the Society. “If you make distinctions you are not universal,” is thecry of these last.

All the above persons will sooner or later discover that the Society as awhole progresses through the spiritual advancement of individual members.If the individual retrogrades, the common welfare is minus so much; if heprogresses, it is plus so much, and when many rise all are presently lifted asby specific gravity, into a higher plane. For this reason not only theexoteric and much slandered founders of the Society, but also the hiddenand real founders have always given much of their time and thought to in186dividuals.At the same time they have unceasingly insisted upon the necessityfor individual efforts, that each member might develop himself. Thisis the true meaning of Evolution. It is not the expansion of the man bymeans of an external force acting upon inert tissue, but an impulse fromwithin outward and upward, enhanced by the cumulative effect of previousimpulses, and further assisted by such favoring environment as his conditionmay permit him to assimilate.

It is in this final respect that the second class under consideration haveerred. They demand greater extraneous aid for the individual. Such persons,having joined the Society and asserted their belief in the existence ofMahatmas, or Adepts, or highly advanced human beings, have after a timeuttered complaints because they had no personal communications fromthese Great Beings, while they feel such attentions to be their due. Thesepersons have said,—“We have declared our belief in these wise and holyMen; we have joined the Society, but we have not been favored with anyproofs directly from them.” Such persons require a letter under seal, projectedin a phenomenal manner through the air or otherwise. Nothing shortof this will satisfy them, and if they do not get it, they are likely to leave thefold of the Society, as they themselves intimate. Their complaint, in generalterms, is that the Mahatmas are reticent, altogether too reticent to suit theirrequirements. They say that it is declared that certain other personshave received such evidence in the shape of letters, and they cite Messrs.Sinnett, Olcott, Damodar, Hume, Madame Blavatsky and several Hindusas the favored recipients. The complainants then state that their aspirations,their need, their merit, equal that of these persons, that they are, to put itroughly, “every bit as good.” Some who do not say as much, think it, anda general outcry arises of,—“Why do we not get such letters as proofs?Are we not justified in ascribing undue reticence to the Mahatmas?” Whenin addition it is said that some others have seen the Mahatmas, or heardtheir voices and received gifts from them, the injured ones reiterate the complaint,—“Whyare the Mahatmas so reticent?” This attitude has finallybecome that of the press and the public at large, so that the question presentsitself,—“Are the Mahatmas unduly reticent?”

The solution of this question is bound up in the subject of the “Evolutionof the Individual.” As regards the general evolution, the Mahatmascannot be thus accused, for had we their knowledge of the whole, so as tobe able to feel and know what all minerals, plants, animals and men feelcollectively, we should see that in this department Mahatmas are never accusedeven in thought of withholding either knowledge, favor or blessing.The whole moves by law (which law includes the Mahatmas themselves),and as a whole recognises this law and knows no possible departure from it.

As heretofore stated, the work of the Theosophical Society lies within187the department of individual evolution, and just as its sphere may only beenlarged through the constant labors of its members, so every individualfollows the same law, will he, nil he. The Mahatmas are not reticent. Theycan justly be no more than the favoring environment to the individual soul.They give to each human well just the water it can hold; to overflow itwould be waste. It has been well said that the human mind, like the atmosphere,has its saturation point. To realise when we have reached thispoint is the first step on the path of self-knowledge: to strive to expand ourboundaries by incessant study and observation, carries us leagues further onour way. Those who journey thus have neither time nor desire for complaint.We enter into this life through our parents, subject to law. Fromone mystery we pass, ignorant of the future, into another mystery: lessonsare learned in each. So is the soul born into the higher life and becomesby degrees acquainted with its mysteries. Through each order of life runsthe law of natural selection. “A man is a method, a progressive arrangement,a selecting principle,” says Emerson. As the man chooses the friendsand the pursuits best adapted to him, so by the law of spiritual dynamics isthe soul attracted to just such food as it can assimilate, to the influences necessaryto its present development. If the individual mind fails to grasp thisidea and to see that we ourselves, (and not the Mahatmas,) create our ownpossibilities, how far less fitted is it to profit usefully by the very opportunitiesit demands. The gratification of curiosity, the quickening of interest inpersonalities or phenomena as such, are not growths of the soul, nor canthey advance the evolution of the individual. The Mahatmas do not withholdus from Truth, but we ourselves. When we come to be a part of it, weshall know it: when we come to live in its laws, who can shut us away fromit? The upright heart cries,—“Mine is mine, if the universe deny me, andnot all the Mahatmas combined can convey to me one truth in which I amnot ready to dwell. The Spirit communicates itself; the Masters but interpretthe vision, as soothsayers the dreams of Kings. I am a king when theSpirit exalts me, made so by the super-royal act. I will not covet borrowedrobes, nor whine as a beggar for charities, but wait until I am come intomine own estate. Then the Wise Ones will teach me how to rule it.” Theheart that chooses in truth this noble part, has felt already the quickeningtouch of the Divine. Like Jove of old, it bids the earth-bound waggonerabate his cries, and put first his own shoulder to the wheel.

Let complainants therefore reflect how ignorant they are of their owncapacity to understand psychological data, and how necessary it is that theyshould first develop themselves in that direction. A ray of light may shootby us unseen and unknown, to be lost in the further space, for want of thetimely interposition of a reflective surface. Or it may stream directly intothe eye, and even so may still be lost, should the eye lack the power to188receive the impression. Thus an attempt at direct communication or illuminationmay be and often is frustrated for lack of the perceptive eye andsoul. Shall we expect to receive these at other hands, as by a miracle, whenwe know well that we never fully profit by any experience which we havenot lived out for ourselves. Who amongst us has not seen a child rejectwith impatience the teachings of his elders, and presently return home brimfulof wonder and dogmatism over the very same fact which some companionhad knocked into him? The strong soul must be self delivered. Amongstour number there are indeed those who have the spiritual eye in part, and theMahatmas, desirous to arouse it more fully, now and then project a beam ofwisdom which the eye fails to receive and it passes on to those who are betterfitted to absorb it. “No man can learn what he has not preparation forlearning, however near to his eye is the object. A chemist may tell his mostprecious secrets to a carpenter, and he shall never be the wiser,—the secrethe would not utter to a chemist for an estate. God screens us evermorefrom premature ideas. Our eyes are holden that we cannot see things thatstare us in the face, until the hour arrives when the mind is ripened; thenwe behold them, and the time when we saw them not is like a dream.”119

Let us then press forward to this harvest time, neither asking for help,nor doubting that it is at hand though unseen, and remembering above allthat what we consider reticence, or silence on the part of the Mahatmas, isoften but a higher order of speech which we do not as yet understand, andto whose golden accents untiring endeavor alone can give the key.

Julius.

Correspondence.

Hartford, Aug., 1886.

To the Path,

Dear Friend:—I like the Path much. I have noted many articlesthat I am anxious to get time to read at my leisure. They are full of themeat that satisfieth the soul. How this on-coming wave from esoteric andmystic sources has rushed upon us within the past few years! ‘Tis averitable ground-swell, and it seems to stretch out to all shores, and itssources are from Infinity itself. Surely, that that we need, does come to usat the right time. The demands of the soul imply that the requisite supply issomewhere in existence. The glass of sparkling cold water tendered by Emersonto Frederika Bremer at the crystal spring at which they halted by theroad-side, is symbolic of the wants of the spiritual nature. Her commentsupon it, are in the line of thought I have touched upon:

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“A glass of water! How much may be comprised in this gift! Whythis should become significant to me on this occasion, I cannot say; but soit was. I have silently within myself combated with Emerson from the firsttime that I became acquainted with him. I have questioned in what consistedthis power of the spirit over me, while I so much disapproved of hismode of thinking. In what consisted his mysterious, magical power,—thatinvigorating, refreshing influence which I always experience in his writings,or in intercourse with him? This cordial draught of clear water fromthe spring, given by his hand, I understood it. It is precisely this crystal,pure, fresh cold water in his individual character, in his writings, which hasrefreshed, and will again and yet again refresh me. I have opposed Emersonin thought with myself.***But in long years to come,and when I am far from here in my own native land, and when I am old andgray,—yes, always, always will moments recur when I shall yearn towardWaldo Emerson, and long to receive from his hand that draught of freshwater.”

Emerson drew from invisible sources, and Miss Bremer’s fine tribute isall the stronger because it comes in spite of orthodox prejudice. But I haveturned off into an unexpected “path,” and my time is up, and I must endabruptly, as usual.

Yours fraternally,
F. E.

Marseilles, Aug., 1886.

Editor of the Path,

Dear Sir and Brother:—It gives me great pleasure to acknowledgethe receipt of your valuable magazine.

I cannot but admire the great abilities and learning of its contributors,and I trust and hope that a complete success will repay you for your endeavorsafter the improvement of our poor and misguided humanity, and theglorification of the Truth.

Yours fraternally,
Baron J. Spedalieri, F. T. S.

Reviews and Notes.

The Optimism of Emerson.—By Wm. F. Dana. (Cupples, Upham &Co., Boston, 1886.) Price 50 c. cloth. For sale by Brentano, Union Square,New York.

The author seeks to account for the optimism of Emerson by his“cheerful disposition,” and for his influence in literature by the action ofthat cheerfulness upon “an age of intellectual gloom” due to “England,France, Germany and Italy, having taken a despairing view of life.” The190cause of nineteenth century pessimism Mr. Dana sums up thus: “Theroot of our difficulties is the fact that we have lost faith in a revealed religion.We do not believe the Bible to be an inspired book, hence, we have toform a religion by ourselves out of the material within us and about us. It hasseemed impossible to us, unless we abandoned our reason, to believe, thatwhat appear to us good and evil could be all good.” Mr. Dana, though evidentlya sincere admirer of Emerson, confesses that he gave the world nonew revelation, either in religion or philosophy, and he compares his influenceto the moonlight, rather than the sunlight. But if Emerson left themystery of life unsolved, he influenced men’s emotional nature for good byreason of the cheerful, hopeful tone of his own mind, which, by setting upsympathetic vibrations in the hearts of others, gave them a renewed assurancethat “the sun is shining behind the clouds,” and that apparent evil is butreal good in disguise.

Philosophy of Religion.—A series of articles on the “Philosophy ofReligion from the Standpoint of the Mystics,” prepared by C. H. A. Bjerregaardof the Astor Library, will be published forthwith, in the ReligioPhilosophical Journal.

The Song Celestial or Bagavad-Gita, tr. from the Sanscrit by EdwinArnold, M. A. (Roberts Brothers, Boston.) Cloth $1.00. This is a poeticalrendering by a master hand, of the greatest of books, and by many will bemore easily understood than the present extant prose editions of Wilkins,Thomson, and others. But its power and beauty depend upon the inherentqualities of the poem, and an indifferent hand at the work could not spoilit: how much more it will be for its readers, under the touch of Mr. Arnold,is easy to see, for he is a scholar, a philosopher, and a true singer. Somuch exoterically.

But this is in every sense an esoteric poem, and as usual, an interpreterwho knows nothing of the secret doctrine, has not succeeded in opening thelock of this great treasure box. Following all his predecessors, Mr. Arnoldopens with the old old error of ranging the people of King Dhritirashtraupon the plain of Kurukshetra in battle with the Pandavas, and utterly failsto translate this name of a plain. Here is the key. This plain is the humanbody and is not a field in the centre of India; and the king himself is materialexistence possessing a thirst for life. Proceeding with the details of thegenerals and chiefs engaged, our poet simply gives their names untranslated,whereas each name is a power, quality or manifestation of the mental orspiritual man. Bhishma and Bhima of all, are untouched.

Ignorance as to the use and intention of these names is due very muchto the indifference of the Hindus who, while knowing well the errors committed,have not raised a finger.

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Mr. Arnold’s translation is very beautiful and inspiring, and is to ourknowledge, in the hands of many Theosophists.

The Secret of Death, from the Sanscrit, and other poems, byEdwin Arnold, M. A. (Roberts Brothers, Boston.) Cloth $1.00. 45 pagesare taken up by the “Secret of Death,” and scattered through the 252 pagesare, here and there, other short pieces from Sanscrit. The first poem is apractical rendering of the episode in the Katha Upanishad where Nachiketasis devoted to Yama, the god of death, and learns high knowledge from him.The other Indian songs are: Rajah’s Ride, Bihari Mill song, Funeral song,Serpent Charmer’s song, Flour Mill song and a short discourse of Buddhaheld at Rajagriha, cast in the same mould as “The Light of Asia.”

India Revisited.—By Edwin Arnold, M. A. C. S. I. (Roberts Brothers,Boston, 1886.) Cloth $2.00, illustrated. This is Mr. Arnold’s accountof his revisiting India after the lapse of some years. In prose he is as clearas he is enchanting in poetry. The illustrations are from photographs andlend a charm to the book. The reader’s interest is held to the last chapter;and fair justice is done to “his India,” which is not generally the methodpursued by Englishmen who detail their travels in the mysterious land. Onreturning, his adieu declares that lakhs of true friends are left there amongHindus, and his heart roves from hut to hut, whispering “he knows andloves.”

Dogma and Ritual of High Magism.—By Eliphas Lévi, translatedby a fellow of the Theosophical Society, is now in hand for publication assoon as may be convenient. It will be issued in two volumes, about 600pages, and put at as low a price as possible, $5.00. The Path has takencharge of the issuing of the book, and will receive subscriptions for it. Allthe illustrations in the French edition will be reproduced.

A Fallen Idol.—By F. Anstey. This is a novel devoted to a plot inwhich Theosophy, Chelas, astral bodies, currents, and what not, figure onevery page. It tells of the power and wanderings, the evil deeds and influenceof a strong bad man’s shell, attached to an eastern idol. There isa German Chela included, and also a fraudulent message.

Theosophical Activities.

The American Theosophical Council.—In the July Theosophist, itwas announced that the General Council had resolved to organize the AmericanBranches upon a better and more permanent basis, than previouslyexisted, and that instructions to postpone the Board of Control meeting hadbeen sent.

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The formal orders have arrived, and are in brief, that all the Brancheshere are to be formed into the American Council, which is to be the WesternSection of the General Council, but subordinate to it, whereupon the Boardof Control goes out of existence; all Branch presidents and the presentmembers of the Board of Control are to be ex-officio members of this Councilwhich the orders direct to be formed on call of the Board of Control as soonas possible after receipt of advices. Other members of the Council, to beselected from the whole body of American Theosophists, may be elected,and the Council is to meet in time to forward reports to the regularCouncil at Adyar in December.

This action is eminently wise, as the term Board of Control was misleading,inasmuch as the very foundation of the Society is democratic in itsnature, and control savored to much of form, ceremonies, discipline, officers,secret reports and all the paraphernalia of an established church.

In all other respects the routine is unchanged by the orders. With 14Branches and others contemplated, these great United States ought to standin fair way of being soon theosophized.

Malden.—Members are working and studying. They enjoy advantagesin having a few who thoroughly understand the subject.

New York.—The Aryan Theosophical Society meets regularly. Notmany open meetings have occurred in August or July, but frequent privateones have been held, and the members are deeply in earnest. The library hasreceived several additions, and the books are regularly used by members.

Rumors—are afloat that some very learned and distinguished theosophistsfrom abroad will be here in the fall. If so—and we think our informationis reliable—the whole host of newspapers, critics, and Conways, mayexpect to hear a few more final “last words on Theosophy.” Gentlemenof the opposition! the cycle runs its course, the terrible wheel of Karmaturns round resistlessly, and you cannot stop it, astonishing as may seem toyou to be the senility of people in running after Theosophy.

Rosicrucians.—The Society of the R. C. is being revived in Germanyit is said, and theosophists are in it. Next month we will give a resuméof some of their ideas.

“A knot of ignorance binds all men’s hearts; this, action looses andGod’s grace imparts.”—Hindi verse.

“Study all Scriptures written, near or far;

Worship all images and saints of earth; But if you do not study whoyou are, All your best actions are nothing worth.”—Sanscrit verse.OM!

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No. 7.

Every period of soul is measured by time. The period of othersouls indeed is measured by a certain time; but that of the firstsoul, since it is measured by time, is measured by the whole of time.—Proklos’Elements of Theology.

Time, like a seven-wheeled, seven-naved car, moves on; Hisrolling wheels are all the worlds. His axle is immortality.—AtharvaVeda.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. OCTOBER, 1886. No. 7.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

What is the “Theosophical Society”?

AN OPINION IN REGARD TO WHAT IT OUGHT TO BE.
[BY A MEMBER.]

I am often asked by strangers who have heard some accounts of thedoings of the Theosophists: What is the Theosophical Society, and whatis its purpose? Some believe it to be a sect, in which no opinion is sufferedto exist unless it is first sanctioned by certain “Headquarters” or “Boardsof Control”; others believe it to be a school for occultism and witchcraft;others think that it is a new form of Buddhism, coming under some disguiseto overthrow Christianity, while some of those who do not belong to theChristian church suspect it of being an effort to spread Christian doctrinesamong them by clothing them in some new and more acceptable form.Nearly everyone of such inquirers sees in the T. S. only a bug-bear, andthere are all sorts of opinions except the right one prevailing about it.

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To all such objections I can only answer by showing to them theprinted “Rules of the Theosophical Society,” where under the head“Objects of the Society,” it says: “The Society represents no particularreligious creed, interferes with no man’s caste, is entirely unsectarian andincludes professors of all faiths.” This sounds so beautifully, that peoplewho have been accustomed all their life to cling to creeds and dogmas and“recognized authorities” are unable to believe that it can be true. Moreoverthe objectors have heard of “Boards of Control,” of “PresidentialOrders,” of “Official Organs,” etc., and all these things have such an air ofsectarianism, that they seem to be hardly compatible with the spirit offreedom, so loudly proclaimed by the T. S. It is asked: What has a“Board of Control” to control? Who enforces obedience to presidentialorders? Does the official organ promulgate the dogmas of the sect; and ifnot, what then is the use of these things? It seems therefore time that weshould once more consider what the T. S. is, or what it ought to be.

It must be plain to every lover of truth, that, however great the progressmay be, which modern civilization has made in regard to the materialand temporal welfare of man, the world is still far from having attainedphysical, intellectual, moral and spiritual perfection. Disease and crime,suffering and death, poverty, tyranny and ignorance are still in existence,and although there are many organized bodies, whose purpose it is to dogood and to cure the ills of humanity, still the majority of such bodies arehampered to a certain extent by old beliefs, usages, creeds and superstitions,their activity is not sufficiently free, because their opinions are not free; theymay benefit a certain class of humanity, but not all mankind; they knowperhaps a part of the truth, but not all of it; their charity extends over asmall circle, but not over the whole world. The root of all evil is ignorance,with its children, superstition, fear, crime and disease; the only remedyagainst ignorance is to spread the knowledge of truth.

There have been at all times men and societies, willing to spread thatwhich they believe to be the truth, by all means which were at their command,whether fair or foul; there have been people ready to force their opinions inregard to the truth upon others, by the power of the sword, the fa*ggot,the rack and the fire; but the truth cannot be spread in this manner. Realknowledge of the good, the beautiful and the true can only be attained byobtaining the knowledge of self, and the knowledge of self must grow inevery individual in the course of his development. It can no more be implantedby others or be forced upon another, than a tree be made to growby pulling its trunk. The object of the true Theosophist is therefore toattain self-knowledge, and to employ the knowledge which he possesses, forthe purpose of accomplishing the greatest good.

There is perhaps not a single country upon the face of the earth, in195which may not be found a number of persons, who desire to obtain self-knowledge,to find the truth by means of a free and unrestricted investigation,and to employ their knowledge for the benefit of humanity.There are persons who desire to see true progress in the place of stagnation,knowledge in the place of accepted but still dubious opinions, wisdom inthe place of sophistry, universal love and benevolence in the place of selfishness.Such men and women may be found here and there, and each oneacts in the way he considers the best. Some work by means of the school,others by means of the pulpit; some teach science, others influence thesense of the beautiful and true by their works of art, others speak thepowerful language of music; but the most advanced of these give an exampleto others by their own Christlike conduct in the affairs of every-day life.

The great majority of such persons, interested in the welfare of humanity,live isolated although they may be residing in crowded cities; for they findfew who share their mode of feeling and thought and who have identical objectsin view. They are often living in communities where little more butselfishness, the greed for money-making or perhaps bigotry and superstitionare found. They are isolated and without the support of those who sympathizewith their ideas; for although one universal principle unites all those whohave the same object in view; still their persons are unknown to each otherand they seldom find means for mutual intercourse and exchange of thought.

Now let us suppose that in each country a centre of communicationwere to be established, by means of which such persons could come intocontact with each other, and that at each such centre a journal or newspaperwere to be established, by means of which such persons could exchangetheir thoughts;—not a centre from which supreme wisdom was to be dispensedand from whence dogmas were to be doled out for the unthinkingbelievers; but a centre through which the thought of the members ofthe society could freely flow; and we could then have an ideal “TheosophicalSociety.” Such a centre would resemble a central telephone station to whichall the different wires extend, and it would require a trustworthy servant atthe office to connect the wires and to attend to the external affairs connectedwith the affairs of the office; but if such a “telephone operator” would attemptto interfere with the messages running over the wires, and to assumean authority to say what kinds of opinions should be wired and what messagesshould be suppressed; if he were to assume the role of a dictator andpermit only such messages to pass over the wires as would be in harmonywith his own ideas; then the object of the centre of communication wouldcome to nought; we would again have papal dictates and presidential ordersin the place of liberty of thought and speech, and there would be an end ofthe object and purpose of the society.

But on the other hand, if every unripe mind were to be permitted to196have his effusions printed at the expense of the society, and to teach things,which perhaps a few months afterwards, having learned to know better, hewould be sorry to think that they had ever seen the light, such a proceedingwould throw discredit upon the society and be moreover altogetherimpracticable.

Our “telephone operator” should therefore be a man possessed of thegreatest circ*mspection and discrimination, and while he should never interferewith the expression of any opinion, no matter how much opposedthe latter may be to his own opinion, he should at the same time be permittedto cut down the messages sent over his wires to certain limits and topresent them, if necessary, in a more suitable form.

As regards the liberty of speech, it would be an absurdity if such asociety were to attempt to prescribe to any of its members what kind ofopinions or dogmas he should express; because whatever opinions he maypronounce, they could never be regarded as being the opinions of the societyas a whole; for the society as such “represents no particular creed” and “isentirely unsectarian.” If in spite of this solemn assertion anyone choosesto believe that the opinions publicly expressed by a member of the societyrepresent the creed of the society, such an unfortunate circ*mstance can onlybe deplored, but will do no serious harm. On the other hand if a “president”or “board of control” should attempt to preside over more important thingsthan merely over the meetings of the members, and if a “board of control”would attempt to control the conscience and the opinions of the members, insteadof merely exercising its control over the external affairs of the society;and if an “official organ” would attempt to postulate what ought and whatought not to be believed by the members of the society, such a proceedingwould be in direct opposition to the spirit, the object and the purpose of thatsociety, and in contradiction to the principles upon which it was founded;and while it should be the object of every lover of truth to assist the growthof a true “Theosophical Society,” and to maintain its purity of principle, itshould also be his aim to suffocate in the germ everything that is opposed toliberty and freedom of speech.

I beg every member of the Theosophical Society to well consider thesepoints, for upon their consideration and decision, depends the solution of thequestion, whether the Theosophical Society shall end in a farce, or whetherit shall be the great movement which it was intended to be.

F. Hartmann.

Kemplen (Bavaria), Aug. 23, 1886.

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Apollonius and the Mahatmas.

[READ BEFORE THE MALDEN BRANCH, T. S.]

The journey to India made by the great adept, Apollonius of Tyana,has a special interest for us modern students of occultism. The story of thisjourney, related in the life of Apollonius by Philostratus, has been held bymany to be a fable, and Mr. Tredwell, in his laudable work, omits anyaccount of it. To an earnest Theosophist, however, the internal evidenceof the narration is too strong to be resisted, although it is told at thirdhand probably with the adornments which an accomplished Greek authorthought needful for the requisite grace of style.

Apollonius may perhaps be said to have been the Master whose missionwas to set the temples in order for the departure of the glorious classic era.Born in the same century as Jesus of Nazareth, nowhere did the teachings ofthe two, so far as it appears, come into open contact, although the fame of theformer spread far and wide in Europe, Asia and Africa during his lifetime.It is said, however, that although no creed bears his name, his work inthe world was nevertheless immense and his teachings have, in many unperceivedways, influenced millions of human beings down to the presentday.

Apollonius was still a young man when he went to India, but eventhen he was famous for his wisdom. He had been sent, as a boy of fourteenyears, to school in Tarsus by his wealthy father, but he did not like theways of that city and he was allowed to remove to Aegæ, also in Sicily,where he studied the great philosophers and was specially drawn to theteachings of Pythagoras. At the age of sixteen he fully adopted the Pythagoreanlife and held firmly to it ever after, letting his hair grow long, eatingno flesh, and drinking no wine, and wearing no clothing made of animalproducts. He took up his abode in the temple of Asclepius, andthousands were attracted thither by the wisdom of the wonderfully beautifulyouth. Grown to manhood, he made a vow of silence and spoke not aword for five years. Then for a time he taught in Antioch. When askedhow the wise man should treat questions of learning, he replied: “Likethe law-giver. For the law-giver must make that, of whose truth he hasconvinced himself, into commandments for the multitude.”

He now conceived the idea of a journey to India to meet the wise menknown as Brahmins and Hyrkanians. He afterwards told the EgyptianGymnosophists that his thoughts were directed to them in his youth,but his teacher pointed out to him that in India lived the men who stoodnearest the source of wisdom, and from whom the Egyptians themselvesderived their light.

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His seven disciples in Antioch had not the courage to undertake thejourney with him, and he departed with two of his family servants, “onefor writing rapidly and the other finely,” according to Philostratus. AtNinus he was joined by Damis the Ninivite. This young Assyrian wasthenceforth his devoted disciple, accompanying him on all his many journeysthroughout his long career. It is to Damis that we chiefly owe the detailedaccounts of the doings of the Master thenceforward. We are thereby enabledto see Apollonius in his daily life; in his various deeds and actions,his familiar sayings recorded as he talks with his faithful companion aboutthe common sights and occurrences around them. The picture is thereforeexceptionally intimate, and the man himself is brought near to us as well ashis divine teachings. When Damis was reproached for writing down suchtrifles about his master, and compared with a dog devouring the crumbsfrom a table, he replied: “When the gods are feasting they doubtless haveservants who take care that no crumbs of ambrosia are lost.”

A year and eight months were spent in Babylon, where King Bardanus,who was a friend of wisdom, received Apollonius with great honors. Considerableintercourse was had with the Magi; he learnt something of themand also taught them something. Damis was forbidden to accompany himin his visits to them, but he said that Apollonius visited them at noon andat midnight. Once Damis asked “What are the Magi?” and was answered,“They are indeed wise, but not in everything.” The King became ill, andApollonius spoke so much and so divinely about the soul that the monarchsaid to those around: “Apollonius not only relieves me of concern for theKingdom, but also for Death.”

Apollonius, in departing, refused all gifts, but the King provided himwith camels and all things needful for the journey. When the King askedwhat he would bring him from India he replied. “A joyful gift, O King!For if intercourse with the men there makes me wiser, I shall come back tothee better than I now am.”

Upon this the King embraced him and said: “May’st thou but come;for this gift is great.”

They crossed what they called the Caucasus mountains, separating Indiaand Medea. May it not be that from this ancient designation we get the nameof the Caucasian race, rather than from what is now known as the Caucasus?This would make the place of origin identical with that commonly ascribedto the Aryans.

Crossing the Indus they soon came to Taxila, which they called thecapital of India. It is difficult to trace out their exact course, the presentnames of most geographical features being quite different from the designationsgiven by Damis. It would probably require a thorough Occultistto tell just what places they did visit. King Phraotes was the ruler at Taxila,199and in him Apollonius found an initiate. The latter was struck with themodest simplicity of the monarch’s surroundings on entering the palace, andinferred that he must be a philosopher. The King told Apollonius thecourse which a youth took who proposed to dedicate himself to the pursuitof Wisdom. When he had reached his 18th year he had to cross the Hyphasisriver to those men who had attracted Apollonius to India. Beforehand, however,he had to make his intention publicly known, in order that he mightbe restrained in case he was not pure. To be pure one had to be withoutblemish in respect to father and mother, and moreover with an upright ancestryfor three generations. If without fault in this respect the youth himself wasthen examined as to whether he had a good memory, whether he wasnaturally inclined to uprightness or would only have it appear so, whethergiven to drink or gluttony, of boastful habits, evil or foolish ways, whetherobedient to father, mother and instructors, and finally if he had made noevil use of the bloom of his youth. “Since wisdom stands in great esteemhere,” said the King, “and is honored by the Indians, it is of great momentthat those who seek to devote themselves unto it should be carefully examinedand made to undergo thousandfold tests.”

B.

(Concluded in November.)

Sufism,

PART II.—SYMBOLS.

The practical expounder and preachers of Sufism are the Dervishes, the monks of Islam.

Zaous Abou Add er-Rahman, of Persian origin, but born in Yemen,led the way. He had passed his early youth in the society of Zein el Abidin,the son of Hasan, and grandson of Ali, and the first of that family whoin life and writing professed the mystical ideas and austere practices, whichever afterwards distinguished the race. Abou-Horeirah, the devoutest ofMohammed’s own companions, and Ebn Abbas were also his masters. Hetook up his abode at Mecca, the centre of religious feeling, and soon Zaous’200influence began to appear among the crowd of pilgrims from all parts ofthe Mohammedan empire; they began to imitate his long prayers, his fasts,and extreme poverty, and above all his open contempt for all worldly dignityand rank, and many adopted the peculiarity of his dress, the long andpatched garment and the high woollen cap, both of which later became socharacteristic of the Sufi.

One of his most distinguished followers was Hasan Yesar, like Zaous,of Persian origin, but born in Arabia, in Medinah. Having received his liberty(he was born after his mother had become a slave of Omm Salma,one of the numerous wives of the Prophet), he retired to Basra, on the PersianGulf, a town known for its attachment to the family of Ali and theirdoctrines, and henceforth a stronghold of the ascetic sect. His life provedthe truth and strength of his doctrines, and Basra was now their headquarters.

Malik Ebn Dinar, a Persian, and a slave by birth, known for his loveof manual labor, poverty and humility, next appears as chief among theascetics of his age.

Omar Abou Othman, was a disciple of Hasan Yesar and also an inhabitantof Basra. Hasan Yesar described him as one worthy of angels andprophets for preceptors and guides, one who never exhorted save to what hehad first put in practice, nor deterred from anything except what he himselfinviolably abstained from. He was a vigorous asserter of man’s free-will.

About the same time Omar Abou Durr at Coufa and Sofein Abou AbdAllah displayed similar examples of austerity and virtue, and so didHammad Abou Ismail, son of the celebrated Abou Hanifah, Abd AllahMeroujï, and Mohammed Ebn es Semmak.

But whether at Mecca or at Basra, the various ascetics already mentioned,and the many not mentioned; whatever personal influence theyexercised, and virtues they possessed, they did not form a particular anddistinct association or brotherhood. No common rule united them, nordid they group themselves around any superior or chief, as yet.

But the next prominent man among them was not only a remarkableman as an ascetic, but also the father and founder of all the numerous Dervishfamily. His name was Fodheil Abou Ali Zalikani. He was born ofPersian parents and spent his youth as a highway robber. One night hehad scaled the walls of a house where the girl of whom he was enamoreddwelt, and concealed on the roof, awaited the moment to descend and gratifyhis passion. But while thus occupied he heard a voice repeating thewell-known verse of the Quran: “Is it not high time for those who believeto open their hearts to compunction?” “Lord, it is high time indeed,” repliedFodheil; and leaving the house, as well as his evil design, he retiredto a half-ruined caravansarai not far off, there to pass the rest of the night.201Several travellers were at the moment lodged in the caravansarai, and, concealedby the darkness, he overheard their conversation: “Let us start onour journey,” said one; and the others answered: “Let us wait till morning,for the robber Fodheil is out on the roads.” This completed the conversionof the already repentant highwayman. He advanced towards the travellers,and, discovering himself to them, assured them that henceforth neither theynor any others should have aught to fear from him. He then stripped himselfof his weapons and worldly gear, put on a patched and tattered garment,and passed the rest of his life in wandering from place to place, in theseverest penitence and in extreme poverty, sometimes alone, sometimes withnumerous disciples, whom he took under his direction, and formed into astrict and organized brotherhood. But with all his austerity of life, his prolongedfasts and watchings, his ragged dress and wearisome pilgrimages, hepreferred the practice of interior virtue and purity of intention to all outwardobservances, and used often to say that “he who is modest and compliantto others, and lives in meekness and patience, gains a higher reward by sodoing than if he fasted all his days, and watched in prayer all his nights.”At so high a price did he place obedience to a spiritual guide, and so necessarydid he deem it, that he declared: “Had I a promise of whatever Ishould ask in prayer, yet would I not offer that prayer save in union with asuperior.” But his favorite virtue was the love of God in perfect conformityto his will, above all hope and fear. Thus when his only son—whosevirtues resembled his father’s—died in early age, Fodheil was seenwith a countenance of unusual cheerfulness; and being asked by hisintimate disciple Ragi Abou Ali, afterwards Kadhi of the town of Rei, thereason therefor, he answered: “It was God’s good pleasure, and it istherefore my good pleasure also.” We must notice one more of his famoussentences: “Much is he beguiled who serves God from fear or hope, for thistrue service is for mere love;” and, speaking of himself: “I serve God becauseI cannot help serving Him for very love’s sake.”

Fodheil died in the year 187 of the Hegira. His disciple was IbrahimEbn Adhem, son of noble parents and also a Persian by birth, and he is anexample upon the forbearance under injury and reluctance to have theirright manifested, so prominent amongst the disciples of Fodheil.

After the death of Fodheil the supreme direction of the brotherhoodwas vested in Bishar el Hafi, a native of Meron and inhabitant of Bagdad.When young he had, like Fodheil, led a reckless life, till one day walkingin the streets he saw written on a piece of paper, torn and trampled on bythe feet of the passers-by, the name of God. He picked it up and, havingcleaned it to the best of his ability, took it home and placed it out of thereach of further profanation. The same night he heard a voice saying tohim;202 “Bishar, thou has honoured my name. I will accordingly renderthy name honourable in this world and in that to come.” He awoke fromsleep a changed man, and began a new life of penance and virtue. Thename Hafi signifies barefoot. He walked barefooted. His greatest trial wasfrom the veneration of man: “O God,” he used to say, “save me from thishonour, the requital of which may perchance be confusion in another life.”

Our space forbids us to dwell upon the Egyptian ascetics who helpedto lay the foundation for the future Sufism. We pass by them and dwellmainly with the Persian representatives.

About this time—the beginning of the fourth century—two events occurredof greatest importance in the history we are narrating. The Samanideprinces had gained ascendency in the empire over the AbbasideCaliphs. All the princes of the Samanide race were remarkable for theirpiety and patronage of learning. Nasser Ebn Ahmed, signalized himself byhis love of retirement and religious meditation. He founded an oratory atBokhara which soon became the resort of the now numerous ascetics, andsoon other similar institutions arose throughout the country and the dervishesof the East now took on them their permanent name and manner of life.

The other event which characterized this era was the outbreak of openheterodoxy among the ascetics. Hitherto they had concealed their tenetsand practices, opposed as they were to the prevailing system, much after thefashion of Ali Zein el Abidin, grandson of the famous Ali, grand-master ofthe secret order:

After these ascetics had learned their strength from their union theybegan to take part in politics and worked zealously with that party thatwished to overthrow the family and religion of Mohammed and place Aliand mysticism in their stead. They accordingly soon had martyrs in theirranks. Thus died at Bagdad the famous Hosain Abou Meghith el Halladj.To his school belonged the three giants of learning and piety: Abd-el-Kadirel Ghilani, Mohi ed Din Ebn-Aarabi el Moghrebi, and Omar Ebn elFaridh. We pen a few of his words:

He taught the freedom of the human will and wrote the followingsatire on the predestinarian system of Islam:

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He it is who thus in his verse addresses God:

Halladj’s three famous disciples gave their names to the three principalbrotherhoods among the Mohammedans, and their work remains to this day.

Abd-el-Kadir el Ghilani was a Persian by birth and resided at Bagdad.Nobody doubted that he was the Kothb of his time, and as such he announcedhimself in his ecstatic state, though ordinarily he strove to concealhimself under the veil of a mean and despicable appearance. He foundedthe order of the Qadiriyah which association counted in its ranks some ofthe greatest names among Eastern mystics and poets. The doctrine of theorder was that of Hosein el Halladj, whom he taught the order to lookupon as their master, though their doctrine was commonly veiled under aseemingly orthodox terminology. They subsist to this day and are countedamong the most prominent.

M. D’hosson in his celebrated work on the Ottoman empire traces theorigin of the Faquirs to the time of Mohammed in the following manner:In the first year of the Hegira, forty-five citizens of Mecca joined themselvesto many others from Medina. They took an oath of fidelity to the doctrinesof their Prophet, and formed a sect or fraternity, the object of which was toestablish among themselves a community of property, and to perform everyday certain religious practices in a spirit of penitence and mortification.To distinguish themselves from other Mohammedans, they took the nameof Sufis. This name, which later was attributed to the most zealous partizansof Islam, is the same still in use to indicate any Muselman who retiresfrom the world to study, to lead a life of pious contemplation, and to followthe most painful exercises of an exaggerated devotion. To the name of Sufithey added also that of Faquir, because their maxim was to renounce thegoods of the earth, and to live in an entire abnegation of all worldly enjoyments,following thereby the words of the Prophet: “Poverty is my pride.”Following their example, Abu Bakr and Ali established, even during the lifetimeof the Prophet and under his own eyes, religious orders, over which each204presided, with Zikrs or peculiar religious exercises, established by themseparately, and a vow taken by each of the voluntary disciples formingthem. On his decease, Abu Bakr made over his office of president to oneSalmann l-Farisi, and Ali to al-Hasann l-Basri, and each of these chargeswere consecrated under the title of Khalifah, or successor. The two firstsuccessors followed the example of the Khalifahs of Islam, and transmittedit to their successors, and these in turn to others, the most aged and venerableof their fraternity. Some among them, led by the delirium of theimagination, wandered away from the primitive rules of their society, andconverted, from time to time, these fraternities into a multitude of religiousorders.***It was about A. H. 49 (A. D. 766) that theShaikh Alwan, a mystic renowned for his religious fervor, founded the firstregular order of the Faquirs, now known as the Alwaniyah.

The Bastamiyah, the Nagshbandiyah, and the Bakhtashiyah descendfrom the original order established by Abu Bakr. All the others come fromAli.

THE FAQUIRS OR DERVISHES.

The Arabic word Faqir signifies poor, poor in the sense of being inneed of mercy, poor in the sight of God. The Persian equivalent Darvishis derived from dar “a door”—those who “beg from door to door.”

The dervishes are, as stated before, the practical expounders of Mohammedanism.They are divided into two great classes, the ba Shara (with thelaw), or those who govern their conduct according to the principles of Islam:and the be Shara (without the law), or those who do not rule their lives accordingto the formal principles of any religious creed, although they callthemselves Muslims. To the latter, the Sufis principally belong. TheseFaquirs are called either Azad, the free, or Majnub, the absorbed. Theformer shave their beards, whiskers, eyebrows, etc., and live a life of celibacy.

Every school and every brotherhood has its own distinctive teachingsand technicalities, and its peculiar practices and observances, its saints anddoctors, great men and founders.

A student will also readily discover a different character in Arabic andPersian Sufism. The Arabic being nearer to Christianity takes up muchfrom it, but moulds it in its peculiar way; the Persian being nearer thetraditions of Zoroaster and in immediate contact with Manechaism, naturallyborrows from thence. Thus the “pantheistic” tendencies, such asDivine absorption, universal manifestation of the Deity under the seemingappearances of limited forms, the final return of all things to the unity ofGod, a tendency to regard matter as evil, the reprobation of marriage, etc.—thesewere ideas that rose from Persian soil, while the ideas of a radiantDivinity mediating between the supreme fountain-head of Being and the205created world; of an all-prevading Spirit of love; of detachment from theworld; of poverty, humility, etc., were more akin to Christian belief.

Still Saadis’ description applies to all: “The outward tokens of adervish are a patched garment and a shaven head; and the inward signs, thoseof being alive in the spirit, and dead in the flesh:—‘not he who will sitapart from his fellow-creatures at the door of supplication with God; and,if he shall reject his prayer, will stand up in disobedience; or if a millstonecome rolling down a mountain, he is not intelligent in the ways of providence,that would rise to avoid it.’

“The ritual of the Dervishes is gratitude and praise, worship and obedience,contentment and charity, and a belief in the unity and providence ofGod, having a reliance on and being resigned to his will, confident of hisfavour, and forbearant of all: whosoever is endowed with these qualificationsis in truth a dervish, notwithstanding he be arrayed in gorgeous apparel:whereas, the irreligious and hypocritical vainboaster, sensualist, and whor*monger,who turn days into nights in his slavish indulgences, and convertsnights into days in his dreams of forgetfulness; who eats whatever falls inhis way, and speaks whatever comes uppermost, is a profligate, thoughclothed in the sackcloth of a saint.——”

The dervishes differ, says A. Vambery,120 from each other only by themanner in which they demonstrate their enthusiasm; still the more we penetratetowards the East, the greater is the purity with which they have beenpreserved. In Persia the dervishes play a much more important part thanin Turkey, and in Central Asia, isolated as it has been from the rest of theworld for centuries, this fraternity is still in full vigor, and exercises a greatinfluence upon society.

According to A. Vambery, the Bektashi, Mevlevi, and Rufai orders areprincipally found in Turkey; the Kadrie and Djelali in Arabia; the Oveisiand the Nurbakhchi Nimetullahi in Persia; the Khilali and Zahibi in India,and the Nakishbendi and Sofi (a recent order) in Central Asia.

According to Th. P. Hughes121 the following are the chief orders ofFaqirs met with in North India: (1) The Naqshbandia, the followers ofKhwajah Pir Mohammed Naqshband, and are a very numerous sect; theyusually perform the Zikr-i-Khafi122 or the silent devotion. (2) The Qadiriasprung from the celebrated Sayyid Abdul Qadir, surnamed Pir Dustagir,whose shrine is at Bagdad. They practice both forms of the Zikr. Most ofthe Sunni Moulavis of the north-west frontier of India are members of thisorder. In Egypt it is most popular among the fisherman. (3) The Chishtiaare followers of Banda Nawaz, whose shrine is at Calburgah; they are par206tialto vocal music, for the founder of the order remarked, that singing wasthe food and support of the soul. They perform the Zikr-i-Jali. (4) TheJalalia founded by Sayyid Jalal-ud-din of Bokhara; they are met with inCentral Asia. Religious mendicants are often of this order. (5) TheSarwardia are popular in Afganistan and comprise many learned men.They are the followers of Hasan Bisri of Basra, near Bagdad. These fiveare all ba-Shara Faqirs.

The be-Shara Faqirs are very numerous. The most popular order isthat of the Mudaria, founded by Zinda Shah Murdar of Syria, whose shrineis at Mukanpur, in Oudh. From these have sprung the Malang Faqirs whocrowd the bazaars of India. They wear their hair matted or tied in a knot.The Rafia order is also a numerous one in some parts of India. Theypractice the most severe discipline and mortify themselves by scourging.

The secrets of the dervish orders cannot be learned. An initiation isdescribed in Lane’s Society is the Middle Ages and the following is another.

The following is the account of the admission of Tewekkul Bêg intothe order of the Qadiriyahfaqirs, one of the four most prominent ones, byMoolla Shah, a Saint and poet of some celebrity, who died in the year ofthe Hegira 1072 (1661-62 of our era), at Lahore, where his shrine wasreared by the Princess Fatima, daughter of Shah-Jihan. Tewekkul is himselfthe narrator:

“Having been introduced, by means of Akhônd Mollâ MohammedSay’d into the intimate circle of Mollâ Shah, my heart through frequentintercourse with the Sheikh was filled with a burning desire of reaching thesublime goal [of the mystical science], and I no longer found sleep bynight nor rest by day** I passed the whole of that night withoutbeing able to shut my eyes, and betook myself to reciting a hundredthousand times the one hundred and twelfth chapter of the Qoran. I accomplishedthis in several days. It is well known that in this chapter of theQoran the great Name of God is contained, and that through the power ofthat Name, whoever recites it a hundred thousand times may obtain all thathe desires. I conceived then the wish that the Master should bestow hisaffection upon me. And, in fact, I convinced myself of the efficacy of thismeans, for hardly had I finished the hundred thousandth recitation of thischapter of the book of God, when the heart of the Master was filled withsympathy for me, and he gave order to Senghin Mohammed, his vicar, toconduct me on the following night to his presence. During that wholenight he concentrated his mind upon me, while I directed my meditationupon my own heart; but the knot of my heart was not unloosed. So passedthree nights, during which he made me the object of his spiritual attention,without any result being manifested. On the fourth night Mollâ Shâh said,207‘This night Mollâ Senghin and Sâlih Bêg, who are both very susceptible toecstatic emotions, will direct their whole mind upon the neophyte.’ Theyobeyed this order, while I remained seated the whole night, my face turnedtowards Mecca, at the same time concentrating all my mental faculties uponmy own heart. Towards daybreak, a little light and brightness came intomy heart, but I could distinguish neither form nor color. After morningprayer I presented myself, and the two persons I have just mentioned, beforethe Master who saluted me and asked them what they had done to me.They replied: ‘Ask him, himself.’ Then, addressing me, he told me torelate to him my impressions. I said that I had seen a brightness in myheart; whereupon the Sheikh became animated, and said to me: ‘Thyheart contains an infinity of colors, but it is become so dark that the looksof these two crocodiles of the infinite ocean [the mystic science] have notavailed to bestow upon it either brightness or clearness; the moment is comewhen I myself will show thee how it is enlightened.’ With these words hemade me sit in front of him, while my senses were, so to speak, inebriated,and ordered me to reproduce within me his appearance. Then, havingblindfolded me, he bade me concentrate all my mental faculties upon myheart. I obeyed, and in an instant, by the divine favor and the spiritualassistance of the Sheikh, my heart was opened. I saw then within mesomething like a cup, turned upside down; and this object having beenturned up again, a feeling of illimitable happiness filled my whole being.I said to the Master, ‘This cell, where I am sitting before you—I see afaithful reproduction of it within me, and it seems as if another TéwekkulBêg were seated before another Mollâ Shâh.‘ He answered, ‘It is well; thefirst vision which presents itself to thy view is the figure of the Master.’*** He next bade me uncover my eyes, which I did, and Ithen saw him, by the material organ of vision, seated in front of me. Againhe made me bandage them, and I perceived him by my spiritual vision,seated in front of me just the same. Full of wonder I cried out, ‘O myMaster, whether I look with my bodily eyes or my spiritual vision, it isalways you that I see.’ Meanwhile I saw advance towards me a dazzlingfigure, and upon my telling the Master of it, he bade me ask the apparitionits name. In my spirit I put to it that question, and the figure answeredme by the voice of the heart, ‘My name is Abd Alkâdir Glilâny.’ I heardthis answer by my spiritual ear. The Master then advised me to pray theSaint to give me his spiritual help and succor. I made this petition; andthe apparition said to me, ‘I had already granted to thee my spiritual assistance;hence it is that the knots of thy heart have been loosed.’ Full ofdeep gratitude, I imposed on myself the obligation of reciting every Fridaynight the whole Qoran in honor of this great Saint, and for two whole yearsI never neglected this practice. Mollâ Shâh then said,208 ‘The spiritual worldhas been shown to thee in all its beauty: remain there seated, effacing thyselfcompletely in the marvels of this unknown world.’

“I obeyed strictly the directions of my Master, and, day by day, thespiritual world became more and more unveiled before me. The next dayI saw the figures of the Prophet and his chief Companions, and legions ofSaints and Angels passed before my inner vision. Three months passed inthis manner, after which the sphere where all color is effaced opened beforeme, and then all the figures disappeared. During all this time the Masterceased not to explain to me the doctrine of the union with God and ofmystical intuition. But, nevertheless, the Absolute Reality would not showitself to me. It was not until after a year that the knowledge of the AbsoluteReality, in its relation with the conception of my own existence came to me.The following verses revealed themselves at that moment to my heart, whencethey passed unbidden to my lips:—

“I submitted to Mollâ Shâh this poetical inspiration, and he rejoicedthat the idea of the union with God was at last manifested to my heart; andaddressing his disciples, he said: ‘Tèwekkul Bêg has heard from my mouththe words of the doctrine of the union with God, and he will never betraythe mystery. His inner eye is opened; the sphere of color and images isshown to him, and at last the sphere where all color is effaced has been revealedto him. Whoever after having passed through these phases of theunion with God, has obtained the Absolute Reality, shall no more be ledastray, whether by his own doubts or by those which sceptics may suggestto him.”

(To be continued.)

Musings on the True Theosophist’sPath.

II.

“Work as those work who are ambitious.—Respect life as those do who desire it.—Behappy as those are who live for happiness.”—Light on the Path.

We are tried in wondrous ways, and in the seemingly unimportantaffairs of life, there often lie the most dangerous of the temptations.

Labor, at best, is frequently disagreeable owing either to mental or209physical repugnance. When he who seeks the upward path, begins to findit, labor grows more burdensome, while at the time, he is, owing to hisphysical condition, not so well fitted to struggle with it. This is all true,but there must be no giving in to it. It must be forgotten. He must work,and if he cannot have the sort he desires or deems best suited to him, thenmust he take and perform that which presents itself. It is that whichhe most needs. It is not intended either, that he do it to have it done. Itis intended that he work as if it was the object of his life, as if his wholeheart was in it. Perhaps he may be wise enough to know that there issomething else, or that the future holds better gifts for him, still this alsomust to all intents be forgotten, while he takes up his labor, as if there wereno to-morrow.

Remember that life is the outcome of the Ever-Living. If you havecome to comprehend a little of the mystery of life, and can value its attractionsaccording to their worth; these are no reasons why you should walkforth with solemn countenance to blight the enjoyments of other men. Lifeto them is as real, as the mystery is to you. Their time will come as yourshas, so hasten it for them, if you can, by making life brighter, more joyous,better.

If it be your time to fast, put on the best raiment you have, and goforth, not as one who fasts, but as one who lives for life.

Do your sighing and crying within you. If you can not receive thesmall events of life and their meanings without crying them out to all theworld, think you that you are fitted to be trusted with the mysteries?

The doing away with one or certain articles of diet, in itself, will notopen the sealed portals. If this contained the key, what wise beings must thebeasts of the field be, and what a profound Mystic must Nebuchadnezarhave been, after he was “turned out to grass!”

There are some adherents of a faith, which has arisen in the land, whodeem it wise to cast away all things that are distasteful to them; to cutasunder the ties of marriage because they deem it will interfere with theirspiritual development, or because the other pilgrim is not progressed enough.Brothers, there lives not the man who is wise enough to sit as a judge uponthe spiritual development of any living being. He is not only unwise butblasphemous who says to another: “Depart! you impede my exalted spiritualdevelopment.”

The greatest of all truths lies frequently in plain sight, or veiled in contraries.The impression has gone abroad that the Adept or the Mystic ofhigh degree, has only attained his station by forsaking the association of hisfellow creatures or refusing the marriage tie. It is the belief of very wiseTeachers that all men who had risen to the highest degrees of Initiation,have at some time passed through the married state. Many men, failing in210the trials, have ascribed their failure to being wedded, precisely as that othercoward, Adam, after being the first transgressor cried out “It was Eve.”

One of the most exalted of the Divine Mysteries lies hidden here—therefore,Oh Man, it is wise to cherish that which holds so much of Godand seek to know its meaning; not by dissolution and cutting asunder, butby binding and strengthening the ties. Our most Ancient Masters knew ofthis and Paul also speaks of it. (Ephesians v. 32.)

Be patient, kindly and wise, for perhaps in the next moment of life, thelight will shine out upon thy companion, and you discover that you are buta blind man, claiming to see. Remember this, that you own not one thingin this world. Your wife is but a gift, your children are but loaned to you.All else you possess is given to you only while you use it wisely. Yourbody is not yours, for Nature claims it as her property. Do you notthink, Oh Man, that it is the height of arrogance for you to sit in judgmentupon any other created thing, while you, a beggar, are going about in aborrowed robe?

If misery, want and sorrow are thy portion for a time, be happy that itis not death. If it is death be happy there is no more of life.

You would have wealth, and tell of the good you would do with it.Truly will you lose your way under these conditions. It is quite probable,that you are as rich as you ever will be, therefore, desire to do good withwhat you have—and do it. If you have nothing, know that it is best andwisest for you. Just so surely as you murmur and complain just so surelywill you find that “from him that hath not, shall be taken even that whichhe hath.” This sounds contradictory, but in reality is in most harmoniousagreement. Work in life and the Occult are similar; all is the result ofyour own effort and will. You are not rash enough to believe that you willbe lifted up into Heaven like the Prophet of old—but you really hope someone will come along and give you a good shove toward it.

Know then, Disciples, that you only can lift yourselves by your own efforts.When this is done, you may have the knowledge that you will findmany to accompany you on your heretofore lonely journey; but neitherthey or your Teacher will be permitted to push or pull you one step onward.

This is all a very essential part of your preparation and trial for Initiation.

You look and wait for some great and astounding occurrence, to showyou that you are going to be permitted to enter behind the veil; that youare to be Initiated. It will never come. He only who studies all thingsand learns from them, as he finds them, will be permitted to enter, and forhim there are no flashing lightnings or rolling thunder. He who enters211the door, does so as gently and imperceptibly, as the tide rises in the night-time.

Live well your life. Seek to realize the meaning of every event.Strive to find the Ever Living and wait for more light. The True Initiatedoes not fully realize what he is passing through, until his degree is received.If you are striving for light and Initiation, remember this, that yourcares will increase, your trials thicken, your family make new demands uponyou. He who can understand and pass through these patiently, wisely,placidly—may hope.

American Mystic.

Poetical Occultism.

SOME ROUGH STUDIES OF THE OCCULT LEANINGS OFTHE POETS.

I.

In the Bagavad-Gita and the Upanishads it is held that:

Ishwara, the Lord of all things, dwells in the heart of every mortal being, and fromthat place causes the illusions of the world to appear to man as reality.

Light on the Path dwells upon the necessity of understanding your ownheart: It tells us to seek for the source of evil there, where it lives, asfruitfully in the heart of the devoted disciple as in that of the man of desire,and that your heart is the profoundest mystery of all the great obscurities.

Longfellow felt this when, in The Beleaguered City, he sang:—

This verse occurs to him in connection with the old story that the Cityof Prague was once beleaguered by a vast phantom army, which campeddown on the opposite bank of the river, and he likens the human heart toPrague. Here, in the city dwells Ishwara, who, while thus imprisoned, isbeleaguered by the vast army—the phantoms of all the acts and thoughts of theperson in this and other lives. Occultism declares with the poet, that theheart is a mystic scroll; it is a veritable field also, in which are sown manyseeds that may lie unnoticed, not only during one life, but often for manymany incarnations, but sure to blossom forth one day under favoring circ*mstances.And as they begin to grow, they evoke the phantoms of thedeeds that sowed them, and those ghostly hosts sweep round the soul in itsprison house.

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In Resignation, Longfellow wrote: “There is no death! What seemsso is transition.”

This is one of the propositions of Occultism. The poet was writingupon the death of the physical body of a girl much beloved, and was consideringthe change which in common life is known as “death.” But thefollowers of the Wisdom Religion know that this terrible change is not reallydeath, is not in any sense the moment of decease of even the physical man.The visible being is a congeries of energies or elements which are by nomeans all dead when the person breathes his last, nor when the body is consignedto the grave. It is only the transition, as Longfellow says, of the informingspirit, to another sphere of action.

The same view is taken in the Atharva Veda, where it says, “Everythingis transformed. Life and death are only modes of transformation, which rulethe vital molecule from plant up to Brahma himself.”

The occult philosophy considers as death, only that process, and period,of separation between all the various elements of one’s lower human andanimal nature; so that, in the case of suicides and other sudden and prematuredeaths, what occultists know as “death,” extends over a long periodof time. The moment called death by the world, is only the time of separationbetween the body and the life principle, which the Hindus call jiva; thisis the moment when the transition begins.

Goethe was a profound student of occultism. Its influence is to betraced throughout his works, and a leading motive in many of his dramasis the dominance over the lives of men of that power which we call Karma.His masterpiece, Faust, upon which a library of commentaries has beenwritten, can only be truly read in the light of Occultism. Faust comes toan end with the following “Mystic Chorus” sung by the assembled Hostsof Heaven:

A wealth of occult meaning is packed into these eight closing lines ofthe grand drama, which is designed to depict the course of the soul fromHeaven, through earth, back to Heaven. All that is impermanent, or of theearth, belonging to the realm of matter, is but a likeness, or symbol, designedfor the instruction of man, who must learn to read the lesson if he is to progress.The Unattainable in the desires of those on and of the earth findswitness, or comes to pass, in the realization of all aspirations in the life be213yond.The indescribable is done there, because man in the flesh has nosenses adequate to comprehend those things pertaining to a higher plane ofexistence. The Ever-womanly is that which makes progress of thesoul possible—the feminine principle which attracts the masculine, or purespirit, to its opposite pole and thereby causes it to manifest itself. It is bythese successive manifestations that the individual is carried forward, enrichedby the experience which only thus, through the attraction of the Ever-womanly,or eternal feminine principle, is attained. So the Ever-womanly,or that whereby God the spirit is made manifest in matter, is the means tolead the soul of man on its course through the grandest possibilities of theUniverse to the most exalted heights of the Indescribable.

Wordsworth, in his Ode on Immortality, says:

It is very clear here that Wordsworth is setting down the theory of“Reincarnation.” For he says the soul had elsewhere its setting; in orderto set elsewhere, it must have had elsewhere an existence. He also refers,quite as curiously as do Whitman and Whittier, to a coming from the east, asif he had memories of a previous life in some oriental land where such ideasprevailed.

Shelley in Prometheus Unbound, sings:

In the foregoing verses, the doctrine of Brotherhood is enunciated.Shelly refers to humanity as one, composed of its many units,—the one-liferunning through all; and also, in the first two lines, to the fact admitted byoccultism, but sneered at by science, and dogmatic theology, that this “chainof linked thought,” compels the elements, and actually affects the courseand destiny of the world. That is, that the Karma of the physical world, indissolublybound up in that of the individuals upon it, is moulded and concentratedby the force of men’s thoughts and lives. To carry this out in onedirection, we say that esoteric theosophy teaches that the inclination of theearth’s axis is made greater or less by the influence of the wickedness or goodnessof the people upon the earth, thus bringing down what the people callevils, such as glacial disturbances, cyclones, earthquakes and other vicissitudesof earthly life. However fanciful this theory may appear, it remainsfor us quite true; and as the scientific world has no reason to give for theinclination of the axis, or for the precession of the equinoxes, we are entitledto hold an opinion where they have none. For the devout Christian thistheory ought to have merits, if he chooses to remember that Sodom and Gomorrahwere destroyed for their wickedness. They grew so horribly bad thatfire was brought upon them either from heaven or beneath. If it ever happened,it must have been a cyclic disturbance. Science pooh-poohs it.Did it take place, then it was the culminating point for the dynamic powerof the evil deeds and thoughts of the inhabitants.

In many places in the Christian bible, reference is made to the cryingout to the Lord of the blood of the slain. Now as blood has no power tocry out, we must try in some way to make sense of these expressions, andthe only way is by giving to the thoughts which produce deeds of violence,a dynamic power. It would then be easy to attribute to the blood the abilityto cry out for justice, instead of saying that the deeds of blood requirecompensation.

But when blood is shed, elemental spirits pour in to the spot, drawnthere by the emanations arising from it, and they become important factorsin this supposed “calling out of the blood from the ground.” Beingstrengthened by the human exhalations, they are a new force composed notonly of the thoughts of the murdered, but also of the despair, hate andrevenge of the slain. Science of course of this knows nothing, and caresless. She cannot tell how long this new force, thus compounded of215elementals, blood, and the thought of slayer and his victim, will last. But theGod of the Christians knew all about this. In Genesis, Ch. iv, Verse 10,He says to Cain:

“What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto mefrom the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hathopened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.”

The blood furnishes the occasion, the thoughts of each give it force, andthe elementals give it a voice to call on God.

S. B. J.

The Corner Stone.

Tradition relates that in the building of King Solomon’s temple therewas a stone of such peculiar shape that the workmen could find no placefor it, though it was regularly cut and with great care, and contained the signof the Master. When the temple was near completion a place was foundfor the stone which the builders had through ignorance rejected. It was theKeystone of the Royal Arch.

Those who have opened the halls of learning to this generation havegiven a foundation stone, and repeatedly declared that no other foundationcan endure, that the floods of time and the storms of passion will surelysweep with the besom of destruction every superstructure not founded on thisrock. And yet there are those who wear the garb of fellow-crafts, and claimthe wages of workmen, who not only reject this stone but ridicule it, andlaugh it to scorn. The result is manifest in the confusion of the workmen,and it will presently become manifest that those who thus reject the corner-stoneof Theosophy are brothers of the shadow literally, rather than Sons ofLight; they will find no designs on the tracing-board, and they will beaccused of murdering the “widow’s son.”

The time for wages will surely come, and even they who have come inat the ninth hour and labored faithfully in the vineyard will receive due wages.

The corner stone of Theosophy is distinctly stated to be UniversalBrotherhood. A firm belief in this principle is required of every candidatefor membership in the Theosophical Society. This is the sole requirementfor affiliation, it is made plain, and no one can plead ignorance of this onerequirement. To claim fellowship in the society, and ignore or repudiateits cardinal doctrine is not only the most pronounced hypocrisy, but worksin every way to the injury of the individual and the society. Those thereforewho are not ashamed to repudiate this cardinal principle ought in all fairnessto retire from the society, and direct their energies into more congenialchannels.

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But aside from explicit repudiation of this principle of Brotherhoodthere is too often a tacit disregard of its requirements. It has been chargedagainst the Society, that in the enunciation of this simple doctrine, they haveannounced nothing new, and it may at once be answered that it is notclaimed as a novelty, but an actuality. And yet it is too often the case, thatthe application of this principle of universal brotherhood reaches no furtherthan to the admission to membership in the T. S. of persons of either sex,and of every creed, color, and nationality, while in the relations of membersand the necessary work of the society, the principle of brotherhood is toooften practically ignored. It may therefore be profitable to inquire into thereasons assigned by the Masters for giving out to the world at this time theirpriceless treasures, and the purpose for which the Theosophical Society wasinstituted, though these purposes have been time and again stated, in plainEnglish, and are printed in the rules and by-laws of the society, as well as inevery application for membership. The misinterpretation of these plaindeclarations leads to constant disappointment, and hinders the legitimatework of the Society.

We have been repeatedly told that the Masters are no respecters ofpersons. They have on every occasion persistently and consistently refusedto teach occultism to individuals. They have stated over and over again theterms on which anyone can gain their notice, or hope to advance in spiritualknowledge or power, viz: by working unselfishly and unceasingly for theadvancement of the Brotherhood of man. This is the plan on which themasters work. Whatsoever they have given out has been designed for theelevation and well-being of the whole human race.

They have chosen such agents or assistants as were available for thepromulgation of their doctrines, and they have distinctly stated, that not forthis generation alone, but more especially for the coming Yuga, do theylabor, like wise husbandmen, sowing now the seed for future harvests.

The meaning of Universal Brotherhood, and the mission of the TheosophicalSociety become thus perfectly plain, and we can misinterpret onlyat our peril. The masters have said, work with us, and become a part of us,and share with us.

Creeds and sects are innately selfish, dividing mankind into selfish circlesof conceited and selfish men. Creeds are crumbling; replace them withuniversal benevolence, toleration, charity, justice—in one word, Brotherhood.He, therefore, who repudiates brotherhood, denies all. He whoforgets charity, kindness, forbearance, forgiveness, has no right to call himselfa Theosophist. We should have charity for everything but for uncharitableness.Let those who will in the face of all this, strive for occult power.Let them in spite of constant warning force, if they can, themselves into theastral plane, to be driven back in ever lasting terror by the217 “Demon of theThreshold,” or end their days in an Asylum for the Insane, but let themlook for no assistance or protection from the Masters.

Pure and undefiled Theosophy leads man only to higher planes ofthought and life. It puts him in possession of the true philosopher’s stone, byenabling him to convert the energies of life, into higher uses, for the welfareand elevation of his race. It teaches him neglect of no common duty or obligation,and it nowhere holds out the inducement that a Mahatma can beevolved by some secret hocus-pocus out of a mountebank. The mountebankswill presently denounce Mahatmas and repudiate theosophy, but theywill prove as powerless to stay the tide of truth as to achieve mahatmahood.They may deceive the foolish and unwary, and console themselves with thecompany of Coloumb, Hodgson & Co., but those who have accepted in deedand in truth the simple doctrine of universal brotherhood with all that itimplies, will possess their souls in patience and perfect trust, for they haveheard the music of Bath Col.

J. D. Buck.

The Society of the Rosicrucians.

A ROUGH SKETCH OF THEIR FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES.
(Communicated.)

The following are in outline the fundamental doctrines of the Brothersof the Rosy Cross. He who fulfills the required conditions, may find allnecessary information in the “Book of Initiation,” and they say that whenhe is ready he finds with ease, a guide who, through his higher self instructsand directs him infallibly.

It is understood that the Society desires to be truly spiritual and asksno fees, but it seeks as members only those who are practical workers in thecause of humanity. But it is a secret body, not from fear of enemies, but inorder to spread the truth, unimpeded by the war of opinions. The truth beingeternal, is not subject to opinion, but to those who are able to see, it standsrevealed in its own light.

1. The Universe as a whole is a Unity, having only one, eternal, universaland fundamental cause for its existence. All the multifarious forms,essences, powers or principles, are not originally self-existent, but are merelyvarious manifestations of that one and universal cause. They are variousmodes of one original activity, and their shapes or organisms are the productsof that activity, working upon different planes of existence and in variousstages of evolution.

2. This cause, being eternal, unlimited and infinite, is beyond the218power of the intellectual comprehension of any mortal and limited being.Its presence may be perceived everywhere, but in its highest aspect it canfully be known only to itself. Beings lower than itself, may intuitively feelits presence, but cannot intellectually know it, until they have risen up toits own level on the plane of existence. To avoid circumlocution, we callthat eternal (spiritual) principle in its highest aspect “God” or “Brahm”;both words signifying originally “Good.”123

3. In this eternal and universal cause, the centre or fountain of All, iscontained potentially everything existing in the Universe. It is itself,germinally or in a more or less developed state contained in everythingthat exists. It forms the (spiritual) centre of every living organism,and life itself is only a mode of manifestation of its own power. It isthe cause and the architect of every form; it builds the form which it inhabits,from that centre, by the power of its own (consciously or unconsciouslyactive) will and thought, and by the means offered by eternal nature,the latter being itself a product of previous states of its own existence andeternal action.

4. The highest form of activity of this principle requires for its perfectexpression, perfect means. The perfect cannot manifest its perfection in animperfect organism. The place which a being occupies on the ladder ofevolution, depends on the progress which that divine principle, acting in thecentre of each being, has made in evolving an organism, adapted to its manifestation.

5. The most perfect organism for the manifestation of the divine anduniversal principle in its highest aspect, of which we know, is the (spiritual)organism of Man. In this organism, this divine principle, after having attainedsensation and consciousness in the lower forms of nature, may acquire(spiritual) self-consciousness and self-knowledge, evolving what is called theindividual mind, with all its powers and faculties, for (spiritual) perceptionand real knowledge or wisdom.

6. The (ordinarily) visible so called physical-body of man is not the realMan, but merely a more or less imperfect representation of the real, or “innerman,” whose sphere of activity may extend as far as the sphere of his mind;in other words—as far as the power of his (spiritual) perception. The“inner man” is a reality, which after having attained—by the power of selfdifferentiation—an individual existence, will retain its individuality, after thephysical forms, which it has occupied for the purposes of evolution duringits life upon a planet, have been disintegrated and changed into other forms.

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7. Every being continues to exist in its essence after the (physical)form which expressed its essential character, has dissolved and disappeared;but as long as it has not acquired (spiritual) self-consciousness and self-knowledge,it is forced, after a time of rest, to reappear in a new form (maskor personality), to resume the process of its further development.124 After thedivine principle in man has attained individual (spiritual) self-consciousnessand self-knowledge, it requires no more embodiments in (physical) forms,and may, harmoniously united with the All, continue to exist as a self-consciousintelligence.

8. The attainment of spiritual self-consciousness and self-knowledgeand the necessarily resulting perfection, therefore involves the attainment ofimmortality, and the latter can only be acquired by acquiring the former.Only that which is perfect remains; the imperfect is continually subject tochange.

9. Although the individual human monad, without (spiritual) self-consciousnessand knowledge, may arrive at that state of perfection in theslow course of its evolution, extending perhaps over many millions of years,nevertheless there is no necessity to wait until nature may, perhaps slowlyand unaided, accomplish her object, but she may be assisted by the individualwill and effort of those who know how to proceed.

10. The first necessary requirement for all who desire perfection, is thereforeto know the laws that rule in the visible and invisible universe, and theattainment of the knowledge involves a study of the constitution of theUniverse and of the constitution of (the soul of) Man.

11. From knowledge springs power, but those who possess knowledge,will be in the possession of something that will not benefit them, unlessthey desire to put it to some practical use. The second requirement is thereforeto will, and as an individual will, deviating from the direction of thewill of universal good, or acting in opposition to the latter, is evil, and canonly bring final destruction upon him that exercises it, consequently the willof the individual must act in accordance with the universal will of God.

12. To act evil is for the majority of men far easier than to do good.Good will and desires to become useful must be made to accomplish somework. To overcome the resistance of evil and to put good into practice requiresenergy, courage and effort, and the third necessary requirement istherefore to dare to practice the good which we know and desire.

13. But as a power, after it has once been obtained, may be employedfor good or for evil purposes, and as it is not desirable that persons with evil220inclinations and tendencies, should be taught the way to prolong their personalexistence after the dissolution of their physical form, because theirexistence would cause the infliction of injury upon others, and exposethemselves to a long, slow and painful final disintegration; therefore, thedeepest secrets of the Rosicrucians, and the way to the practical applicationof the secret knowledge, should be taught only to those who are good andpure to a degree sufficient to warrant that the mysteries communicated andrevealed to them, may not be misapplied. The fourth necessary requirementfor the Rosicrucian is, therefore, to be silent, in regard to that which itis not expedient to speak.

Hindu Symbolism.

I.

The student of Hindu metaphysical religious philosophy, will findmost of its important formulations, veiled under a mystical symbolism; tounderstand which, is a key to the hints in the Upanishads and other esotericwritings.

We propose to give those interested, a series of illustrations from Hindudrawings with descriptions; in the latter, our study of the Kabbalah hasbeen of great assistance.

The figure is a symbolical representation of Brahman (neuter) intwinedin Itself.125 It is the highest deity of the Hindus, the principle of the universe;the representation is, of It, at the immediate instant of Its revealing Itself in221the emanation of the universe, and before Its entrance into any kind of matterand before Its self renunciation. It symbolises the God-dawn betweenthe pauses of emanative creation, its preservation, and the dissolution of createdforms. Wrapped in Its cloak-sphere, Brahman conducts Its toe into Its mouth,perhaps to make, an eternal circle of Itself, perhaps to signify the union ofthe linga and yoni, perhaps to indicate the retrogression of Itself into Itself, ormay be the eternity and unfathomableness of Its nature, plunged in the contemplationof Its own essence. Compare with this the great figure of Néith orTyphé, the Heaven goddess of the Egyptian Zodiac of Dendera. Brahman(neuter) or Para-brahma, i. e., the Great Brahma, as an unrevealed deity, hasneither temple or image in India. It is in effect considered in Itself withoutform or figure, but exteriorly It manifests Itself in many figures and symbols.It is the unit and the multiplied in all, at the same instant, smaller than anatom, it is greater than the whole universe, which cannot contain It, and isineffable and inexpressible in Its essence. The ancient Hindus say of it inthe Vedas:—“Brahman is eternal, the being above all others, revealingItself in felicity and joy. The universe is Its name, Its image, but thatfirst existence, which contains all in Itself, is the soul really existing. Allthe phenomena have their cause in Brahman, It is not limited by time orspace, is imperishable, is the soul of the world and of each particular existence.”*** “That universe is Brahman, it comesfrom Brahman, exists in Brahman, and it will return to Brahman.”

“Brahman, the Being existing in Itself, is the form of all wisdom and ofall the worlds without end. All the worlds are made only one with It, becausethey are through Its Will. That eternal Will is innate in allthings. It reveals Itself in the emanation (or creation), in the preservation,and in the destruction (which is also a re-creation), and in the movementsand forms, of Time and Space.” The Atharva-Veda says:—“All the godsare in (Brahman) as cows in a cow-house. In the beginning Brahman wasthis (universe). It created gods. Having created gods, It placed them inthese worlds, viz: Agni in this world, Vāyu in the atmosphere, and Surya inthe sky.126 And in the worlds which are yet higher, It placed the gods whichare still higher. Then Brahman proceeded to the higher sphere.” This isexplained by a commentator to be Satyaloka,127 the most excellent limit of allthe worlds. In the “Taitteriya Brāhmana” it is; “Brahman generated thegods, Brahman (generated or emanated) this entire world. Within It areall these worlds. Within It is the entire universe. It is Brahman who isthe greatest of beings. Who can vie with It.” Brahman (neuter) is the onlyreal eternal true essence; when It passes in to actual manifested existence222It is called Brahma; when It develops Itself in the universe It is calledVishnu, and when It again dissolves Itself into simple being, It is calledSiva; all the other deities are only symbols or manifestations of the eternalneuter Brahman.128

The Vishnu Purana says: “Glory to Brahman, who is addressed bythat mystic word AUM,129 who is associated eternally with the triple universe(heaven, sky, earth), and who is one with the four Vedas. Glory to Brahman,who both in the destruction and renovation of the universe is calledthe great and mysterious cause of the intellectual principle, who is withoutlimit in time or space, and exempt from diminution and decay, etc. Tothat supreme Brahman be for ever adoration.”

In its highest development, the doctrine of the Vedas is a rational andphilosophical pantheism, combined with the most ideal, pure, and absolutemonotheism, that the mind can conceive. The doctrines as to Brahman(neuter) in their higher conceptions, are similar in many respects to the exaltedideas as to the Ain Soph or Non Ego, of the Kabbalah.

Brahman, the Eternal, in Itself, Being, goes out of Its profundity in Itseternity, to emanate the universe of all the things, and undeniably establishesthat great law of production, through the opposition and yet a harmoniousblending, as to which, all nature offers everywhere a similitude,evidence, and image. Its first emanation is the creating energy, force orpotentiality, which manifests Itself in Time, the mother and the matrix ofthe existences, that is the Sakti, Para Sakti or Maya, the first virgin and firstfemale or plasticity, containing all in germ, symbolized by the Yoni. Itsspouse, the spiritualizing, the man-type, is symbolized by the Lingam.

Isaac Meyer.

Literary Notes.

Betty’s Visions.—By Rhoda Broughton. (Geo. Routledge & Sons,London.) The prominence which occultism is acquiring, despite the attacksof so called scientific bodies and the constant sneers of savants and theirparrot-like followers, is shown in the fact that such a book as this is publishedby a firm like Routledge and written by Rhoda Broughton. It is oneof the one and sixpenny English books, in cloth. The visions are five—througha long life—each preceding a death in the family.

Esoteric Christianity, or Mental Therapeutics.—By Dr. W. F.Evans. (Carter & Karrick, Boston.) Extra cloth, $1.00. This is designed tocomplete a series of books on the subject of the Mind Cure, commenced223some fifteen years ago. It contains twelve lectures intended to instruct inthe philosophy of the subject. “To aid the student of Christian Theosophyto explore the inner realm of truth into which his spirit opens is theobject of this volume,” and he believes that the principles are “identicalwith the philosophy of the New Testament and with primitive Christianity.”The book is well written, and is full of excellent arguments, but it covers somuch ground that it would be impossible to properly review it in the limitsallowable here.

We must disagree with him, however, in his statement: “That thissystem must ever be kept within the domain of a genuine Christianity,” tobe successful. It is well known that hundreds of persons are practisingmind cure, are helping many people, and none of these either believe in ortalk of Christianity, genuine or otherwise. If mind cure have a real basis, nomonopoly of it can be had by either Christian or dissenter.

Buddhist Diet Book.—A New York publishing house announcesthis book, prepared by Laura C. Holloway. It is a compilation of dishesused by Buddhists in Europe and the East, interspersed with explanationsof the religious convictions of this great Sect regarding foods. The workwill be of value to vegetarians—of whom there are many in this country.Mrs. Holloway writes with authority on this subject, having enjoyed inEurope and Prussia the advantages of an unmixed vegetarian diet in thehomes of those who eat no meat. The book is a quaint brown-and-whiteconceit in parchment covers. Price 50 cents. Theosophists who desire tohave this vegetarian cook book, can order it through The Path.

Can Matter Think.—This number of Prof. Coues’ Biogen Series wasnoticed in the July Path, and through a mistaken assumption of the proofreader it was stated that it was a reprint of an article which previously appearedin The Theosophist. Prof. Coues assures us that “Can MatterThink,” is a thoroughly original composition and has never been within10,000 miles of India. The proof reader was thinking of the reprint of anEnglish book under the title “Kuthumi,” in the same series, and also ofthe fact that the same subject was treated of in The Theosophist some yearsago. We hasten, therefore, to correct the statement made in July.

Theosophical Activities.

Joshee.—Bro. Gopal Vinayak Joshee and his wife Anandabai, whograduated in Medicine at Philadelphia, return to India in October.

Ramabai.—Pandita Ramabai, who has been some time in America,accompanies Bro. Joshee and his wife to India.

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Philadelphia.—The charter for a new Branch here has been receivedand probably soon the organization will be complete.

Secrecy in the Theosophical Society.—The question is frequentlyasked: “Is the Society a secret body; and how can a person enter it?”The reply can be found in the proceedings of the general Council last year,when it was resolved, that from thenceforth any person of good moral character,upon being recommended by two active members, and paying theusual fee, could become a member upon signing the application in whichthe declaration is made that the signer is in sympathy with the objects of theSociety.

The old obligation is retained merely for those Branches desiring to useit in giving the signs and passwords of the Society, which are the onlypoints about which the new member is pledged to secrecy, it being left tohis own discretion and sense of propriety, not to make public matters whichdo not concern the public. For that matter, however, there is nothing inthe teachings or practices of the lower section of the Society requiringsecrecy.

New York.—The New York Branch has issued its third number of theAbridgements of Discussions on Theosophical subjects. The object of theseleaflets is to increase interest among all Theosophists, and to strengthenthe feeling of union. Col. H. S. Olcott, the President in India, has writtento say, that he thinks the idea of the Abridgements is excellent. All Branchesought to co-operate in this movement, either by contributing questions andanswers to New York, or by starting leaflets of their own and exchangingand distributing them.

Cincinnati.—The Branch here has held its first fall meeting, and hasarranged for a series of essays of an interesting character, and also for meetings,to which strangers are to be invited by members.

Olcott.—It may be interesting to Theosophists to know that a statuewas offered to Col. Olcott in Ceylon some months ago, but was refused byhim on the ground that his work was not yet done, and no one could saywhether he would deserve a statue until his death.

There is a limit beyond which the sun, moon and the planets cannot rise,and when they reach their point of climax, they come down again. But thesouls that have attained to perfection never come down again.—Jain Precept.

OM!

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No. 8.

Sri Krishna is the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings; his unthinkableglory irradiates all that is manifest and all that is unmanifest.This infinite universe, its life and its beauty, and its joy, rest but onhis foot, from which flows the sacred stream of the Ganges, whosemortal aspect alone is known on this earth. Krishna reveals hisinfinity of attributes to his beloved worshipper, and yet he is devoidof attributes.

It is the crown of devotion to have these mysteries revealed tothe inner gaze. May all his lovers reach that goal.—VaishnaraScriptures.

Inquire about him by prostration, by question, and by service,and the wise men who know the truth, will give you the knowledge.—Bagavad-Gita.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1886. No. 8.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

The Common Sense of Theosophy.

[Reprinted from the Dublin University Review, May, 1886, by Permission ofthe Author.]

It is difficult to break down the Chinese wall of misconceptions withwhich all new movements of thought become more or less completely surrounded.The assimilation by the public mind of ideas which lie outsideits mechanically-regulated every-day life is a slow process, which the vigourof the constitution does not justify. For all movements, which possess anyvitality at all, always provoke to an unusual degree of activity the imaginativefaculties of their opponents. More or less fantastic caricatures of theaims and methods of a struggling movement are generated by an unconsciousprocess of invention, fathered upon the movement, and thenknocked down with solemn pomposity. At the end of the achievement,226when the invader of orthodox indolence and respectable indifference isfound to gain ground in the midst of the dust-storm of misrepresentations,a wondering sneer is directed against personalities who have not had thedecency and good sense to die at the command of their antagonists. TheTheosophical movement has proved no exception to this general rule.Oppositions against it are generally but attempts to remove this disturberof established ease by finding some excuse for ignoring its existence. Falseissues are raised in every direction, and a candid examination of the truthsthat Theosophy embodies is evaded in the confusion. It is a profitless taskto hunt the brood of Error which, like the giants of Norse folk-lore, sallyforth at night to slay and devour, but melt into thin air when surprised bya ray of sunlight. Kicking at nothing is an exhausting process. Unmindfulof this, many, in the words of the author of Religio Medici, have “rashlycharged the troops of Error, and remained as trophies unto the enemies.”It is therefore proposed to set forth a “plain, unvarnished” statement ofwhat Theosophy really is, and of the work in which the TheosophicalSociety is engaged, and leave the decision to the common sense of thereader. The transcendental metaphysics of Theosophy will be but slightlytouched upon here. For fuller information the inquirer is referred tosources indicated by the publications of the Theosophical Society and thewritings of the Theosophists of the day.

What, then, is Theosophy? Numberless are the misconceptions towhich the word has given rise. Etymology does not throw any great lighton it. The interpretation of “God-wisdom” can be spread over a very largearea. Without following the history of the word, it may be stated that thechief exponents of the present revival of Theosophy take it to meanWisdom-religion. Their interpretation, while open to no great philologicalobjection, is sufficiently precise for all literary purposes. Theosophy fromthis standpoint is synonymous with Truth—the Truth that has been clothedin various garbs of religion; it also implies that this Truth is attainable bya natural development of wisdom, without the intervention of supernaturalmeans. Thus it will be seen that Theosophy does not attach infallibility toany particular system of revelation, but maintains that under suitable conditionsTruth reveals itself to every individual. The sun shines equally onall; the crystal reflects it; the clod of earth does not. Yet Theosophy setsgreat value on all systems of revelation, looking upon them as finger-postswhich indicate the direction in which Truth is to be sought, although itdeclines to accept them as invitations to surrender personal inquiry. Thistenet of Theosophy is founded upon the consideration that Truth is the resultof real experience, and does not consist in the transfer of intellectualsymbols from one person to another. To speak about Truth is one thing,and to perceive it is quite another. It is a fact of common experience that227the most accurate and elaborate description of, say, a flower is by no meansan efficient substitute for a visual contact with it, although the descriptionhas an abundant value of its own. Hence individual consciousness is consistentlyupheld as the only criterion of Truth, but this consciousnessderives material help in its development and expansion by the study of theexperiences of others. Thus Theosophy teaches that personal exertion isthe only means by which progress can be achieved. But in the effort forgrowth the ultimate unity of consciousness must not be ignored. Individualsare not distinct crystals, placed side by side, but the varied manifestationsof one unchanging universal consciousness. As light from onesingle source produces the appearance of different lights by reflection froma number of surfaces, so this universal consciousness, remaining itself unchanged,produces endless individualities, which in the course of theirevolution reach perfection by recognising this essential unity. Accordingto Theosophical thinkers this doctrine forms the fundamental truth uponwhich all religions are based; it is the final consummation of all philosophicalthought and the crowning experience of all practical mysticism.

The search for this truth, and the practical realization of it arenot considered as mere gratification of intellectual curiosity, but as thevery summum bonum of evolutionary progress. It is the Nirvâna of theBuddhists, the Moksha of the Brahmins, and not very different from theBeatific Vision of the Christians. When this condition, or rather wantof condition, is realized in consciousness, pain is for ever extinguished.Nirvâna is by no means the annihilation of consciousness, but its rest in theinfinite plenitude of being. Needless to discuss the Nihilist view of Buddhismwhich some scholars of ability have brought forward; suffice it to say,that the Theosophists on this point share the responsibility of their opinionwith many names of great eminence. Nirvâna is the extinction of all painbecause, being the ultimate unity of all being, it cannot be the playgroundof those contending forces which alone produce pain.

Proceeding upon this basis, the essential features of Theosophy can bethrown into relief by determining its relations to Religion and Science.As the Science of Religion, it looks upon the different systems of faith as somany languages seeking to express the truth about man, his origin,nature, and destiny, as well as his relations to the surrounding world ofobjects. But, as a word or phrase is nothing but a sound in the absence ofexperience of the object connoted, so the proper comprehension of religioussymbology can be acquired only by realizing the truths that underlie it.From the Theosophic standpoint the different systems of religion appearas the various forms evolved by the peculiarities of time, place, and otherspecial causes, to embody the bodiless truth.

It is necessary to guard against a misconception which may arise228here. Theosophy is not eclecticism, which is a mosaic, while Wisdom-Religionis an organic whole. Theosophy is like an abstract mathematicalformula of which each religion is a particular application. It does notselect bits from all religions and piece them together according to somefanciful standard of symmetry. But being the inner truth itself, Theosophyregards religions as various descriptions of that truth. It will no morerecognise antagonism between religions than the linguist will condemn thedescription of the same thing in different languages because of peculiaritiesof idiom and grammar. Theosophy is not hostile to any religion, butis bound, in the interest of truth, to oppose the tyranny of ecclesiasticalforms on individuals. Humanity, in the course of its evolution, producesindividuals who outstrip the generality in the realization of truth, and arethus enabled to perceive the capabilities of the truth to be manifested withina certain period of time. To help the masses struggling blindly for thelight of truth, these teachers of mankind construct a symbology of wordsand emblems to represent the truth. But, as acquisition of wisdom isa change in the quality of the consciousness of the acquirer, and not merelya surface expansion of it, the symbology, though eminently useful,is not in itself spiritual knowledge, and can never be converted into itexcept when “inwardly digested.” The physical process of digestion suppliesa striking analogy in this matter. Food, assimilated by differentorganisms, follows their original differences. Spiritual food, on assimilation,partakes of the peculiarities of the individual, and two individualscannot be exactly identical, whether physically or otherwise. A contrarysupposition would violate the lex parsimoniæ in nature. Consequently,Theosophy is the uncompromising supporter of the freedom of individualconscience. On the other hand, it condemns a selfish desire for self-developmentas wrong, on account of its violation of the essential unity ofbeing. One of the greatest Theosophists of the world, Gautama Buddha,declared, “Let the sins of the Kali Yuga130 fall upon me, and let theworld be redeemed.” This noble saying found an echo in the ChristianApostle, who would be anathema from Christ if he could save the worldthereby.

Nor has Theosophy any antagonism to the scientific spirit. Claiming tobe the religion of Truth, it must show itself to be the most exact of allexact sciences. According to it truth cannot be dissociated from real experience;the mere intellectual form of it can never be the truth any more thanthe word man can be the human being. It opposes the dogmatisms ofscience which deny independent reality to facts of mental experiencebecause of their eminently unscientific character. If there be no operation229of thought matter itself will disappear. The contrary of this—existenceof matter without relation to a conscious knower—has never been experienced.Therefore matter and consciousness are both eternal or neither.Further, it rejects the mechanical theory of the universe on account of itsunreasonableness. If consciousness is derivable from unconsciousness, afundamental law of reason becomes stultified. Unconsciousness is thenegation of consciousness, and therefore an affirmation of the absence of allrelations to consciousness is its essential property. How, then, can itbe related to consciousness so as to produce it? If the atoms themselvesare considered conscious the difficulty is not removed. For consciousnessmust be associated with the notion of I, and if this egoism isto be postulated for each atom it is inexplicable how a man, composedof myriads of atoms, possesses yet a single indivisible notion of I. Itis clear therefore that there is in nature a principle of consciousness whoseunits are not atoms but individualities, and as the principle is eternalits units must also be so. For the ocean cannot be salt unless the qualityof saltness inhered in every one of its drops. Theosophy for these, amongother reasons, holds against materialism that the individuality in man isimmortal. In this, however, it does not maintain that the present body,emotion or thought of a man will as such abide for ever, but that theunit of consciousness which is now manifested as the man, will neverundergo any change in essence. For change, independent of consciousness,is unthinkable. It is in fact the unchangeableness of consciousnessthat by comparison renders the conception of change a reality. In ordinarylanguage no doubt such phrases as the “growth and development ofconsciousness” are in use, but strictly speaking it is the basis in whichthe consciousness inheres that changes, the phrases in question being of thesame character as those which ascribe motion to the sun in relation to theearth. Moreover, if one unit of consciousness were to change in essence,that is, become annihilated, the same liability must attach to all other units,and we shall be driven to hold that the principle of consciousness in natureis destructible, while matter which cannot exist in its absence is indestructible.From the indestructibility of individual consciousness, and its relationsto matter, two important deductions follow. First, that this relation,which is perpetually changing, changes according to a definite law. Theproducts of the change are bound each to each in a definite way. Whatis now is not wholly unrelated to what was before. This is a matter ofexperience, and in fact experience is based upon it. Without the law ofcausation experience would be impossible, on whatever plane we takeexperience—mental or physical. Thus by the application of the law ofcausation to our being, it follows that the experience of pleasure and painin the present must be the necessary consequence of causes generated in the230past. A contention may here be raised that it is a fact of experience thatmany sufferings and enjoyments come to us of which we are not consciousof having generated the causes. But it is without any real force. Whatconnection is there between our consciousness of a cause and its powerto produce effect? If we receive in the system malarious germs, thedisease is not prevented because we were unconscious of the reception.Whatever you sow the same you reap, whether you are conscious of thesowing or not. The law of causation, thus applied to personal experienceof suffering and enjoyment, is called by the Brahmins and Buddhists theLaw of Karma.

The second deduction hinges on to the first and forms with it a harmoniouswhole. If the individual consciousness is immortal, and its experiencesare governed by the Law of Karma, then it follows that so longas all causes, capable of producing effects on the present plane of life, arenot exhausted, and the generation of similar causes is not stopped, the individualconsciousness will remain connected with the experience of earthlyexistence. Thus the ego successively incarnates itself on this earth until ithas collected all experiences that life on this planet can offer. The doctrineof reincarnation is taught by all religions of the world, Christianitynot excepted. In the Gospel of St Matthew it is declared in no uncertaintone that John the Baptist was the incarnation of Elias (chap. xvii. 12, 13).It is not intended fully to discuss the scientific and metaphysical bases ofthe doctrine of reincarnation, as the subject has been adequately dealt within a recent Theosophical publication.131 But it will not be out of place toconsider the ethical objection which is so frequently brought forwardagainst the doctrine. Is it just that a person should experience pleasure orpain for acts done in a previous life of which no recollection is preserved?The argument thus implied is based upon the confusion of the two differentmeanings of the word justice as applied to the regulation of human affairs,and to the operation of natural laws. Human beings are admittedly imperfectin knowledge, and it is required for the well-being of society thatall its members should feel confident that they are not liable to arbitrarypunishment. For this reason it is necessary that before inflicting punishmentthe grounds for it should be disclosed. But justice, as affecting theoperation of natural laws, is a totally different thing. The workings ofnature being invariably governed by the law of Causation are not amenableto conditions which depend upon admitted inability to apply that law withoutfailure. The moral amelioration, which it is fancied that a knowledgeof the precise cause of our sufferings would produce, is more than compensatedfor by the numberless incentives to good, which gratitude and othersimilar motives supply.

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The teachings of Theosophy from the standpoint of common sensecan be briefly summed up thus:—

1. That there is a principle of consciousness in man which is immortal.

2. That this principle is manifested in successive incarnations on earth.

3. That the experiences of the different incarnations are strictly governedby the law of causation.

4. That as each individual man is the result of a distinct causalnecessity in nature, it is not wise for one man to dominate the life andaction of another, no matter what their relative development may be. Onthe other hand it is of paramount importance that each individual shouldceaselessly work for the attainment of the highest ideal that he is capable ofconceiving. Otherwise, pain will arise from the opposition of the real andthe ideal. Be as perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

5. That for the above reasons it is wise and just to practise the mostungrudging toleration towards all our fellow-creatures.

6. That as absolute unity of all nature subsists for ever, all self-centredactions are bound to end in pain to the actor on account of their oppositionto this fact. The foundation of morals must therefore lie in the feeling ofUniversal Brotherhood of Man.

7. That the harmony of the unit with the whole is the only conditionwhich can remove all pain, and as each individual represents a distinctcausal operation of nature, this harmony is attainable only through the individual’sown exertions.

The Theosophical Society is an organization having for its object thestudy of truth upon the most unsectarian basis, and as a result of such study itbelieves that the truths enumerated above are, if generally accepted, calculatedgreatly to benefit the age. It is necessary, however, to add that there aremany members in the Society, earnest in the pursuit of truth, who are notprepared to subscribe to all these doctrines without further thought andstudy; but all are agreed as to the ethical principles involved therein. Thechief aim of the Theosophical Society is “to form the nucleus of a universalBrotherhood of mankind without distinction of race, color or creed.” Thebasis of brotherhood, which the Theosophical Society considers scientifichas already been adverted to. The Theosophic brotherhood does not limitthe freedom of individual development. It requires nothing from its membersbut a desire to recognise the unity of the human family as a naturalfact which cannot be ignored with impunity, and a living conscious feelingof which is sure to lead to the highest development of the individual.

The Theosophical Society is convinced that the most efficacious meansfor the study of truth is furnished by the ancient religious and philosophicalsystems of the world, as they are free from the disturbing influences bywhich contemporary forms are surrounded. The Society therefore earnestly232labours to promote an appreciative study of Eastern philosophy, built up bygenerations of Theosophists, as affording easy access to the Wisdom-Religionof the world.

Further, the Society seeks to combat materialism by the investigationof abnormal phenomena which afford a practical demonstration of the existenceof a Psyche in man and to lead to a proper comprehension of thelaws which underlie those phenomena. Theosophists do not believe insupernaturalism, and discard the notion of miracles as involving an unreasonablelimitation of the possibilities of nature. The views of the leadingTheosophists with regard to this subject are to be found very ably expoundedin Madame Blavatsky’s Isis Unveiled, and Mr. Sinnett’s EsotericBuddhism. All Theosophists, whether in perfect agreement with these viewsor not, look upon them as opening immense vistas of thought on subjectswhich are as important as they are neglected.

In conclusion, it is to be clearly stated that the Theosophical Societyis composed of a body of earnest students and inquirers, and not of dogmaticteachers. But naturally a large number of members hold convictionsin common on many points. Yet in each case the final authority comesfrom no external source but from within.

“There is no religion higher than Truth,” is the motto of the Society.

Mohini M. Chatterji.

Theories:About Reincarnation and Spirits.

By H. P. BLAVATSKY.

Over and over again the abstruse and mooted question of Rebirth orReincarnation has crept out during the first ten years of the TheosophicalSociety’s existence. It has been alleged on prima facie evidence, that anotable discrepancy was found between statements made in “IsisUnveiled” Vol. I, 351-2, and later teachings from the same pen and underthe inspiration of the same master.132

In Isis, it was held,—reincarnation is denied. An occasional return,only of “depraved spirits” is allowed. “Exclusive of that rare and doubtfulpossibility, ‘Isis’ allows only three cases—abortion, very early death, andidiocy—in which reincarnation on this earth occurs.” (“C. C. M.” inLight, 1882.)

The charge was answered then and there as every one who will turn to233the Theosophist of August, 1882, can see for himself. Nevertheless, theanswer either failed to satisfy some readers or passed unnoticed. Leavingaside the strangeness of the assertion that reincarnation—i. e., the serial andperiodical rebirth of every individual monad from pralaya to pralaya133 isdenied in the face of the fact that the doctrine is part and parcel and oneof the fundamental features of Hinduism and Buddhism, the chargeamounted virtually to this: the writer of the present, a professed admirerand student of Hindu philosophy, and as professed a follower of Buddhismyears before Isis was written, by rejecting reincarnation must necessarily rejectKarma likewise! For the latter is the very corner-stone of Esotericphilosophy and Eastern religions; it is the grand and one pillar on whichhangs the whole philosophy of rebirths, and once the latter is denied, thewhole doctrine of Karma falls into meaningless verbiage.

Nevertheless, the opponents without stopping to think of the evident“discrepancy” between charge and fact, accused a Buddhist by profession offaith of denying reincarnation hence also by implication—Karma. Adverseto wrangling with one who was a friend and undesirous at the time, to enterupon a defence of details and internal evidence—a loss of time indeed,—thewriter answered merely with a few sentences. But it now becomes necessaryto well define the doctrine. Other critics have taken the same line,and by misunderstanding the passages to that effect in Isis they havereached the same rather extraordinary conclusions.

To put an end to such useless controversies, it is proposed to explainthe doctrine more clearly.

Although, in view of the later more minute renderings of the esotericdoctrines, it is quite immaterial what may have been written in “Isis”—anencyclopedia of occult subjects in which each of these is hardly sketched—letit be known at once, that the writer maintains the correctness of everyword given out upon the subject in my earlier volumes. What was saidin the Theosophist of August, 1882, may now be repeated here. The passagequoted from it may be, and is, most likely “incomplete, chaotic,vague, perhaps clumsy, as are many more passages in that work the firstliterary production of a foreigner who even now can hardly boast of herknowledge of the English language.” Nevertheless it is quite correct sofar as that collateral feature of reincarnation is therein concerned.

I will now give extracts from Isis and proceed to explain every passagecriticised, wherein it was said that “a few fragments of this mysteriousdoctrine of reincarnation as distinct from metempsychosis”—would be thenpresented. Sentences now explained are in italics.

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“Reincarnation i. e. the appearance of the same individual, or rather of his astralmonad, twice on the same planet is not a rule in nature, it is an exception, like theteratological phenomenon of a two-headed infant. It is preceded by a violation ofthe laws of harmony of nature, and happens only when the latter seeking to restoreits disturbed equilibrium, violently throws back into earth-life the astral monadwhich had been tossed out of the circle of necessity by crime or accident. Thus incases of abortion, of infants dying before a certain age, and of congenital and incurableidiocy, nature’s original design to produce a perfect human being, has been interrupted.Therefore, while the gross matter of each of these several entities is suffered to disperseitself at death, through the vast realm of being, the immortal spirit and astralmonad of the individual—the latter having been set apart to animate a frame andthe former to shed its divine light on the corporeal organization—must try a secondtime to carry out the purpose of the creative intelligence.” (Vol. 1. p. 351.)

Here the “astral monad” or body of the deceased personality—sayof John or Thomas—is meant. It is that which, in the teachings ofthe Esoteric philosophy of Hinduism, is known under its name of bhoot;in the Greek philosophy is called the simulacrum or umbra, andin all other philosophies worthy of the name is said, as taught inthe former, to disappear after a certain period more or less prolongedin Kama-loka—the Limbus of the Roman Catholics, or Hades of thethe Greeks.134 It is “a violation of the laws of harmony of nature,” thoughit be so decreed by those of Karma—every time that the astral monad, orthe simulacrum of the personality—of John or Thomas—instead of runningdown to the end of its natural period of time in a body—finds itself (a)violently thrown out of it by whether early death or accident; or (b) iscompelled in consequence of its unfinished task to reappear, (i. e. the sameastral body wedded to the same immortal monad) on earth again, in orderto complete the unfinished task. Thus “it must try a second time tocarry out the purpose of creative intelligence” or law.

If reason has been so far developed as to become active and discriminative there is no135(immediate) reincarnation on this earth, for the three parts of the triune man have beenunited together, and he is capable of running the race. But when the new being has notpassed beyond the condition of Monad, or when, as in the idiot, the trinity has not beencompleted on earth and therefore cannot be so after death, the immortal spark whichilluminates it, has to re-enter on the earthly plane as it was frustrated in its firstattempt. Otherwise, the mortal or astral, and the immortal or divine souls, could notprogress in unison and pass onward to the sphere above136 (Devachan). Spirit follows aline parallel with that of matter; and the spiritual evolution goes hand in hand with thephysical.

The Occult Doctrine teaches that:—

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(1) There is no immediate reincarnation on Earth for the Monad, asfalsely taught by the Reincarnationists Spiritists; nor is there any secondincarnation at all for the “personal” or false Ego—the perisprit—save theexceptional cases mentioned. But that (a) there are rebirths, or periodicalreincarnations for the immortal Ego—(“Ego” during the cycle of rebirths,and non-Ego, in Nirvana or Moksha when it becomes impersonal andabsolute); for that Ego is the root of every new incarnation, the string onwhich are threaded, one after the other, the false personalities or illusivebodies called men, in which the Monad-Ego incarnates itself during thecycle of births; and (b) that such reincarnations take place not before 1,500,2,000, and even 3,000 years of Devachanic life.

(2) That Manas—the seat of Jiv, that spark which runs the round ofthe cycle of birth and rebirths with the Monad, from the beginning to theend of a Manvantara,—is the real Ego. That (a) the Jiv follows the divinemonad that gives it spiritual life and immortality into Devachan,—thattherefore, it can neither be reborn before its appointed period, nor reappearon Earth visibly or invisibly in the interim; and (b) that, unless the fruition,the spiritual aroma of the Manas—or all these highest aspirations andspiritual qualities and attributes that constitute the higher Self of manbecome united to its monad, the latter becomes as Non existent; sinceit is in esse “impersonal” and per se Ego-less, so to say, and gets itsspiritual colouring or flavour of Egotism only from each Manas duringincarnation and after it is disembodied, and separated from all its lowerprinciples.

(3) That the remaining four principles, or rather the—2-1/2—as theyare composed of the terrestrial portion of Manas of its Vehicle Kama~Rupaand Lingha Sarira,—the body dissolving immediately, and prana or thelife principle along with it,—that these principles having belonged to thefalse personality are unfit for Devachan. The latter is the state of Bliss,the reward for all the undeserved miseries of life,137 and that which promptedman to sin, namely his terrestrial passionate nature can have no room init.

Therefore the reincarnating principles are left behind in Kama-loka,firstly as a material residue, then later on as a reflection on the mirror ofAstral light. Endowed with illusive action, to the day when having236gradually faded out they disappear, what is it but the Greek Eidolon and thesimulacrum of the Greek and Latin poets and classics?

“What reward or punishment can there be in that sphere of disembodied human entitiesfor a fœtus or a human embryo which had not even time to breathe on this earth,still less an opportunity to exercise the divine faculties of its spirit? Or, for an irresponsibleinfant, whose senseless monad remaining dormant within the astral and physicalcasket, could as little prevent him from burning himself as any other person to death?Or again for one idiotic from birth, the number of whose cerebral circumvolutions is onlyfrom twenty to thirty per cent. of those of sane persons, and who therefore is irresponsiblefor either his disposition, acts, or for the imperfections of his vagrant, half-developedintellect.” (Isis, vol. 1, p. 352.)

These are then, the “exceptions” spoken of in Isis, and the doctrine ismaintained now as it was then. Moreover, there is no “discrepancy” butonly incompleteness—hence, misconceptions arising from later teachings.Then again, there are several important mistakes in Isis which, as theplates of the work had been stereotyped were not corrected in subsequenteditions.

One of such is on page 346, and another in connection with it and asa sequence on page 347.

The discrepancy between the first portion of the statement and the last,ought to have suggested the idea of an evident mistake. It is addressed tothe spiritists, reincarnationists who take the more than ambiguous words ofApuleius as a passage that corroborates their claims for their “spirits” andreincarnation. Let the reader judge138 whether Apuleius does not justifyrather our assertions. We are charged with denying reincarnation andthis is what we said there and then in Isis!

“The philosophy teaches that nature never leaves her work unfinished; if baffled atthe first attempt, she tries again. When she evolves a human embryo, the intention isthat a man shall be perfected—physically, intellectually, and spiritually. His body is togrow, mature, wear out, and die; his mind unfold, ripen, and be harmoniously balanced;his divine spirit illuminate and blend easily with the inner man. No human being completesits grand cycle, or the “circle of necessity,” until all these are accomplished. Asthe laggards in a race struggle and plod in their first quarter while the victor darts pastthe goal, so, in the race of immortality, some souls outspeed all the rest and reach theend, while their myriad competitors are toiling under the load of matter, close to thestarting point. Some unfortunates fall out entirely and lose all chance of the prize; someretrace their steps and begin again237.“

Clear enough this, one should say. Nature baffled tries again. Noone can pass out of this world, (our earth) without becoming perfected”physically, morally and spiritually.” How can this be done, unless there is aseries of rebirths required for the necessary perfection in each department—toevolute in the “circle of necessity,” can surely never be foundin one human life? and yet this sentence is followed without any breakby the following parenthetical statement: “This is what the Hindudreads above all things—transmigration and reincarnation; only on otherand inferior planets, never on this one!!!”

The last “sentence” is a fatal mistake and one to which the writerpleads “not guilty.” It is evidently the blunder of some “reader”who had no idea of Hindu philosophy and who was led into a subsequentmistake on the next page, wherein the unfortunate word “planet”is put for cycle. “Isis” was hardly, if ever, looked into after its publicationby its writer, who had other work to do; otherwise there would havebeen an apology and a page pointing to the errata and the sentence made torun: “The Hindu dreads transmigration in other inferior forms, onthis planet.”

This would have dove-tailed with the preceding sentence, and wouldshow a fact, as the Hindu exoteric views allow him to believe and fearthe possibility of reincarnation—human and animal in turn by jumps,from man to beast and even a plant—and vice versa; whereas esotericphilosophy teaches that nature never proceeding backward in her evolutionaryprogress, once that man has evoluted from every kind of lowerforms—the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms—into the humanform, he can never become an animal except morally, hence—metaphorically.Human incarnation is a cyclic necessity, and law; and no Hindu dreadsit—however much he may deplore the necessity. And this law and theperiodical recurrence of man’s rebirth is shown on the same page (346)and in the same unbroken paragraph, where it is closed by saying that:

“But there is a way to avoid it. Buddha taught it in his doctrine of poverty, restrictionof the senses, perfect indifference to the objects of this earthly vale of tears,freedom from passion, and frequent intercommunication with the Atma—soul-contemplation.The cause of reincarnation is ignorance139 of our senses, and the ideathat there is any reality in the world, anything except abstract existence. From theorgans of sense comes the “hallucination” we call contact; “from contact, desire;from desire, sensation (which also is a deception of our body,) from sensation, thecleaving to existing bodies; from this cleaving, reproduction; and from reproduction,disease, decay, and death.”

This ought to settle the question and show there must have been somecarelessly unnoticed mistake and if this is not sufficient, there is somethingelse to demonstrate it, for it is further on:

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“Thus, like the revolutions of a wheel, there is a regular succession of deathand birth, the moral cause of which is the cleaving to existing objects, while theinstrumental cause is Karma (the power which controls the universe, prompting itto activity,) merit and demerit. It is therefore, the great desire of all beings who wouldbe released from the sorrows of successive birth, to seek the destruction of the moralcause the cleaving to existing objects, or evil desire.”

“They in whom evil desire is entirely destroyed are called Arhats. Freedom fromevil desire insures the possession of a miraculous power. At his death, the Arhatis never reincarnated; he invariably attains nirvana—a word, by the by, falselyinterpreted by the Christian scholar and skeptical commentators. Nirvana is theworld of cause, in which all deceptive effects or delusions of our senses disappear.Nirvana is the highest attainable sphere. The pitris (the pre-Adamic spirits) areconsidered as reincarnated by the Buddhistic philosopher, though in a degree far superiorto that of the man of earth. Do they not die in their turn? Do not their astralbodies suffer and rejoice, and feel the same curse of illusionary feelings as whenembodied?”

And just after this we are again made to say of Buddha and his Doctrineof “Merit and Demerit,” or Karma:

“But this former life believed in by the Buddhists, is not a life on this planet for,more than any other people, the Buddhistical philosopher appreciated the great doctrineof cycles.”

Correct “life on this planet” by “life in the same cycle,” and you willhave the correct reading: for what would have appreciation of “the greatdoctrine of cycles” to do with Buddha’s philosophy, had the great sage believedbut in one short life on this Earth and in the same cycle. But toreturn to the real theory of reincarnation as in the esoteric teaching and itsunlucky rendering in Isis.

Thus, what was really meant therein, was that, the principle which doesnot reincarnate—save the exceptions pointed out—is the false personality,the illusive human Entity defined and individualized during this short life ofours, under some specific form and name; but that which does and has toreincarnate nolens volens under the unflinching, stern rule of Karmic law—isthe real EGO. This confusing of the real immortal Ego in man, with thefalse and ephemeral personalities it inhabits during its Manvantaric progress,lies at the root of every such misunderstanding. Now what is the one, andwhat is the other? The first group is—

1. The immortal Spirit—sexless, formless (arupa) an emanation fromthe One universal Breath.

2. Its Vehicle—the divine Soul—called the “Immortal Ego,” the “Divinemonad,” etc. etc., which by accretions from Manas in which burns the everexisting Jiv—the undying spark—adds to itself at the close of each incarnationthe essence of that individuality that was, the aroma of the culledflower that is no more.

What is the false personality? It is that bundle of desires, aspirations,239affection and hatred, in short of action, manifested by a human being on thisearth during one incarnation and under the form of one personality.140Certainly it is not all this, which as a fact for us, the deluded, material, andand materially thinking lot—is Mr. So and So, or Mrs. somebody else—thatremains immortal, or is ever reborn.

All that bundle of Egotism that apparent and evanescent “I” disappearsafter death, as the costume of the part he played disappears fromthe actor’s body, after he leaves the theatre and goes to bed. That actor re-becomesat once the same “John Smith” or Gray, he was from his birthand is no longer the Othello or Hamlet that he had represented for a fewhours. Nothing remains now of that “bundle” to go to the next incarnation,except the seed for future Karma that Manas may have united to itsimmortal group, to form with it—the disembodied Higher Self in“Devachan.” As to the four lower principles, that which becomes of themis found in most classics, from which we mean to quote at length for ourdefence. The doctrine of the perisprit the “false personality,” or the remainsof the deceased under their astral form—fading out to disappear intime, is terribly distasteful to the spiritualists, who insist upon confusingthe temporary with the immortal Ego.

Unfortunately for them and happily for us, it is not the modern Occultistswho have invented the doctrine. They are on their defense. Andthey prove what they say, i.e., that no “personality” has ever yet been “reincarnated”“on the same planet” (our earth, this once there is no mistake)save in the three exceptional cases above cited. Adding to these a fourthcase, which is the deliberate, conscious act of adeptship; and that such an astralbody belongs neither to the body nor the soul still less to the immortal spiritof man, the following is brought forward and proofs cited.

Before one brings out on the strength of undeniable manifestations,240theories as to what produces them and claims at once on prima facie evidencethat it is the spirits of the departed mortals that re-visit us, it behoovesone to first study what antiquity has declared upon the subject. Ghosts andapparitions, materialized and semi-material “SPIRITS” have not originatedwith Allan Kardec, nor at Rochester. If those beings whose invariablehabit it is to give themselves out for souls and the phantoms of the dead,choose to do so and succeed, it is only because the cautious philosophy ofold is now replaced by an a priori conceit, and unproven assumptions. Thefirst question is to be settled—“Have spirits any kind of substance tocloth themselves with?” Answer: That which is now called perisprit inFrance, and a “materialized Form” in England and America, was called indays of old peri-psyche, and peri-nous, hence was well known to the oldGreeks. Have they a body whether gaseous, fluidic, etherial, material orsemi-material? No; we say this on the authority of the occult teachingsthe world over. For with the Hindus atma or spirit is Arupa (bodiless,)and with the Greeks also. Even in the Roman Catholic Church the angelsof Light as those of Darkness are absolutely incorporeal: “meri spiritus,omnes corporis expertes,” and in the words of the “Secret Doctrine,”primordial. Emanations of the undifferentiated Principle, the Dhyan Chohansof the ONE (First) category or pure Spiritual Essence, are formed ofthe Spirit of the one Element; the second category of the second Emanationof the Soul of the Elements; the third have a “mind body” to which theyare not subject, but that they can assume and govern as a body, subject tothem, pliant to their will in form and substance. Parting from this (third)category, they (the spirits, angels, Devas or Dhyan Chohans) have BODIES thefirst rupa group of which is composed of one element Ether; the second, oftwo—ether and fire; the third, of three—Ether, fire and water; the fourth offour—Ether, air, fire and water. Then comes man, who, besides the fourelements, has the fifth that predominates in him—Earth: therefore he suffers.Of the Angels, as said by St. Augustine and Peter Lombard, their bodies aremade to act not to suffer. It is earth and water, humor et humus, that givesan aptitude for suffering and passivity, ad patientiam, and Ether and Fire foraction. The spirits or human monads, belonging to the first, or indifferentiatedessence are thus incorporeal; but their third principle (or thehuman Fifth—Manas) can in conjunction with its vehicle become Kamarupa and Mayavi rupa—body of desire or “illusion body.” After death,the best, noblest, purest qualities of Manas or the human soul ascendingalong with the divine Monad into Devachan whence no one emergesfrom or returns, except at the time of reincarnation—what is that then whichappears under the double mask of the spiritual Ego or soul of the departedindividual? The Kama rupa element with the help of elementals. For we aretaught that those spiritual beings that can assume a form at will and appear,241i.e., make themselves objective and even tangible—are the angels alone (theDhyan Chohans) and the nirmanakaya141 of the adepts, whose spirits areclothed in sublime matter. The astral bodies—the remnants and dregsof a mortal being which has been disembodied, when they do appear,are not the individuals they claim to be, but only their simulachres. Andsuch was the belief of the whole of antiquity, from Homer to Swedenborg;from the third race down to our own day.

More than one devoted spiritualist has hitherto quoted Paul as corroboratinghis claim that spirits do and can appear. “There is a natural andthere is a spiritual body,” etc., etc., (1 Cor. xv, 44); but one has only tostudy closer the verses preceding and following the one quoted, to perceivethat what St. Paul meant was quite different from the sense claimed forit. Surely there is a spiritual body, but it is not identical with theastral form contained in the “natural” man. The “spiritual” is formedonly by our individuality unclothed and transformed after death; for theapostle takes care to explain in Verses 51 and 52, “Immut abimur sednon omnes.” Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep but weshall all be changed. This corruptible must put on incorruption andthis mortal must put on immortality.

But this is no proof except for the Christians. Let us see what theold Egyptians and the Neo-Platonists—both “theurgists” par excellence,thought on the subject: They divided man into three principal groupssubdivided into principles as we do: pure immortal spirit; the “SpectralSoul” (a luminous phantom) and the gross material body. Apart fromthe latter which was considered as the terrestrial shell, these groups weredivided into six principles; (1) Kha “vital body”; (2) Khaba “astralform,” or shadow, (3) Khou “animal soul” (4) Akh “terrestrial intelligence;”(5) Sa “the divine soul” (or Buddhi;) and (6) Sah or mummy,the functions of which began after death. Osiris was the highest uncreatedspirit, for it was, in one sense a generic name, every man becomingafter his translation Osirified, i. e., absorbed into Osiris—Sun orinto the glorious divine state. It was Khou, with the lower portions ofAkh or Kama rupa with the addition of the dregs of Manas remaining allbehind in the astral light of our atmosphere—that formed the counterpartsof the terrible and so much dreaded bhoots of the Hindus (our“elementaries.”) This is seen in the rendering made of the so-called“Harris. Papyrus on magic.” (papyrus magique, translated by Chabas)242who calls them Kouey or Khou, and explains that according to the hieroglyphicsthey were called Khou or the “revivified dead,” the “resurrectedshadows.”

When it was said of a person that he “had a Khou” it meant that hewas possessed by a “Spirit.” There were two kinds of Khous—the justifiedones,—who after living for a short time a second life (nam onh) fadedout, disappeared; and those Khous who were condemned to wanderingwithout rest in darkness after dying for a second time—mut, em, nam—andwho were called the H’ou-mêtr (“second time dead”) which did not preventthem from clinging to a vicarious life after the manner of Vampires.How dreaded they were is explained in our Appendices on Egyptian Magicand “Chinese Spirits” (Secret Doctrine.) They were exorcised by Egyptianpriests as the evil spirit is exorcised by the Roman Catholic curé; or again theChinese houen, identical with the Khou and the “Elementary,” as also withthe lares or larvæ—a word derived from the former by Festus, the grammarian;who explains that they were “the shadows of the dead who gave norest in the house they were in either to the Masters or the servants.” Thesecreatures when evoked during theurgic, and especially necromantic rites,were regarded, and are so regarded still, in China—as neither the Spirit,Soul nor any thing belonging to the deceased personality they represented,but simply, as his reflection—simmulacrum.

“The human soul,” says Apuleius, “is an immortal God” (Buddhi)which nevertheless has his beginning. When death rids it (the Soul), fromits earthly corporeal organism, it is called lemure. There are among thelatter not a few which are beneficent, and which become the gods ordemons of the family, i. e., its domestic gods: in which case they are calledlares. But they are vilified and spoken of as larvae when sentenced by fateto wander about, they spread around them evil and plagues. (Inane terriculamentum,celerum noxium malis;) or if their real nature is doubtful theyare referred to as simply manes (Apuleius. see—Du Dieu de Socrate,pp. 143-145. Edit. Niz.) Listen to Yamblichus, Proclus, Porphyry, Psellusand to dozens of other writers on these mystic subjects.

The Magi of Chaldea believed and taught that the celestial or divinesoul would participate in the bliss of eternal light, while the animal orsensuous soul would, if good, rapidly dissolve, and if wicked, go on wanderingabout in the Earth’s sphere. In this case, “it (the soul) assumes attimes the forms of various human phantoms and even those of animals.”The same was said of the Eidôlon of the Greeks, and of their Nephesh by theRabbins: (See Sciences Occultes, Count de Resie. V. II) All the Illuminati243of the middle ages tell us of our astral Soul, the reflection of the dead orhis spectre. At Natal death (birth) the pure spirit remains attached to theintermediate and luminous body but as soon as its lower form (the physicalbody) is dead, the former ascends heavenward, and the latter descendsinto the nether worlds, or the Kama loka.

Homer shows us the body of Patroclus—the true image of the terrestrialbody lying killed by Hector—rising in its spiritual form, and Lucretiusshows old Ennius representing Homer himself, shedding bitter tears,amidst the shadows and the human simulachres on the shores of Acherusia“where live neither our bodies nor our souls, but only our images.”

Virgil called it imago “image” and in the Odyssey (I. XI) the authorrefers to it as the type, the model, and at the same time the copy of the body;since Telemachus will not recognize Ulyssus and seeks to drive him off bysaying—“No thou are not my father; thou art a demon,—— trying toseduce me!” (Odys. I. XVI. v. 194.) “Latins do not lack significantproper names to designate the varieties of their demons; and thus theycalled them in turn, lares, lemures, geni and manes.” Cicero, in translatingPlato’s Timaeus translates the word daimones by lares; and Festus thegrammarian, explains that the inferior or lower gods were the souls of men,making a difference between the two as Homer did, and between animabruta and anima divina (animal and divine souls). Plutarch (in proble.Rom.) makes the lares preside and inhabit the (haunted) houses, and callsthem, cruel, exacting, inquisitive, etc., etc. Festus thinks that there aregood and bad ones among the lares. For he calls them at one timepræstites as they gave occasionally and watched over things carefully (directapports,) and at another—hostileos.142 “However it may be” says in his queerold French, Leloyer, “they are no better than our devils, who, if they do appearhelping sometimes men, and presenting them with property, it is only tohurt them the better and the more later on. Lemures are also devils andlarvæ for they appear at night in various human and animal forms, but stillmore frequently with features that THEY borrow from dead men.” (Livredes Spectres. V. IV p. 15 and 16).

After this little honour rendered to his Christian preconceptions, thatsee Satan everywhere, Leloyer speaks like an Occultist, and a very eruditeone too.

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“It is quite certain that the genii and none other had mission to watchover every newly born man, and that they were called genii, as says Censorius,because they had in their charge our race, and not only they presided overevery mortal being but over whole generations and tribes, being the genii ofthe people.”

The idea of guardian angels of men, races, localities, cities, andnations, was taken by the Roman Catholics from the prechristian occultistsand pagans. Symmachus (Epistol, I. X) writes: “As souls are given to thosewho are born, so genii are distributed to the nations. Every city had itsprotecting genius, to whom the people sacrificed.” There is more than oneinscription found that reads: Genio civitates—“to the genius of the city.”

Only the ancient profane, never seemed sure any more than themodern whether an apparition was the eidolon of a relative or the genius ofthe locality. Enneus while celebrating the anniversary of the name of hisfather Anchises, seeing a serpent crawling on his tomb knew not whetherthat was the genius of his father or the genius of the place (Virgil). “Themanes143 were numbered and divided between good and bad; those that weresinister, and that Virgil calls numina larva, were appeased by sacrifices thatthey should commit no mischief, such as sending bad dreams to those whodespised them, etc:”

Tibullus shows by his line:—

Ne tibi neglecti mittant insomnia manes. (Eleg., 1. II.)

“Pagans thought that the lower Souls were transformed after deathinto diabolical aerial spirits.” (Leloyer p. 22.)

The term Eteroprosopos when divided into its several compound wordswill yield a whole sentence, “an other than I under the features of myperson.”

It is to this terrestrial principle, the eidolon, the larva, the bhoot—callit by whatever name—that reincarnation was refused in Isis.144

The doctrines of Theosophy are simply the faithful echoes of Antiquity.Man is a Unity only at his origin and at his end. All the Spirits, all theSouls, gods and demons emanate from and have for their root-principle theSOUL OF THE UNIVERSE—says Porphyry (De Sacrifice). Not a philosopher ofany notoriety who did not believe (1) in reincarnation (metempsychosis),(2) in the plurality of principles in man, or that man had two Souls ofseparate and quite different natures; one perishable, the Astral Soul, theother incorruptible and immortal; and (3) that the former was not the manwhom it represented—“neither his spirit nor his body, but his reflection, atbest.” This was taught by Brahmins, Buddhists, Hebrews, Greeks, Egyptians,and Chaldeans; by the post-diluvian heirs of the prediluvian Wisdom,by Pythagoras and Socrates, Clemens Alexandrinus, Synesius, and Origen.245the oldest Greek poets as much as the Gnostics, whom Gibbon shows as themost refined, learned and enlightened men of all ages (“See Decline andFall,” etc.). But the rabble was the same in every age: superstitious, self-opinionated,materializing every most spiritual and noble idealistic conceptionand dragging it down to its own low level, and—ever adverse tophilosophy.

But all this does not interfere with that fact, that our “fifth Race” man,analyzed esoterically as a septenary creature, was ever exoterically recognizedas mundane, sub-mundane, terrestrial and supra mundane, Ovidgraphically describing him as—

Ostende, Oct., 1886.

Poetical Occultism.

SOME ROUGH STUDIES OF THE OCCULT LEANINGS OFTHE POETS.

II.

Perhaps no passage in Light on the Path is more forcible than thatwhich warns the disciple against allowing the idea of separateness from anyevil thing or person to grow up within him. He is bidden to, “be wary,lest too soon you fancy yourself a thing apart from the mass.” TheBagavad-Gita utters the same truth in other words by picturing man as ledastray by the pride of self-sufficiency and the great danger underlying thedesires and passions of the individual soul. Throughout life the student ofoccultism daily renews the struggle of soul against flesh, of faith againstdesire. This combat is finely pictured in Tennyson’s Palace of Art. It istruly an occult palace. Four courts are made, east, west, south and north,with a squared lawn in each, and four great fountains “stream in mistyfolds.” Here we are reminded of the Garden of Eden with its four rivers,of which Eliphas Levi says: “this description of the terrestrial paradise isresumed in the figure of a perfect pentacle. It is circular or square, sinceit is equally watered by four rivers disposed in a cross.” The square, answeringto the number four was indeed the great kabbalistic figure, representingthe Trinity in Unity. Nor is the mystic circle wanting in our occultpalace, for there are “cool rows of circling cloisters” about the squares, and246a gilded gallery that “lent broad verge to distant lands,” and “incensestreaming from a golden cup,” another mystic symbol, representing thepassive or negative side of nature. Full of sumptuousness was this palace,built for the soul that she might dwell in sensuous luxury, remote from thestruggling world. Then the poet shows us further into the recesses of hissweet thought, and we see in the pictures with which the palace was hung,a portrayal of the various life experiences of the soul as it passes from phaseto phase, from room to room of this great palace which is human life.

From high estate to low the soul thus passes, from a “glimmeringland” to “iron coast and angry wave;” from uplands of toil and harvest, tothe “high bleak crags of sorrow,” from Greece and Sicily to India orthe North, until “every landscape, as fit for every mood was there, notless than truth designed,” a rich panorama of reincarnations. Amongstall these the soul moves joyful and feasting, “Lord of the senses five,”communing with herself that all these are her own in the “God-like isolationwhich is hers.”

So three years she throve and prospered, but in the fourth year, (markagain the occult number of perfection,) a great dread came upon her, she wasplagued in “the abyssmal deeps of personality” with a sore despair.The moment of choice, the turning point had come, that period of whichEsoteric Buddhism speaks as occurring for the race in the fifth round butto which some exceptional personalities have forced themselves in thisour fourth round. Many occultists will see their own experience mirroredin that of this tormented and lonely soul, contemplating her “palace ofstrength whereof the foundation stones were laid since her first memory,”only to see in its dark corners, “uncertain shapes, horrible nightmares,white-eyed phantasms and hollow shades enclosing hearts of flame.” Dowe not seem to see all the elemental world, led on by the dread Dwellerof the Threshold here confronting us? The struggle is even more powerfullydepicted but the lesson is learned; the soul may retrieve herself by247a lowly life; she throws aside her royal robes, and recognizing the needof mixing with her kind, begs for a “cottage in the vale.”

The poet reserves for his last verse the final lesson that only whenwe lead others to the heights and share these with our kind, can weourselves stand steadfast there:

A footnote in the September Path states:—“After all, the whole processof development is the process of getting back the memory of the past.And that too is the teaching found in pure Buddhism, etc.” Sometimes weare conscious of vague callings to do a certain thing, and critically regardingourselves, we cannot see in this life any cause. It seems the bugle noteof a past life blown almost in our face: it startles us; sometimes we areoverthrown. These memories affect us like the shadows of passing cloudsacross our path, now tangible; then fading, only a cloud. Now they startbefore us like phantoms, or like a person behind you as you look at amirror, it looks over the shoulder. If they are indeed reminiscences ofother lives, although dead and past, they yet have a power. Hear whatLowell whispers in “The Twilight” of these mysterious moments:

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Emerson, who saw further into the world of nature than any poet ofour race, gives us this:

The hermetic maxim, “As above so below,” sends us indeed to naturefor initiation, and the Gita follows up this nail with a hammer by saying:“The man, O Arjoona, who, from what passeth in his own breast, whether itbe pain or pleasure, beholdeth the same in others, is esteemed a supremeYogi.” Analogy, Harmony, Unity, these are the words traced over andover for us, the shining rays of the one Law. These are the thoughts inwhich the poets delight. Emerson speaks again with still clearer voice:

The Biblical verse:—“It is more blessed to give than to receive,”is a great occult teaching. As we strengthen the muscles by exercise, so weenlarge the intelligence and the heart by constantly dispensing our means,whether these be golden thoughts, or time, or affections, all along theline of Brotherhood. Not because of a sentiment, but because Life ismade up of vibrations which our scientists, cautious as they are, admit mayaffect the farthest stars.

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This from Whittier reminds us of the lines on Karma in Light onthe Path. “Remember that the threads are living,—are like electricwires, more, are like quivering nerves. How far, then, must the stain,the drag awry, be communicated.” Yes, the communion of saints isa living fact. We all commune, not alone with one another; with thoseabove us and with those below, but essentially with our time. Not oneof us can escape its influence: we oppose its conclusions, deny its powers,and meanwhile it speaks through us, without our knowledge, the passwordswe do not yet understand. This “dark age” is still the birth-place ofspiritual development, of an awakening belief in the supernatural, orthat which overshadows nature. We have had no more safe, practicalsober poet than Whittier, who sweetly sings the life of every day, whenhe is not stirred by the fret of the times, to Freedoms larger issues.Yet hear him describing the power of a “wizard:”

Is not here an “outward sense” of Professor Denton’s discoveries ofthe “soul of things?” But hear further the poet’s confession of faith in theoccult power of will:

The italicized lines are almost an echo of the words of an Adeptwhen speaking of the possibility for the disciple, of an ultimate escape fromthe laws of Karma, which give him the right to demand the secrets ofnature.250 “He obtains this right by having escaped from the limits ofnature, and by having freed himself from the rules which govern humanlife.” So does Whittier’s initiate. For every one of us there looms adanger in our being prone to mistake desire for will. The paradox of Leviis sound and true: “The will obtains all that it does not desire.” Meditationin this direction will reveal some deep and useful truths to thepractical occultist.

But to return to our poets. There are many butterfly hints to befound fluttering through their lines. Time has spared us this one fromMarvel:

And Matthew Arnold, turned dreamer for the nonce, has netted usone, more meaty than diaphanous, in which we find hints of periodicDevachanic sleep, between every period of earth struggle, of man’s threefoldnature which serves to hide the memory of his other lives, and atouch of Karma as well:

It would sometimes seem, as in the above quotation, that the poethimself was scarcely conscious of the full bearing of what he wrote, asif that dim something from another life of which Lowell spoke, had brushedhim with its wing unawares. Often the higher Self speaks out from aman’s work, to other men whose consciousness has a higher developmentthan his own, while it has not as yet revealed itself to him. How many mentremble thus on the borders of the unseen. Let us beware whom we set downas remote from our communion, “for in an instant a veil may falldown from his spirit, and he will be far ahead of us all.” There is anoccult verse from Goethe which has been quoted by Tyndall in one ofthose sad and baffled paragraphs which darkle through the works of ourscientists, shadowy witnesses that these distinguished materialists andphysicists are often nearer our path than they or we suspect. Throughsuch they seem to call for deliverance. We give the verse in its setting,leaving Tyndall’s prose to point its poetic meaning.

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“As regards knowledge, physical science is polar. In one senseit knows, or is destined to know everything. In another sense it knowsnothing. Science understands much of this intermediate phase of thingsthat we call nature, of which it is the product; but science knows nothingof the origin or destiny of nature. Who or what made the sun,and gave his rays their alleged power? Who or what made and bestowedupon the ultimate particles of matter their wondrous power of varied interaction?Science does not know: the mystery, though pushed back, remainsunaltered. To many of us who feel that there are more thingsin heaven and earth than are dreamt of in the present philosophy of science,but who have been also taught by baffled efforts, how vain is the attempt tograpple with the Inscrutable, the ultimate frame of mind is that of Goethe:”

Julius.

Hindu Symbolism.

II.

This figure represents Brahma-Maya or Mahat-Maya, Brahma Viraj, orthe great Illusion.

The androgene or male-female, the Great Appearance, the first revelationof the Being or Brahman (neuter), under the form of the double-sexedfirst emanation. The neuter, became male and female, by separation intothe male, positive, forming the spiritual—the entities or the noumena,and his sakti or female, the negative, or plastic, matter, the illusionary orphenomenal existence. The sakti, is his developing energy, force or potentiality.This symbol, the divine type of the first male and female, which can252be compared with the terrestrial Adam before the final separation of Eve, isreally in consonance with this Adam’s perfect ideal, the Adam Kadmon orHeavenly Adam of the Kabbalah. The Brahma-half is on the right side,the good side, man’s, the Maya-half is on the left, the evil side, the woman’s.So according to the Hebrew sacred writings, through Eve the woman, evilwas brought into the world. Compare with this the Greek myth ofPandora. Issuing from the linga-yoni is the pearl chain, or connectedcircle of the existences, looked upon as united atoms, and the symbol ofall the existing. It is held up by the hand on the male side.

Brahman (neuter), appears here as manifested in the male in unionwith the female sakti, of the preformatory imagination, as the ante creativemonarch and Pearl King, richly decorated with the circles of the soul-monadsand atoms. On his head is the world egg cap. The veil of the existences,upon which are woven the ideas or models of the to-be-emanatedexistences, flows from the linga-yoni to the highest part of the head andthence down the right side. He as the male, has a tendency to twist himselfupon himself and his face bears the stamp of deep meditation. The aureoleof fire is on the male side and from it scintillate sparks upon the veil ofMaya. On the Maya side, the attitude is that of joy or dancing; the handraised as if in play, holds up the veil, bells are hanging on her robeand singularly the Egyptian hieroglyphic for the water of life is shown; whilethe bust is developed. Portrayed upon the veil are the prototypes of thecreatures. Compare the symbolism of the girdle of Aphrodite and that ofVenus.

As the double spouse of Brahman (neuter) considered apart and inopposition to It. The Brahma-Maya is the life in nature, of which, Brahman(neuter) is the soul. The Brahma-Maya is that blind energy and force,potential and powerful, and eternally fecund, which is incessantly producingunder forms which are without cessation renewed; and which is adored inIndia to-day, as the Great Mother, the Universal Mother, in other words allnature deified. Maya is the mother of Love or Desire, the first principle oraffinity of all affection, creation, matter. She is even matter itself, but theprimitive subtile matter co-existing with God (Brahman, neuter) from alleternity, contained in It, and symbolized by the three colors, red, white,black; the three qualities or powers of creation, preservation and destruction,consequently the Trimurti, and also the three gunas (qualities), Truth,Action, and Indifference, of the Bhagavadgitâ.145 It is Maya, who through253the attraction of her beauty, causes the Most High, from the bosom of Itsineffable profoundity, forgetting Itself, to unite Itself, in the intoxication ofdesire with that divine enchantress.

The mysterious veil, which she had woven with her hands, receivedentirely from both, and the thought of the Eternal Almighty became fecundated,and fell into Time. The innumerable forms of the creatures, representthe perfect ideals woven upon the magic tissue, the woven warp andwoof of all existence, with which veil Maya146 envelops her spouse andcauses the recurrence of the gift of life.

Isaac Myer.

Teachings of the Master.

RECORDED BY ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF “MAN: FRAGMENTS OF FORGOTTEN HISTORY.”
(Copyrighted.)

THE JOURNEY.

The Master stood on a great ledge of rock extending far out overa precipice that seemed miles below. With his face lighted by the first raysof the coming day that shot across the peaks above him and with his handsclasped behind him he waited in silence for the coming of the pupil towhom he had signalled. A Brother lying on the grass not far removedfrom the natural platform upon which he stood, questioned kindly thepossibility of so long a journey by so feeble a student—but the Masterwaited looking piercingly across the distance. His eyes gazed intentlybefore him turning neither to the right nor to the left, and when in the farazure of the clouds he saw approaching the soul that had projected itselfat his bidding, he impelled his thought to his Brother who instantlyrecognized the approaching visitant. The Soul gaining in velocity everymoment was in the presence of the Master before the twinkling of aneye could be noted—and prostrate before him could only articulate:“Master! Master!”

A touch of the purified hand pacified the terrible emotions of the newcomer, who in suppliant attitude awaited the command of the BelovedGuru. “Rise my child,” came from the lips of the Teacher; who, when hewas obeyed continued:

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“Your progress is clogged by your indifference to duty. There canbe no relations between us unless you disembody your desires and spiritualizeevery thought. Imprison the latter when they wander, and live to teach thelessons so often inculcated in your higher mind. Help your fellow-beingsto better comprehend the capabilities of the inner, living Self.

“By the known laws of attraction and repulsion illustrate to them theimpossibility of a higher life on earth for any but clean souls. There canbe no mutuality of thought between clean and unclean natures—and theonly hope of advancement is by casting off the latter and enveloping thereal self in the shelter of noble thoughts. Teach that it is matter that isillusionary—life that is a transitory vision—earthly vanities that blind theeyes of the world.

“Try to speak of these secret things to the lowly and the burdened whoare often endowed with a wisdom not to be found among the other andopposite classes. Tell them that the Spirit does have a real existencehere in matter—does exercise absolute philanthropy, divine goodness—supremeself sacrifice; does know the power it possesses. Return toyour duty refreshed. Let the sunlight now breaking over the hillsand the mountains of Himavat radiate through your transparent spirit.Drink of the dew of the morning and feed upon the honey of wisdom thatflows in upon your hungry Soul. Thus will you be strengthened to meetthe conflict in the plain of action wherein you are constrained by yourweakness to work. Thus will you escape from it and find in the mountainthe repose and intuition for which you are yearning.”

The Brother whose form had lain in repose on the grass now approachedand looking intently at the disciple entranced with delight andgratitude—said in stronger tones than the Beloved Master:

“In the land where your body lies secure from an intrusion that wouldresult in your absolute separation from it—the great conflict is about to befought. All the preliminary preparations have been made. A people freedfrom many chains—fast sinking into a materialism only recognized absolutelywhen some momentary impulse to generosity moves them—is to rise or fallwith this closing cycle. To such a Babe as you is revealed a fact not perceivedby the best minds among them. Go back there to work! Obeythe impulse to throw aside every barrier—to do away with subterfugesdeemed best for the personality, and go the rugged way lone and alone. Inthe time of greatest need we will comfort you and send the comforter tothose whose Karma leads them to do battle in the same field. To you thesustaining force of our Fraternity will be contributed so long as the battle iswaged for the race: the conquered rescued from their low estate and theLight of the Logos offered to every one who walks in the night of earth-lifewithout guide and compass.”—Then there was silence.

255

The Beloved Master touching the speaker’s uplifted head said in softestaccents: “Go now. If ye love me keep these commands.”

THE LESSONS.

The path of Wisdom is the path of duty. They are not separate roadsas many erroneously conclude. Men fail to associate wisdom with duty—theyconsider them as apart. The disciple performs the action (duty),and in so doing finds wisdom.

There is, in each incarnation, but one birth, one life, one death. It isfolly to duplicate these by persistent regrets for the past—by present cowardiceor fear of the future. There is no time—it is eternity’s Now thatman mistakes for past, present and future.

The forging of earthly chains is the occupation of the indifferent, theawful duty of unloosing them through the sorrows of the heart is alsotheir occupation. Both are foolish sacrifices.

As mortal conscience is within, so also is the evidence of the spirit’somnipotence. The soul of man is a tangible proof to his bodily senses thathe is immortal. The existence of soul is not susceptible of proof onany but its own plane.

Compromise in the service of the weak. The starving must have foodsuited to the limitations of the irritated system—but be thou firm in thineown place of duty.

Liberate thyself from evil actions by good actions. The man accustomedto actions cannot at once become a Muni; he must work out hisaction-impelling qualities, and thus he transforms them into higherenergies.

Meditation is but a name to the bewildered; the word is not understooduntil it is translated by the hungry spirit.

Fight the unknown force within you—it is evil. The good that isin you is written without, and is apparent.

Inquire of the stranger the earthly road you seek, but ask your higherself for the torch that will light you on your way. In the silence ofone’s own being, is lighted the candle of will and aspiration. No wind canput it out, no heat can melt it. The flame is of the spirit’s quality—pureand of even temperature.

There is no vacillation in the mind of the initiated. Half-knowledgeis the pitfall of the student.

Do not run aimlessly about saying lo, here is the light—lo, there isthe truth. The light that illuminates the Atma is kindled in the mountainheights. It is the symbol of divine truth.

Wait in the morning for inspiration, at noon for guidance, and in theevening for a full understanding of the road thou hast travelled.

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Man’s higher nature is invisible or rather the Divine Principle is. Theindividual human soul is universal: a right comprehension of where thereis difference and where identity between the 6th and 7th Principles in manwill free the subject of much confusion and misapprehension.

There is real affiliation as well as an occult connection existing betweenthe seven principles in man and the seven classes of minerals under theearth. There are truths connected with the properties of the latter whichman may find out by learning the constitution of his own sevenfold nature.

The law of embodied principles is to follow magnets. Is this notalso true of the higher nature? We draw to us the attention of the Mahatmaby a purified heart and a right development of will. From hisheights he sees the valleys below and reaches out to give to him who isstraining every faculty to receive.

Agitation that comes from mortal qualities affects the physical bodyalone: this deep unrest is not felt by the Atma, for the Atma is Spirit or purebliss. But the ocean of matter, which includes the Soul, feels these waves oftrouble and thus is the soul bewildered, ignorantly imagining that the spiritis affected. Learn to know the distinction and to realize that the spirit iseternally unaffected.

Life is a compromise—hasten to acquit yourself of the debt contractedin a former life, and remove its oppressing influence in this sphere.

When you re-enter the world of mortals again, let it be without thethree disqualifications for enlightenment, fear, passion and selfishness: thesea of rebirths is half crossed already by the man who has overcome thesethree drawbacks.

Meat for the thoughtless, wine for the weak, but devotion for him whohas overcome the appetites.

To be lord of self is to be selfless, a condition of perfect tranquility.

Forget not this lesson—that every one is so placed in this world as toexhibit his worst qualities. The purpose of this life is to strengthen theweak places of the spiritual man. His external life is for this only, therefore,all are seen at a disadvantage.

A lesson in meekness may be learned of the little child. It has come sorecently from its previous field of life that it walks with the air of a stranger ina strange country and as one who must be led.

The divine quality is charity. Whenever it has been attained, theremainder of the spirit’s work with the lower nature, is to acquire a contriteheart.

(To be continued.)

“Alas we reap what seed we sow; the hands that smite us are our own.”

OM

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No. 9.

When there was neither day nor night, neither earth or sky,neither light nor darkness: when there was nothing that could beseen or felt by the physical senses or the faculties of the mind,there existed the One Great Being—God.—Vishnu Purana.

Resignation: the action of rendering good for evil; temperance;probity; purity; repression of the senses; knowledge ofholy books, and of the Supreme Soul; truthfulness, and abstainingfrom anger: such are the ten virtues in which consists duty.**Those who study these ten precepts of duty, and after havingstudied them conform their lives thereto, will reach to the SupremeCondition.—Manu, Book vi, sloka 92.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. DECEMBER, 1886. No. 9.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

“The Theosophical Mahatmas.”

It is with sincere and profound regret—though with no surprise, preparedas I am for years for such declarations—that I have read in theRochester Occult Word, edited by Mrs. J. Cables, the devoted president ofthe T. S. of that place, her joint editorial with Mr. W. T. Brown. Thissudden revulsion of feeling is perhaps quite natural in the lady, for she hasnever had the opportunities given her as Mr. Brown has; and her feelingwhen she writes that after “a great desire** to be put into communicationwith the Theosophical Mahatmas we (they) have come to the conclusionthat it is useless to strain the psychical eyes toward the Himalayas**” is undeniably shared by many theosophists. Whether the complaintsare justified, and also whether it is the “Mahatmas” or theosophiststhemselves who are to blame for it is a question that remains to be settled.It has been a pending case for several years and will have to be now decided,as the two complainants declare over their signatures that258 “we (they) neednot run after Oriental Mystics, who deny their ability to help us.” The lastsentence, in italics, has to be seriously examined. I ask the privilege tomake a few remarks thereon.

To begin with, the tone of the whole article is that of a true manifesto.Condensed and weeded of its exuberance of Biblical expressions it comes tothis paraphrastical declaration: “We have knocked at their door, and theyhave not answered us; we have prayed for bread, they have denied us even astone.” The charge is quite serious; nevertheless, that it is neither just norfair—is what I propose to show.

As I was the first in the United States to bring the existence of ourMasters into publicity; and, having exposed the holy names of two membersof a Brotherhood hitherto unknown to Europe and America, (saveto a few mystics and Initiates of every age) yet sacred and revered throughoutthe East, and especially India, causing vulgar speculation and curiosityto grow around those blessed names, and finally leading to a public rebuke,I believe it my duty to contradict the fitness of the latter by explaining thewhole situation, as I feel myself the chief culprit. It may do good to some,perchance, and will interest some others.

Let no one think withal, that I come out as a champion or a defenderof those who most assuredly need no defense. What I intend, is to presentsimple facts, and let after this the situation be judged on its own merits.To the plain statement of our brothers and sisters that they have been“living on husks,” “hunting after strange gods” without receiving admittance,I would ask in my turn, as plainly: “Are you sure of having knocked atthe right door? Do you feel certain that you have not lost your way bystopping so often on your journey at strange doors, behind which lie in waitthe fiercest enemies of those you were searching for?” Our Masters arenot “a jealous god;” they are simply holy mortals, nevertheless, however,higher than any in this world, morally, intellectually and spiritually. Howeverholy and advanced in the science of the Mysteries—they are still men, membersof a Brotherhood, who are the first in it to show themselves subservientto its time-honored laws and rules. And one of the first rules in it demandsthat those who start on their journey Eastward, as candidates to the noticeand favors of those who are the custodians of those Mysteries, shouldproceed by the straight road, without stopping on every sideway and path, seekingto join other “Masters” and professors often of the Left-Hand Science,that they should have confidence and show trust and patience, besides severalother conditions to fulfill. Failing in all of this from first to last, whatright has any man or woman to complain of the liability of the Masters tohelp them?

Truly “‘The Dwellers of the threshold’ are within!”

Once that a theosophist would become a candidate for either chelaship259or favours, he must be aware of the mutual pledge, tacitly, if not formallyoffered and accepted between the two parties, and, that such a pledge issacred. It is a bond of seven years of probation. If during that time, notwithstandingthe many human shortcomings and mistakes of the candidate(save two which it is needless to specify in print) he remains throughoutevery temptation true to the chosen Master, or Masters, (in the case of laycandidates), and as faithful to the Society founded at their wish and undertheir orders, then the theosophist will be initiated into—— thenceforwardallowed to communicate with his guru unreservedly, all his failings, savethis one, as specified, may be overlooked: they belong to his future Karma,but are left for the present, to the discretion and judgment of the Master.He alone has the power of judging whether even during those long sevenyears the chela will be favoured regardless of his mistakes and sins, withoccasional communications with, and from the guru. The latter thoroughlyposted as to the causes and motives that led the candidate into sins of omissionand commission is the only one to judge of the advisability or inadvisabilityof bestowing encouragement; as he alone is entitled to it, seeing thathe is himself under the inexorable law of Karma, which no one from theZulu savage up to the highest archangel can avoid—and that he has toassume the great responsibility of the causes created by himself.

Thus, the chief and the only indispensable condition required in thecandidate or chela on probation, is simply unswerving fidelity to the chosenMaster and his purposes. This is a condition sine qua non; not as I havesaid, on account of any jealous feeling, but simply because the magneticrapport between the two once broken, it becomes at each time doubly difficult tore-establish it again; and that it is neither just nor fair, that the Mastersshould strain their powers for those whose future course and final desertionthey very often can plainly foresee. Yet, how many of those, who, expectingas I would call it “favours by anticipation,” and being disappointed, insteadof humbly repeating mea culpa, tax the Masters with selfishness and injustice.They will deliberately break the thread of connection ten times in one year,and yet expect each time to be taken back on the old lines! I know of onetheosophist—let him be nameless though it is hoped he will recognize himself—aquiet, intelligent young gentleman, a mystic by nature, who, in hisill advised enthusiasm and impatience, changed Masters and his ideas abouthalf a dozen times in less than three years. First he offered himself, wasaccepted on probation and took the vow of chelaship; about a year later, hesuddenly got the idea of getting married, though he had several proofs ofthe corporeal presence of his Master, and had several favours bestowedupon him. Projects of marriage failing, he sought “Masters” under otherclimes, and became an enthusiastic Rosicrucian; then he returned to theosophyas a Christian mystic; then again sought to enliven his austerities with260a wife; then gave up the idea and turned a spiritualist. And now havingapplied once more “to be taken back as a chela” (I have his letter) and hisMaster remaining silent—he renounced him altogether, to seek in the wordsof the above manifesto—his old “Essenian Master and to test the spiritsin his name.”

The able and respected editor of the “Occult Word” and her Secretaryare right, and have chosen the only true path in which with a very small doseof blind faith, they are sure to encounter no deceptions or disappointments.“It is pleasant for some of us,” they say, “to obey the call of the ‘Manof Sorrows’ who will not turn any away, because they are unworthy or havenot scored up a certain percentage of personal merit.” How do they know?unless they accept the cynically awful and pernicious dogma of the ProtestantChurch, that teaches the forgiveness of the blackest crime, provided themurderer believes sincerely that the blood of his “Redeemer” has saved himat the last hour—what is it but blind unphilosophical faith? Emotionalismis not philosophy; and Buddha devoted his long self sacrificing life to tearpeople away precisely from that evil breeding superstition. Why speak ofBuddha then, in the same breath? The doctrine of salvation by personalmerit, and self forgetfulness is the corner-stone of the teaching of the LordBuddha. Both the writers may have and very likely they did—“hunt afterstrange gods;” but these were not our Masters. They have “denied Himthrice” and now propose “with bleeding feet and prostrate spirit” to “praythat He (Jesus) may take us (them) once more under his wing,” etc. The“Nazarene Master” is sure to oblige them so far. Still they will be “livingon husks” plus “blind faith.” But in this they are the best judges, and noone has a right to meddle with their private beliefs in our Society; andheaven grant that they should not in their fresh disappointment turn ourbitterest enemies one day.

Yet, to those Theosophists, who are displeased with the Society ingeneral, no one has ever made to you any rash promises; least of all, haseither the Society or its founders ever offered their “Masters” as a chromopremiumto the best behaved. For years every new member has been toldthat he was promised nothing, but had everything to expect only from his ownpersonal merit. The theosophist is left free and untrammeled in his actions.Whenever displeased—alia tentanda via est—no harm in trying elsewhere;unless, indeed one has offered himself and is decided to win the Masters’favors. To such especially, I now address myself and ask: Have you fulfilledyour obligations and pledges? Have you, who would fain lay all the blameon the Society and the Masters—the latter the embodiment of charity, tolerance,justice and universal love—have you led the life requisite, and theconditions required from one who becomes a candidate? Let him who feelsin his heart and conscience that he has,—that he has never once failed ser261iously,never doubted his Master’s wisdom, never sought other Master orMasters in his impatience to become an Occultist with powers; and thathe has never betrayed his theosophical duty in thought or deed,—let him, Isay, rise and protest. He can do so fearlessly; there is no penalty attachedto it, and he will not even receive a reproach, let alone be excluded fromthe Society—the broadest and most liberal in its views, the most Catholicof all the Societies known or unknown. I am afraid my invitation will remainunanswered. During the eleven years of the existence of the TheosiphicalSociety I have known, out of the seventy-two regularly acceptedchelas on probation and the hundreds of lay candidates—only three whohave not hitherto failed, and one only who had a full success. No oneforces anyone into chelaship; no promises are uttered, none except the mutualpledge between Master and the would-be-chela. Verily, Verily, many arethe called but few are chosen—or rather few who have the patience of goingto the bitter end, if bitter we can call simple perseverance and singlenessof purpose. And what about the Society, in general, outside of India.Who among the many thousands of members does lead the life? shall anyone say because he is a strict vegetarian—elephants and cows are that—orhappens to lead a celibate life, after a stormy youth in the opposite direction;or because he studies the Bhagavat-Gita or the “Yoga philosophy” upsidedown, that he is a theosophist according to the Master’s hearts? As it is notthe cowl that makes the monk, so, no long hair with a poetical vacancy onthe brow are sufficient to make of one a faithful follower of divine Wisdom.Look around you, and behold our Universal Brotherhood so called! TheSociety founded to remedy the glaring evils of christianity, to shun bigotryand intolerance, cant and superstition and to cultivate real universal loveextending even to the dumb brute, what has it become in Europe andAmerica in these eleven years of trial? In one thing only we have succeededto be considered higher than our Christian Brothers, who, accordingto Lawrence Oliphant’s graphic expression “Kill one another for Brotherhood’ssake and fight as devils for the love of God”—and this is that wehave made away with every dogma and are now justly and wisely trying tomake away with the last vestige of even nominal authority. But in everyother respect we are as bad as they are: backbiting, slander, uncharitableness,criticism, incessant war-cry and ding of mutual rebukes that ChristianHell itself might be proud of! And all this, I suppose is the Masters’fault: They will not help those who help others on the way of salvationand liberation from selfishness—with kicks and scandals? Truly weare an example to the world, and fit companions for the holy ascetics ofthe snowy Range!

And now a few words more before I close. I will be asked:262 “Andwho are you to find fault with us? Are you, who claim nevertheless, communionwith the Masters and receive daily favors from Them; Are you soholy, faultless, and so worthy?” To this I answer: I am not. Imperfectand faulty is my nature; many and glaring are my shortcomings—and forthis my Karma is heavier than that of any other Theosophist. It is—andmust be so—since for so many years I stand set in the pillory, a target formy enemies and some friends also. Yet I accept the trial cheerfully. Why?Because I know that I have, all my faults nothwithstanding, Master’s protectionextended over me. And if I have it, the reason for it is simply this:for thirty-five years and more, ever since 1851 that I saw any Master bodilyand personally for the first time, I have never once denied or even doubtedHim, not even in thought. Never a reproach or a murmur against Himhas escaped my lips, or entered even my brain for one instant under theheaviest trials. From the first I knew what I had to expect, for I was toldthat, which I have never ceased repeating to others: as soon as one steps onthe Path leading to the Ashrum of the blessed Masters—the last and onlycustodians of primitive Wisdom and Truth—his Karma, instead of havingto be distributed throughout his long life, falls upon him in a block andcrushes him with its whole weight. He who believes in what he professesand in his Master, will stand it and come out of the trial victorious; hewho doubts, the coward who fears to receive his just dues and tries to avoidjustice being done—FAILS. He will not escape Karma just the same, buthe will only lose that for which he has risked its untimely visits. This iswhy having been so constantly, so mercilessly slashed by my Karma using myenemies as unconscious weapons, that I have stood it all. I felt sure thatMaster would not permit that I should perish; that he would alwaysappear at the eleventh hour—and so he did. Three times I was savedfrom death by Him, the last time almost against my will; when I wentagain into the cold, wicked world out of love for Him, who has taught mewhat I know and made me what I am. Therefore, I do His work andbidding, and this is what has given me the lion’s strength to support shocks—physicaland mental, one of which would have killed any theosophist whowould go on doubting of the mighty protection. Unswerving devotion toHim who embodies the duty traced for me, and belief in the Wisdom—collectively,of that grand, mysterious, yet actual Brotherhood of holy men—ismy only merit, and the cause of my success in Occult philosophy. Andnow repeating after the Paraguru—my Master’s Master—the words Hehad sent as a message to those who wanted to make of the Society a “miracleclub” instead of a Brotherhood of Peace, Love and mutual assistance—“Perishrather, the Theosophical Society and its hapless Founders,” I sayperish their twelve years’ labour and their very lives rather than that I shouldsee what I do to-day: theosophists, outvying political “rings” in theirsearch for personal power and authority; theosophists slandering and criti263cizingeach other as two rival Christian sects might do; finally theosophistsrefusing to lead the life and then criticizing and throwing slurs on the grandestand noblest of men, because tied by their wise laws—hoary with age andbased on an experience of human nature milleniums old—those Mastersrefuse to interfere with Karma and to play second fiddle to every theosophistwho calls upon Them and whether he deserves it or not.

Unless radical reforms in our American and European Societies arespeedily resorted to—I fear that before long there will remain but one centre ofTheosophical Societies and Theosophy in the whole world—namely, in India;on that country I call all the blessings of my heart. All my love and aspirationsbelong to my beloved brothers, the Sons of old Aryavarta—the Motherlandof my Master.

H. P. Blavatsky.

Lines from Lower Levels.

Many will turn from this heading. Whether they really live upon theupper levels or only imagine such to be their dwellings, these words areprobably mute to them. A laggard in the great race, one who has onlyjust rounded the starting buoy in stress of weather, here signals to hisunseen companions amid heavy seas. If a score of blind men, turnedloose to beat the city’s by-ways, should meet and compare mischances, somelight would presently dawn among them. We are not isolated in spiritualexperience. Though Falsehood wears myriad masks, when Truth looks in,she turns the same face on all.

It is of the beginning of the Way that I speak. Confusions and perplexitiesbeset us. Most of these are of our own conjuring. The insidiouscanker of Doubt is first, is worst of all. Better stop right where you arefor a lifetime than advance with this moral leprosy unexterminated. It willspread through future existences until it has eaten the heart to the core.Now it is in our power. Wrestle boldly with every doubt until you haveconverted it to a certainty; thus you force it to bless you in departing, asJacob did the Angel. Why should we doubt? The day on which I firstheard of the Wisdom-Religion is for me set apart like a potent jewel in thecrest of Time. My thought salutes its messengers with the grand oldwords,—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him thatbringeth good tidings, that publisheth Peace.” The Peace of this religionis the proof absolute of its Wisdom. Our vitality is exhausted with the lifestruggle; it seems a dead pull against the current. Reason tells us weought to be able to move with the stream. Man has a false idea of his ownrequirements; this is why possession satiates all. We are ignorant that the264desire for Unity lies hidden in the deeps of every human heart. This is theTruth at the bottom of the well; it is the basic need of all mankind.Recognise it, and you may sweep unwearied along the resistless current ofevolutionary progress. We begin to realize the inability of existing creedsto sound and explain our Being. Every one of us craves a belief whichshall not be a formula, but Life itself, which shall develop and completethe constituency of lives.

Our religions violate the golden rule of Architecture,—“Ornamentconstruction; do not construct ornamentation.” Their slight frameworkis florid with theological detail, garlanded with the varying ideals ofcenturies. Not so does the Master Builder plan. Yet the keystone of eacharch is the Truth manifest in the Past, that Truth which still bears witnessto Divinity to the new Age.

When men meet their belief in every department of life, when it assiststhem on every plane, so that they eat better, sleep better, love better, createbetter and die better by it, then will it be a vital law to them, not a garmentto be laid aside on work days. Theosophy does all this. It informs everydeed, makes of each fact a new revelation, and testifies to more religionin one chapter of Natural Philosophy, than in all the sermons of nextSunday. Study these grand similitudes and we find how single is Truth, sothat the three great laws of Motion are also those of Emotion, and Newtonspoke for my heart, as well as for the universe. All life is thus related;if you doubt the validity of theory or action, test them by this law of correspondence.

Do I revolt from the rule of gentle procedure in the teeth of wrath orabuse. I recall the axiom of mechanics,—“Motion seeks the line ofleast resistance,”—and my moral force proves itself perpetual motion byits avoidances of friction. Truth is the same in every part. You shall passevery beam of thought through this prism; if it is a pure ray each componentwill have its distinct value on its own plane, and all will blendagain to Light.

Sometimes we are chilled as by a sense of isolation from the mainbody of our kind. This is imaginary; you shall not think we are few,or stand alone. Even now the thoughtful listener hears the soughingof the rising flood of Public Opinion. This was the mainstay of Science inher late tilt with the Church. The People, weary of barren Theologydemanded in facts, in laws, the manifestation of the Divine. Now it beginsto call Science to account for her limitations. Do we doubt the bubblinginterest in Psychology? We should scan our newspapers, novels, magazines,boudoir gossip even, to feel the pulse of the general tide. Scienceyields so far to the pressure as to explain why she cannot or does not makethorough and sustained psychical investigations, and with a blunt,265—“so much the worse for you,” the public turns expectantly to the broaderor younger men who better gauge the tendency of our time.

This tendency is to coöperation, to unification. Science and Religionare one, are Truth, and blindness is the portion of those who dismemberher kingdom. A pertinent case is that of a physician well known to NewYork clinics who used his mesmeric power in putting patients to sleep inthe presence of his students and maintaining their complete unconsciousnessduring painful operations, thus carried to successful conclusions without thedangerous drawback of anesthetics. Less gifted confreres frowned downthe “irregularity.” This is a thinking Age, and men are losing confidencein the judgment of scientists whose biased attitude would bar them fromjury service in the pettiest court of the land.

Again there are those who are tried by the mistakes, the treachery, orthe public misunderstanding of other adherents of Theosophy. What doesit matter? The world swung on while Galileo recanted, and though a disciplebetrayed his Master, the Christian world still kneels. Our noblestopponents are often unconscious Theosophists, judging them by their fervidsearch for Truth. When their hour strikes, they will find her; meanwhileWisdom needs no converts. Man passes; Truth is, and needs no concernof ours. Do nut think either that the Wisdom-Religion is only for thestrong or the intellectual; it is for all. Food is meant to sustain life, andLove to develop it, but excess in either may kill. So those whose nature ismorbid, exaggerate the aspect of Truth and go mad of their own phantasms.Every Science, every Art, every Religion has its list of these moral suicidesand those who confront you with it are like the old nurses who scare childrenfrom the jam closet with “bogies.”

I said that we breed our own perplexities. Take the first day of thenew life, when with fledgling resolves aflutter we come glowing and resolutedown the stairs. We had ordered a spartan meal which Love hasspared us. Frowning, we order the dainties away and sit reflecting on theencumbrances of earthly affection; wounded, it leaves our side. Our plainfood comes; it is ill cooked and the retarded servant has a scowl which weresent: the household jangles and jars. The meal has not refreshed us,and the lack of the soothing but condemned cigar brings our irritability toa head. We hasten to lock ourselves into the study for meditation; but abird sings in at the window, and Love’s voice pleads at the door. We shutout the song and chide the syren. Why is our heart so heavy now whenbent on eternal things? Knocking! We open with a martyr face. A friendis there, a dogged churchman; his salvation is in our hands! He chats ofthe weather, our club, state politics. We broach a higher theme, we denounce,cut and thrust, argue. Surprised he listens in courteous silence,and as he leaves us we remember too late that he too cherishes his religion,266we curse the follies of the wretched day and call Theosophy for the nonce“impracticable.” Brothers! the man of creeds who can hear our dogmatismwith self control is perhaps nearer the Essential than we are. He whoplunges into restraints which unhinge and irritate him is no better than theman who loses his reason through drink. Both lack moderation, the resultis the same, and we have only to do with results. Devote your thoughts toascetic meals, and no Lucullus of the town is more prostrate before hisviands than yourself. Moderation declares the sage. Accept all that comeswith equal content, the thought held high above all. When the daily functionsare fulfilled I have done nothing; the soul is no participant in these.Advance towards the Eternal and the Transient will imperceptibly dropaway from you. No shirking of the duties of our position avails. Comrades!The battle field is there where the long roll finds you standing. Yourpast acts enlisted you under just that flag; fight it out there! The universalcharge is carried through the vigor of individuals, each acting from his ownheadcentre and not from that of another. “The duties of a man’s ownparticular calling, although not free from faults, is far preferable to the dutyof another, let it be ever so well pursued.”147 On this plane we are a bodymilitant; on the next plane we shall transform this activity, but as long asindividuality exists, it would seem that each must move in an orbit of hisown. There is as much egotism in snatching at the burden not meant forus, as in refusing that which is. Do all necessary acts promptly and withyour best ability, abandoning at once all care for the result. Do you saythis is not Theosophy? You mistake. True Theosophy is everything thatelevates or aids mankind, were it but the singing of a ballad to lightenanother’s toil. “It is not that you must rush madly or boldly out to do, todo. Do what you find to do. Desire ardently to do it, and even when youshall not have succeeded in carrying out anything but some small duties,some words of warning, your strong desire will strike like Vulcan uponother hearts in the world, and suddenly you will find that done which youhad longed to be the doer of. Then rejoice, that another had been so fortunateas to make such a meritorious Karma. Thus like the rivers runninginto the unswelling passive ocean, will your desires enter into your heart.”Drop this concern for ephemera and forms; heed essentials only. Get tothe centre of every vital fact and live there as at the heart of an opal, dartingforth prismatic rays of Love and Faith upon all created things.

If we set out upon a journey to lands unknown, we should observe theinhabitants, gathering the spirit of their laws from their manners, ourselvescourteous yet cautious with all. So in this passage to the unseen, thatwhich is essential is the spirit of things. What affair is it of mine if this manglows with gratified desire, or that woman shines in undue laces and267coquetries? Do I know the principles of their constitution? Can Ivouch that these errors are not the mere husk of habit, which droppingoff may reveal a larger kernel of Virtue than I possess? Nor will I hastilybecome the spiritual bondsman of him who stands above me. He hasnot exhausted the sum of Truth; to-morrow I shall find a fraction ofmy own. All these finical distinctions are not of the Eternal. The substratumof all things is Wisdom. The twist of Failure has its strands ofsilver. The pratings of the fool dissuade men from folly. I have neverdone anything of myself: a clarion impulse commands my best deeds;high thoughts radiate to me from I know not what sphere. Ask yourselfbefore friend or foe,—“How does the spirit manifest in him?” Forabove and below it manifests equally. The undeviating brute, true toits every principle, has a volume of teaching for us. We cannot read untilwe know the alphabet and Nature holds our primer daily before us. Donot hawk Truth about to the careless crowd. Not because you belittleit, (that is impossible,) nor yet yourself, (that is immaterial,) but becauseyou must hold fast in silence to all that you possess to support you inthe tests of the future. Nor is Truth a nostrum to be forced down theunready throat. Thereby you disgust a man with Truth; who covets thatresponsibility? Ah, gentle hearts and virile minds! Are you woundedby the wantonness of those you long to save? These errors are perhapstheir appointed teachers in your stead. Error is not exempt from the law!Can Love check a cyclone in mid career, or does Reason outrun the whirlwind?Desire has a lustier voice than yours. Let these errant ones wiselyalone. Presently when success is at an ebb, or the complacent Ego isstung by pride or pain, they will hear the low plaint of the soul. Then,their state related to yours, they will turn to you as the heliotrope tothe sun. Trust to the law of spiritual affinity. He for whom you havea thought will be attracted to you for it; he will in some way ask it of you.Distrust the intellect in these replies. Only the dwellers of the upper levelsdraw their thought crystal pure from the Fountain-head of Mind. Below,sympathy is the universal solvent; its ardent fusion welds mankind.Speak to me in our common language; it is that of the heart. Youcannot so much as tie up a straying rosetree without sympathy. Try it,and the tender shoots are nipped as by a frost. Do you say that it ishard that you should not help others? Perhaps you only want to helpthem in your own way. The difference between loving a man for himself,and loving him for myself, is the difference between “heaven” and “hell.”There is no hell but that which we create in our hearts, and selfishness is itsyawning portal. Effort for Wisdom is help for all; he who thinkswisely does a deed of beneficence. Beneath generous yearnings lurkssometimes the wish that this “I,” shall become influential or admired,268have clients and suitors in the anteroom. Lest I deceive myself I willmutely speed my good wishes to all. Only when we have learned how topreserve a wise silence, will the first stammerings of speech come to us.Speak then from your own knowledge, simply, without trying to adornTruth. Many of our most valued writers are at times too transcendent,too erudite for us of the lower level. As the great orator or actor seesone face grow towards his from out the vast field of faces, and concentratinghis burning purpose into that focus, sees streaming thence the hom*ogeneousforce which electrifies the throng,—so I would have each writeramong you address his thought to some especial comrade within his mind,that you may drop this mantle of remoteness, and let us feel you tense andvibrant with helpfulness, pressing close to our side. The West needsa more ringing note than the mystic Orient mind. Let the spirit ofyour nation speak through your work and to your fellows every wordwill be an occult charm.

Why are we so impatient that we do not receive the accolade of acceptedduty from those Royal Souls who procede us on the Way? “Theyalso serve who only stand and wait.”148 He who cannot wait contentedlymay be sure he cannot serve. We must master the diurnal before we canovercome the spiritual. Some say that a heroic deed is easier than submissionto pinpricks. We may survive Niagara when a drop of water persecond on the brain is madness. Friends; the struggle for the Eternal isnot one daring deed nor yet hundreds of them. It is a calm unbrokenforgetfulness of the lower self for all time. Begin it on your present plane.You have within you the same guide that the Masters possess. By obeyingIt, they have become what they are. Hark! A voice resounds within.“Know thy true Self; it is thy guide.” If the voice seems silent, it is perhapsbecause you ask with the mind only, which is a higher kind ofcuriosity. When a spiritual need cries out within you, the answer willcome with a flash to the reverent listener. But in all the three worlds thereis no power to save you but your own. When we have exhausted thepossibilities of growth on our present plane, we rise naturally to a higherlevel. If here we find a Master, it is because we have come into the regionwhere he dwells. Better than desiring to deserve is deserving to desire.Of this be sure. All that is rightfully yours will come to you. So reads theLaw.

As a mountain climber leans forward, treads zig-zag, counteractinggravity and the air’s resistance, so shall you walk with care. We do notknow what moral resistance we arouse, what unseen evil lurks near, whatstone our passage may loosen to fall on those below. We do not know thedelicate adjustment of this aerial world. Keep eyes and mind fixed on the269heights above, lest the yawning abyss from which you rose, attract you.Distrust your emotions, your thoughts above all. An insidious thought,like a traitor in the fortress, tends outward to the legions of evil and woulddeliver you up to them. Who knows where the ripples of a hasty thoughtmay end? We are pledged by our theosophic vow to do naught that candishonor our Society. What more dishonoring than unjust, angered orvagrant fancies which corrupt the atmosphere of others and may breed amoral pestilence. “He that hateth his brother is a murderer.”149 Perhapsthere are times when this is literally true. “If he does not love his brotherwhom he hath seen, how can he love God, Whom he hath not seen?” Passthis word along the line;—“Eternal vigilance is the price of safety.”

You who are inclined to dispute these thoughts, do better; ignorethem. They are a life experience, not meant for you who have it not, norare you once named herein. They are true from one standpoint and forthose upon the same plane. Hereafter all must alchemize virtues and vicesalike. Be not discouraged at these necessary transitions; they do not convictyou of radical error. Give me an unknown seed; its potentiality is a secretfrom me, but in faith I plant and tend it. As it waxes to the budding gloriesof branch and flower, and thrills with the fecund boon of fruitage, I am nowhit the loser, and hidden at the root of this larger heritage, the sameseed remains life bestowing and true. Thus Knowledge is not final; itmust expand and germinate or it is but a dead thing. “Veil uponveil shall lift, but there shall be veil upon veil behind.”150

Does he who writes thus always follow his own teachings? No! Ahundred, a thousand times, no! Deluded, he climbs by devious pathsand from the very brink of attainment, falls!

“Jove strikes the Titans down. Not when they set about their mountainpiling, but when one stone more would complete the work.”151

Then with toil and pain he rises and cons the chart once more. BelovedBrothers!—and there is nowhere one so lost, so estranged, so low orso great whom this name does not call—he will have received these blowsto a benign purpose, if their teachings shall roll away a single stonefrom your upward path.

J——.

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Poetical Occultism.

SOME ROUGH STUDIES OF THE OCCULT LEANINGS OFTHE POETS.

III.

Many will find in Whitman, the fullest measure of mystic truths,plainly and significantly stated, to be met with in any modern poet. Forinstance, a recognition of the reality of Reincarnation, and of its necessity,constantly recurs in his poems. Passages like these attest it: “Believing Ishall come again upon the earth after five thousand years.” Births havebrought us richness and variety, and other births have brought us richness andvariety. “And as to you Life, I reckon you are the leavings of manydeaths, (no doubt I have died myself ten thousand times before.)” In contemplatingan idiot he muses:

Are not the “agents,” mentioned above, the operations of Karmic law?Among the last lines of the closing poem of his volume are the following:

Neither rhyme nor verse are essential to true poetry. Even words arebut its vehicle, and not the poetry itself. Poetry is that manifestation of themind which excites the imagination and arouses in responsive minds a senseof beauty. All that which does this is poetic in quality: that which doesnot, which awakens no response, leaving one cold and unimpressed, is prosaic.Poetry, therefore, possesses the rythmic quality, for beauty appeals tono sense, except through its power of producing rythmic action upon thebrain through the nerves of sight, hearing, etc. Rythm is a product ofharmonious vibration and produces the sensation of beauty by its play uponthe nerves in a succession of reiterated, regular groups of impressions. Allsensations of ugliness, etc., which are the causes of pain and disease, aredue to the discordant impressions made by irregularity in the series of vibrations.Thus does strict mathematical law underlie all effects of beauty.All poetry is in some way rythmic, and arouses rythmic action.

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The highest poetry is truth made manifest in the guise of beauty. Poetshave often expressed in verse their feeling of the total inadequacy of wordsto present to others the sublimity and beauty of the thoughts which atmoments occur to them. The poetic temperament is one which enables anapproach to that state which some exalted men attain in perfection, andwhich is the ultimate destiny of the entire human race. The poet perceivesfragments of the Divine thought as embodied in natural materials; he readspages of the great book of Creation and interprets more or less clearly thesignificance of the symbols that exist on every hand in growing things, inthings inanimate, in the waters and the heavens, and in the thoughts, sentiments,passions and emotions of men. In assuming the mental state whichmay be called the poetic attitude, he throws himself into rapport with hisHigher self, his atma, and thus obtains a glimpse of the eternal truth, somuch of which his memory retains as accords with his personality and withthe nature of his mood; of this he incorporates in poetic form that whichhis power of expression enables him to give. Walt Whitman characterizesthis state in his lines:

The more unconscious one becomes of physical surroundings the moreclearly does his mind act; its operations are attended with less friction. Bywithdrawing his attention from bodily environment he enters upon the planeof the higher consciousness. This accounts for the greater ease with whichmental work proceeds after one has been engaged in it for some little time;it absorbs his attention so that the surrounding objects and circ*mstances nolonger distract it. In other words, the mental machinery settles down tosmooth running, after overcoming the various hitches and obstructions attendingthe starting of the train of thought. Everyone knows how earnestdevotion to any object makes him oblivious to all else. Under such conditionsone, in reality, loses consciousness and is merged in the object.Self, the illusory Self, simply consists in a sense of the existence of the bodyand the relations borne to it by surrounding objects.

Therefore, in concentration of the mind upon the object lies the truesecret of power, and the man who best knows how to do this is the mostpowerful among his fellows. The best work is that done when one is leastconscious of material environment. This accounts for remarkable examplesof work done in a somnambulistic state when all consciousness of physicalsurroundings is lost, and the Self becomes so absorbed in the object that onreturning to ordinary consciousness it cannot remember the process of itsmost perfect activity of thought. And yet people refuse to accept the truth272of Reincarnation because they cannot remember, in this gross physical state,their former existences through the intervening Devachanic periods whentheir consciousness was lifted to a plane above the thralldom of matter!

Whoever knows anything of ceremonial magic, whether practically ortheoretically, recognizes the necessity of rythmic action, or the institutionsof a regularly recurring set of vibrations. Many will testify to the marvelswrought by the earnest repetitions of a rythmic formula. It seems likelythat the transfer of consciousness and the performance of phenomenal featsby Adepts are wrought by their command of some formula or method whichenables them instantly and perfectly to achieve the harmonious condition ofmental vibration crudely acquired by novices only by elaborate processes.The logical inference may be drawn that the purpose of the rythmic form ofpoetry is not only to arouse harmonious thoughts in the minds of hearers orreaders, but is due to the fact that the poet, by subjecting his mind to arythmic flow of thought, opens it to the reception of impressions from thehighest source of thought. In the words “I nudge myself to listen” thepoet strikingly and graphically depicts the effort to maintain his concentrationof mind as he lies abstracted when he feels his attention slipping awayfrom the sublime mysteries which, in the greatness of their wonder, are beyondhis power to realize in any thoughts he may frame. Poets areoften unconscious of the full greatness of the truths they reveal after themoment of their receptive state has passed, but they, perhaps, awake to asense of the true significance of their words years after.

This concentration of mind is insisted on in the Hindu systemsin many different ways. It is called by them Ekkragrata or one-pointedness.In the dialogues the expression is constantly used, and Krishnais said to say to Arjuna (in Bagavad-Gita). “Has thou listened to me withthy mind fixed on one point?” It is to bring about such a condition thatpractitioners of Hatha Yoga—which in English simply means any practicetending to develop psychical powers, such as mediumship and the like—prescribethat the Yogee shall sit with his sight concentrated upon the tip ofhis nose. And this practice, although scarcely commendable, has ascientific basis which shows that the much belittled Aryans had a wonderfulfund of knowledge. The fixing of the eyes upon the tip of the nose puts thefocus about three inches from the eyeball, and that produces first, concentration,because of the effort to remain fixed, and secondly, a hypnotic statein which trance results with psychic vision and the like. They prescribedit for another reason not likely to be admitted by our science; three inchesfrom the eyes was said by them to be the clairvoyant point.

Our poet Whitman, whether he was aware of it or not, constantlyenunciated the doctrine of Karma. In “Assurances,” to be found in Leavesof Grass, he says:

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Here he dwells upon the belief that all things are provided for. Itwould be error to say that he was a fatalist, just as it is a mistake to holdthat the Mohammedan doctrine of “Kismet” is pure fatalism. EdwinArnold in “Pearls of the Faith,” enlarges on that pearl called Al-Kadar, inthese words:

“When ye say Kismet, say it wittingly, O, true believers! under Allah’s throneplace is not left for those accursed three, ‘Destiny,’ ‘Fortune,‘ ‘Chance.’ Allah aloneruleth his children: Kismet ye shall deem each man’s alloted portion***”

And Whitman plainly states that the provision which is made for allthe happenings is a provision existing “in the inherences of things,” andnot a fatalistic decree by an irresponsible Almighty.

He also says that he is limitless. This is the doctrine of the Upanishads.Everyone is limitless, for Ishwara, the Lord, dwells in the heart ofevery mortal being. Jesus also, said; “the kingdom of heaven is withinyou.” Now the kingdom of heaven cannot be apart from God, so that theNazarene herein says the same thing as the Upanishads.

Again, in the lines, “I do not doubt that interiors have their interiors,and exteriors have their exteriors, and that the eyesight has another eyesight,and the hearing another hearing, and the voice another voice,” Whitmanmight be said to be taking the words from the mouths of those sages whoin ancient India penned the Upanishads. In those it is incessantly insisted274that these interiors really are the Universal Self which is “the eye of the eyeand the hearing of the ear.” And a knowledge of that is the key to unlockthe doors of glory and praise. As it is beautifully said in Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad:152

“This Self is the footstep of everything, for through it one knows everything. Andas one can find again by footsteps what was lost, thus he who knows this finds glory andpraise.”

And further, “Therefore, now, also, he who thus knows that he is Brahman(the Self) becomes all this, and even the Devas cannot prevent it,for he himself is their Self.”

S. B. J.

Apollonius and the Mahatmas.

[READ BEFORE THE MALDEN BRANCH, T. S.]
(Concluded.)

When Apollonius asked about the wise men whom Alexander theGreat was said to have conquered and then held converse with, Phraotes saidthat they were the Oxydraks, a warlike people who claimed Wisdom thoughthey knew nothing of consequence; the truly wise men dwelt between theHyphasis and Ganges. Had Alexander gone thither he could not have conqueredthem, even with ten thousand Achilles and thirty thousand Ajaxes.“For they fight not in battle against advancing enemies, but being holymen, beloved by God, they repulse them through aerial apparitions andlightning flashes.”

When Apollonius took his departure Phraotes gave him the followingsignificant letter to the Brahmins:

“The King Phraotes greets his teacher Iarchas and the Wise men withhim. Apollonius, the wisest of men, regards you as wiser than himself, andcomes to learn from you. Let him not depart without knowledge of allwhich you yourselves know. For thus nothing of your wisdom will be lost;since no one speaks better than he, or has a truer memory. Let him alsobehold the throne whereon I sat when thou, Father Iarchas, gavest me mykingdom. His attendants also deserve praise for their attachment to such aman. Be thou happy. Be happy all of you.”

When they came near the hill where the wise men dwelt their guidewas filled with fear, for the Indians stood more in awe of these men than oftheir own King, and the King who ruled the land where they lived was accustomedto consult them about everything he said or did.

When near a village not a stadium from the hill, a youth approached275them, blacker than any Indian, with a gleaming, moon-shaped mark betweenhis eyebrows. He bore a golden anchor, which in India took theplace of the Herald’s staff. He addressed Apollonius in Greek, which didnot astonish him, since all the dwellers in the village [a lamasary?] spokethat tongue, but it did astonish the others to hear their master called by name;Apollonius, however, it filled with confidence as he remembered the purposeof his journey. “We have come to men truly wise,” he said to Damis, “forthey have a fore-knowledge of things.” Asking the youth what was to bedone, he was told: “Those with you remain here; thou, however, shaltcome just as thou art, for so They command.” In this They Apollonius recognizedPythagorean language and he followed with joy.

In one of his conversations with the Egyptian Gymnosophists, yearsafterwards, Apollonius thus characterized the wise men of India: “I sawthe Indian Brahmins who dwell upon the earth and not upon the earth; in astrong fortress though unfortified; and, without possessions, possessing everything.”The deep, interior significance of this is evident to a Theosophist.Damis, in the matter-of-fact way often customary with him, also gives thesewords a literal interpretation, saying that they had their bed upon the earth andstrewed the ground with herbs selected by themselves; he himself had seenthem floating in the air two ells above the earth; not for hocus pocus—forthey despised vain striving—but in order, by thus floating with the sun, tobe near and pleasing unto the god. This was what was meant by “uponthe earth and not upon the earth.” The strong fortress, unfortified, meantthe air in which they dwelt, for although they appeared to live under theopen heaven, they spread a shadow over themselves, were not wet by therain, and were in the sunshine whenever they wished. And since they obtainedeverything the moment they wished it, Apollonius rightly said thatthey possessed what they did not possess. “They wear their hair long, theybind a white mitra around their heads, their feet are bare. The form oftheir clothing resembles that of a sleeveless under-garment; the material isa wool produced by the earth of itself, white like the Pamphylian, but softer,and so fat that oil flows from it. Of this they make their sacred garments,and when another than these men seeks to gather this wool the earth willnot release it. By the power of the ring and the staff which they bear everything can be done, but both are kept as a secret.” This personaldescription by Damis corresponds in certain particulars with what weare told of the Masters to-day. The account of the wool leads somecommentators to believe that asbestos is meant.

Iarchas welcomed Apollonius in Greek and asked him for the letterfrom Phraotes; when Apollonius wondered at his gift of prescience heremarked that a delta was lacking in the letter, left out by mistake, and so itproved. After reading the letter Iarchas asked:276 “What dost thou think of us?”

And Apollonius replied: “As no other person in the land whenceI came, as my journey hither shows.”

“What makest thou think that we know more than thou dost?”

“I believe,” answered Apollonius, “that your knowledge is deeperand much more divine.”

Iarchas hereupon said: “Others are accustomed to ask the new comerwhence he comes and for what purpose; the first sign of our wisdomshall be this: that the stranger is not unknown to us. So then, test this:”

Hereupon he told Apollonius his history from father and mother down,what he had done in Aegæ, how Damis had come to him, what thingsof importance had happened on the way, etc. As Apollonius asked insurprise whence came that knowledge, Iarchas answered: “Thou alsocamest gifted with this wisdom, but not yet with all of it.”

“And wilt thou teach me all thy wisdom?” asked Apollonius.

“By all means, and in ungrudging abundance, for this is wiser thanmiserly to conceal that which is worthy of knowing. Besides, Apollonius,I see thou hast been richly gifted by Mnemosyne, and she is the oneamong the gods whom we most love.”

“Dost thou also behold,” asked Apollonius, “of what manner my natureis?”

“We see all peculiarities of the soul, for we know them by thousandfoldindications,” replied Iarchas.

When mid-day came they rose in the air and did homage to thesun. The youth who bore the anchor was then told to go and providefor the companions of Apollonius. Swifter than the swiftest of birds hewent and returned, saying: “I have provided for them.” He was thencommanded to bring the throne of Phraotes, and when Apollonius hadseated himself thereon they continued their conversation. Iarchas toldhim to ask what he wished, for he had come to men who knew all things.Apollonius asked if they knew themselves, for he believed that they, like theGreeks, held knowledge of self to be difficult. But Iarchus answeredwith an unexpected turning: “We know all things, because first of all weknow ourselves; for no one of us can approach this wisdom withoutfirst attaining knowledge of self.”

Apollonius asked further, what they held themselves to be?

“Gods,” answered Iarchas.

“And wherefore?”

“Because we are good men.”

Apollonius found so much wisdom in this saying that he made use ofit in his speech of defence before the Emperor Domitian.

They talked about the soul and reincarnation, and Iarchas told himthat the truth was277 “as Pythagoras taught you, and as we taught theEgyptians.” They spoke about the previous incarnation of Apolloniusas steersman of an Egyptian ship, in which capacity he had refrained fromfollowing the inducements held out by pirates to let his vessel come intotheir hands.

Concerning this Iarchas said that refraining from unrighteousness didnot constitute righteousness.

The King came to visit the Brahmins and a wonderful feast was preparedfor him; everything came of itself: Pythian tripods, and automaticattendants of black bronze, the earth spread out herbs softer than beds torecline on, delicate viands appeared in orderly succession, etc. Theaccounts of these phenomena occasioned great remark during the subsequentcareer of Apollonius, and people would persist in mixing them upwith the teachings of the master just as to-day they inextricably confoundMadame Blavatsky’s famous cup and saucer with Theosophy. But we aretold that Apollonius did not concern himself with phenomena; when hesaw these wonderful things he did not ask how they were done, nor to betaught to do them, but he contented himself with admiring them. And weare also told that the marvelous things he did were not accomplishedthrough ceremonial magic, but through the perfection of his wisdom.

Damis was subsequently allowed to come to the Brahmins and whenhe asked about the composition of the world and the four elements theyreplied that there were five—the fifth being ether, which was to be regardedas the primal source of the gods.

“For everything that breathes the air is mortal; that which drinks theether is immortal and divine,” said Iarchas. He also said that the worldwas to be regarded as a living being of both sexes, having a more ardentlove for itself than that of one person to another, being united and boundto itself. Damis learnt much from his intercourse with the Brahmins, buthe wrote that at the secret discourses Apollonius was alone with Iarchas,and from there originated the four books written by the former. Iarchas,said Damis, gave Apollonius seven rings bearing the names of the sevenplanets, and Apollonius wore them one after the other according to thename of the day of the week.

The foregoing is an incomplete account of the remarkable journey andexperience of Apollonius, as is necessitated by the limits of a brief article.Many passages of deep wisdom have had to be passed over, and many remarkablethings are told, hard to understand, but which, there is reason tobelieve, have an occult significance.

S. B.

278

Teachings of the Master.

RECORDED BY ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF “MAN: FRAGMENTS OF FORGOTTEN HISTORY.”
(Copyrighted.)

The master walked beside the river at evening-time. In the instantthat his signal was recognized he walked no longer alone. By his sideappeared one—as a little child clinging close to his garments. The mastersaid—“When you have obtained mastery over the senses then you will nolonger totter in your step or falter in your flight. Realize the divine atmawithin you. Realize it!” he repeated, and then raising his hand slowlyupward the stature of the child lengthened until a man’s proportions wereoutlined. Only this form could hold the expanded soul. Disenthralledthe soul perceived a world with every pulsation and in every faculty there wasabsolute harmony. This was divine. This is man’s rightful condition intowhich only the Mahatmas have fully come; but to which every one is heir.The Mahatma teaches with the thought unexpressed, but formulated in hisown mind and sent with sudden power, into yours. It strikes with resoundingforce against the spirit’s prison house. In great agony the pupilcried out: “Master! Master! redeem me from this state with your greatpower.” The Master answering said: “Burst by concentration of spiritualenergy the bonds that bind you.” No pen can describe the force of theMaster’s thought. For the instant it seemed possible; a moment’s hesitationto make the effort through mortal fear, and the supreme moment waspassed. The Master looked sadly upon his suffering disciple and thenwas alone again.

The latter had gone back to try again through duty—if need be throughdeath.

THE LESSON.

The pupil goes to the Master without conditions. He goes, but not toreturn. The illusions of matter are dispelled for him and thenceforth he isa stranger in the world of actions, even though he should be in it again.

Fiery is the furnace of probation, and great is the danger when theneophyte has reached the “states of exaltation.” About each advance stepwait the enemies of the spirit—to overthrow its sovereignty and hurl itback to the plane of matter. These enemies live in matter and are persuadedthat their existence is confined to it—hence their determination tokeep matter from a knowledge of spirit. In darkness and sin is their safety,for they are children of these conditions and will cease to exist when thelamp that is lighted from within is turned upon the world.

Temptations are in the way of those who would demand much withoutdeserving even a little. So soon as the student comes in contact with the occult279he encounters on the threshold the demons who loiter by—the demons ofworldliness, inconstancy, suspicion and faint-heartedness.

The student should find in his own intuitions all the proof needed ofthe existence on this earth of the Wisdom teachers. Behind the screen ofthe senses reposes the soul of man—an unfathomable factor in the Universe—asunknown to its possessor as to its observers. Intuition is its only avenueof communication, and the language it speaks is known only to him whounderstands arcane knowledge or occultism.

When the Master has initiated his pupil he puts the seal of the mysteriesupon his lips and locks them even against the chance of weakness orindiscretion.

It is the sense of personal isolation that brings on death; genuinephilanthropy puts the individual en rapport with the Divine Spirit andthus gives him the eternal life. The Divine Spirit being all-pervading,those who put themselves en rapport with it, necessarily put themselves enrapport with all other entities in the same rapport. Hence, the Mahatmasare necessarily in constant magnetic relation with those who succeed in extricatingthemselves from the lower animal nature. It is by this means thatthe Mahatmas must first be known.

Until the Master chooses you to come to Him be with humanity, andunselfishly work for its progress and advancement. This alone can bringtrue satisfaction.

What is a Mahatma? Is it His physical body? No; for that must perishsooner or later—though it can be preserved through what is to us an endlessage. A Mahatma is one who lives in His higher individuality, and to knowHim truly, He must be known through the individuality in which He iscentered.

Knowledge increases in proportion to its use—that is, the more weteach the more we learn. Therefore, seeker after Truth, with the faith ofa little child and the will of a Initiate give of your store to him who hathnot wherewithal to comfort him on his journey. A whisper of the divinemystery into the ear of a weary wayfarer frees you from the stain of manyevil deeds done in your migrations through matter. Philosophy can neverbe learned through phenomena. Try to break through the desire for it.Occult students the world over have been warned by their teachers that it isa habit which grows with gratification. It is better to abandon the studythan to risk the dangers of black magic.

What is Self? Only a passing guest, whose concerns are all like amirage of the great desert. Man is the victim of his surroundings while helives in the atmosphere of society. The Mahatma may be willing to befriendsuch as he has an interest in, and yet be helpless to do so. The will of theneophyte, also, must be the magnet which alone can compel a Mahatma’s280notice. He follows his attractions as the needle does the poles. Will andPurity—these are the qualities which open the arcane to the presence of anadept—mere enthusiastic regard has no effect.

Feeble souls content themselves with wishes; great ones have wills.

In every man lie concealed the germs of faculties that are never unfoldedon earth, and which have no reference to this state of knowledge.

No man can judge another, save by the measure of his own understanding:do not injure your own chance for growth by condemning in othersthe possession of faculties not known to yourself.

Thought runs swifter than the electric fluid; every bright aspirationsparkles and attracts the attention of the distant, but ever-watchful Master.

“Lay your burden upon the Lord”—that is, put your reliance in theHigher Self. Use the body as a means of strengthening the connection withthe spirit and opening the road for its descents.

Slay Ambition: it is a deadly and cowardly foe, whose power over youis augmented by the approbation of others.

It is Karma that sends you into this world—to which you come alone—thatleaves you alone in it and which takes you out of it alone. The lawof Karma is the law of the conservation of energy on the moral and spiritualplanes of nature.

The body is the mind’s portrait. The artist seeing its inharmonies regretshis failure, but knows not how to improve upon it. This is the spirit’swork, which, accomplished, leaves the outward a reflection of the indwellingSoul.

The manna that feeds the spirit is hidden from sight. The universalspirit supplies it.

Duty is the River that flows through life. Its tide is silvery to thosewho are on it, but threatening to those who approach it seldom.

Seek to recover your soul. It is the hidden treasure lost in thecaverns of sense. Its recovery is redemption from many rebirths.

The vain and the arrogant demand our pity—the weak and erring ourforbearance—the indifferent our sympathy—and the wise, alone, our admiration.

You have learned of Krishna that death is better than the performanceof another’s duty. In persevering in the erroneous idea that we were puthere to do the duties of others, woes have resulted that follow one throughmany lives.

Your perception of the inner self is clearer than the vision of thenatural eye.

Earnestly regard the plane upon which you seek truth, do not expectto secure soul knowledge through the avenues of the senses.

Karma is like the vine that gathers strength through uninterrupted years,281and which fastens its tendrils so closely that it is as strong as the structure towhich it adheres. There is no way to destroy its power except by the separationof the parts, these parts renew themselves in other forms of life, butthe structure is freed when its root is destroyed.

Evil thoughts corrode the character. Only the spirit has power overcharacter to purify it.

We carry the accumulated results of many lives from one to another.This is the clue to the perfect fairness of nature. The apparent injustice ofall differences of well-being are explained by the fact that we have knownformer states of existence. Every spiritual effort now made will tell notonly now, but in the next incarnation as well.

The clue to many of the great mysteries of life is to be found in reincarnation;it is the only possible solution of the enigmas of existence.

The rule of the Mahatma is to approach every one where there existseven only the slightest glimmer of the true Light within him. None are leftto perish who desire to be succored.

We write in every aspiration for truth, in thought and deed by day, andin soul-struggles by night, the story of our desire for spiritual development.Upon the pages of the Book of Karma are written the minutest particulars ofindividual efforts: when the feeble will is strong enough to prevent furtherbirths in this world, which is the spirit’s dream life, we shall find in Realexistence all the chapters that we have written in all our transitions. Onlythen will we be able to read the whole book through and know the natureof the long journey out of spirit through matter and back again to the All.

The conflict of intuition against intellect has covered mankind in thecrumbling ruin of despair. Man will never surrender himself to be thepermanent vehicle of any set of ideas unless it completely satisfies the wholeof his nature; the union of intellect and intuition only will end the conflict.

Take what you can of the teachings, and in developing devotion keepbefore you your example—The Teacher.

The Hermetic Philosophy.

[Concluded from the July Number.]

“The music of the spheres” is not a mere figure of speech, but anactuality.

The Soul of the World has its central Sun whose life throbs pulsatethroughout immensity. If we study the phenomena and conditions ofeither crystallization or organization we shall find that every atom in thevast universe is set to music. There is the pean of life, and the dirge ofdeath, the major and the minor key. The rythm is the same whether282in the ebb or flow of life, but the serried columns march in oppositedirections. The Unity lies back of all phenomena in the infinite ocean,the universal solvent, as the crystal lies latent, potential, unmanifested, inthe solution of salt. So all things exist potentially in the ether. The realform of everything is perfect, essential, divine. Only the effigy appears withebb and flow; with swell and cadence like martial music. Only in theGarden of the Gods can the perfect flower and fruit appear. There isbut one approximation to perfect form to be apprehended by mortals—theSphere—and even this is ideal or geometrical, not actual. Thedimensions of space pertain to objects: objects exist in time, and theessence of time is motion.153 Imagine the intelligence of man posited in anocean of Ether, a thinking principle, without form or extension, and thefallacy of space as generally conceived becomes manifest, and disappears.Matter, space, time, and motion, these pertain to outwardly manifestedexistence. Read backward the genesis of crystal, plant, animal or man,and one plan, one basis is discovered in all.

“Out from the shore of the great unknown” come trooping these effigiesof diviner being, these shapes of diviner forms. In the beginning was theWord, the Fiat has gone forth. Listen O! man to the music of Bath Colthe voice of thine own soul. Adonai speaks. If thou art conscious, Hisvoice is conscience. It is the memory of the voice of God in fieldselysian, thy former divine abode. Thou mayest involve in thy life onearth thine Augoeides, “being of light,” a “gleaming brightness.”This is thy holy mission, the meaning of thy human shape, thy manlypowers, thy subtle intellect, thy holy intuitions. These are but the seedof larger life, the bird of promise. The unfolded flower shall be thy highestaspiration, thy holiest wish, and its ripened fruit shall bear thee to thegarden of the gods, with knowledge and power as thy servants. Ask butthine own soul, counsel with thy better self, and if thou findest not withinthe silence the answering voice, then return to thy wallowing in the mire,and the husks which the swine do eat, rather than to thy father’s housewhich thou hast made, and will henceforth continue to make a den ofthieves, at best, a whited sepulchre.

Now let us read the Tablet of Hermes, bearing in mind the fact thatman is an epitome of the universe, thus actually or potentially containingall that is, and if he knows how to read and to unfold his own nature,powers and possibilities, he may read thereby the universe, unfold its laws,comprehend its plan, and if he be master of himself, thus revealed to hisunderstanding, his powers shall be co-extensive with knowledge. He shallpossess the Masters’ Word.

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This tablet is printed in full in September Path at p. 167.

The reader is referred to Isis Unveiled for explanation of the Azoth towhich, on the physical plane, the tablet refers,154 and I might say in passing,that those who complain that the Brothers closely guard occult secrets, willdo well, even at this late day, to read Isis Unveiled. There are severalmatters contained in those two volumes which the careless reader, and complaining“theosophist” has possibly overlooked. In fact there is less concealmentin all occult matters than the ignorant and time-serving suppose.There can be no better safe-guards to Royal Secrets, than ignorance and defectivevision, for which defects there is no surgery or remedy outsideourselves.

“God saith, Let the man endued with a mind, mark, consider, andknow himself well.** And before they give up their bodies tothe death of them, they hate their senses, knowing their works andoperations.

“Rather I, that am the mind itself, will not suffer the operations orworks, which belong to the body, to be finished and brought to perfectionin them, but being the Porter and Doorkeeper I will shut up the entrancesof evil, and cut off the thoughtful desires of filthy works.

“But to the foolish, and evil, and wicked, and envious, and covetous,and profane, I am far off, giving place to the revenging demon**

“For the sleep of the body is the sober watchfulness of the mind, andthe shutting of my eyes, the true sight, and my silence great with child;and full of good, and the pronouncing of my words the blossoms and fruitsof good things.155

“Wherefore we must be bold to say that an earthly man is a mortalgod, and that the heavenly God is an immortal Man156.”

Compare with this the following from the writings of Plato:

“He who has not even a knowledge of common things, is a bruteamong men; he who has an accurate knowledge of human concerns alone,is a man among brutes; but he who knows all that can be known by intelligentinquiry is a god among men.”

In these brief and imperfect outlines enough has been given to showthe thoughtful student, the agreement of the Hermetic doctrines with theteachings of Theosophy, indeed, any real progress in the comprehension ofthe one, may be taken as a key to the other. These, together with theteachings of the Kabala, are but different forms of the Secret Doctrine; noneof them are to be fully apprehended by the intellect alone; but only whenthe mind is illuminated by the light of understanding, and the process by284which this illumination is to be achieved, through diligent inquiry, unselfishwork, and repression of the senses, appetites and passion, has beenoften pointed out, and is found repeated and reiterated in all these writings.If any, therefore, are disposed to complain that they are left to grope indarkness, they have no one to blame but themselves. To the conscientiousstudent, the constant wonder is at the richness of the feast spread outon every hand.

Like a beautiful landscape to the blind, or music to the deaf, are thepages of wisdom to the ignorant and selfish. Eyes have they but they seenot, ears have they but they hear not, and so long as they are joined to theiridols they may as well be let alone. But to the earnest disciple, to the trueseeker of The Path these are the everlasting verities: let them run and notbe weary, walk and not faint, seek, and they shall surely find, desire, andthey shall attain, knock, and the door of knowledge shall open, obey, andthey shall in turn command, labor, and they shall obtain rest.

B.

Tea Table Talk.

Thought Transference and Dreams.

Have you ever noticed the swiftness of thought transference in caseswhere the thinker is not consciously projecting his thought to anothermind? The writer had lately a notable instance of this. I was seated atthe breakfast table, thinking over an order from The Path which had comethe night before. It was an order for “1000 words on dreams, etc.” andnot being such stuff as dreams are made of, I pondered intently albeitsilently:—“Where the deuce am I to get any authentic dreams?”

“Mr. Julius, do you like dreams?”

So spoke a clear young voice at my elbow. It was the voice of Sue.I am not qualified to judge whether Sue is a child or a girl. She is, however,285an embodiment of that young America who rules these United States fromAtlantic coast to Pacific wave, and although a bachelor, I respect her accordingly.Sue represents my possible fate.

“Dreams!” I stammered. “What do you know about dreams?”

“Me? Why I have ‘em. Lots! But only the horrid kind, you know.”

I venture to ask, most respectfully, what she calls “the horrid kind.”

“The kind you can’t remember, so’s to tell ‘em and scare the girls.All mixed up, you see.” Here Sue snaps down the lid of the maple syrupcruet with an air which indicates that the subject is closed. But I ventureon. I fear Sue a trifle less than I do my Editor and his demand for contractedcopy.

“What made you think of dreams just now, Sue. if you please?”

“Oh! I don’t know. They just came spang into my head. Perhapsyou were thinking about them.”

“Why, my child! You do not mean to say that you believe in thoughttransference!”

“What’s that? Some nonsense! What I mean is that when I’m thinkin’‘bout somethin’, an ‘I don’t want the other girls to talk about it, I put itout of my head, quick,—(another hot cake, please,) so they won’t get itinto their heads too. They always do, unless. Understand?”

I did indeed. “Verily out of the mouths of babes and sucklings proceedthe words of wisdom.”

This to myself of course. What I said aloud was merely, “I shouldlike to hear a real good dream this minute, a true one.”

Sue gives her head that capable toss. “Why didn’t you ask me?You people always think children don’t know anything. Guess you’vechanged your mind since you were a child. Anyhow, Mrs. D. was tellin’it t’ Sister an’ some ladies, and it gives your blood a lovely curdle.”

Here Sue settled herself in her chair and gave herself up with gusto tothe joy of curdling my blood. Making careful inquiry afterward, I foundtrue, in all its details, the dream which I now give to my readers.

Mrs. D. was at her country place. She dreamed one night that she rose,and walking to her window looked out upon the familiar scene just then litby the moon. To her surprise she noticed persons walking two by twoacross the lawn towards her; then more people, many of whom she knew.As she watched this procession, there came finally a hearse driven by a boy.He stopped the ghastly vehicle under her window, and raising a scarredface on which the moonbeams played, he called out; “Are you ready?”Mrs. D. shrieked and awoke, to find herself in bed and the sport of a dream,but telling it afterwards to her family she remarked; “If ever I were to seethat boy, I should know him by the awful scars on his face.”

Some time afterward this lady was standing in a hotel corridor, waiting286for the lift. As it rose slowly into view, she was attracted by the head of theboy running it: “Where have I seen that head?” was her thought, and sopuzzling, she delayed to step into the waiting lift. Just as she movedforward and entered, the boy turned his face towards her saying: “Are youready?” and she saw again those great scars, and across her inner visionmoved that slow funereal scene. Sickened, startled, she felt an impulse ofescape, and profited by the stoppage of the lift at the next floor to get off,instead of continuing to a higher floor, as she had proposed. She paused afew moments to recover herself, and to reason with herself as well, whensuddenly a horrible crash was heard; then a dead silence; afterward themurmur of excited voices. The machinery had broken, the lift had fallento the ground floor, and every person in it had been killed. As I thoughtover this strange story, the decided young voice streamed on: “Do youknow, Mr. Julius, they were discussing it at dinner, and I heard some quitestylish people say they believed it was God Himself warning her. Fancy!They weren’t church people of course.”

Humanity is divided by Sue into two classes. Class 1. Members ofThe Protestant Episcopal Church. Class 2. Heathen. She finds thisvery convenient. So, I doubt not, do many older persons.

“And what do you think it was, my child?”

“Me? Oh, well! I just think it was her soul, somehow, Mr. Julius!Why do you stare at me like that? I do believe you know something aboutit! Nobody will ever tell me. Put down your coffee cup, its spilling allover your beard, and tell me straight off all you know about our souls.”

But here the Skye terrier comes bouncing in, and offers himself fordissection instead. Nevertheless, I know a few people, (and I fancy ThePath knows scores more) who expect you to tell between the roast and therelevé, all that is known about the soul. Go instead to the children, questiontheir fresh instincts, their curious methods, their habitual impulses andfreaks, above all, their esprit de corps, and what you learn about occultismfrom these still plastic minds will surprise you. It has me!

Julius.

A Remarkable Occurrence.

This story was told me by my step-father about an uncle of his.

The uncle was large, broad-shouldered, loved fun, and yet had strangepre-occupied ways. He was fond of playing strange tricks upon the littleones, and was known by them all as: “the—queer uncle.”

Indeed he did not confine his experiments wholly to the small folks.

One evening he came into the sitting-room where his sister was, hisface pale, with great drops of perspiration upon it, and his whole bodyshaking as with ague. She asked him what the matter was, and then said287she was glad if he who had been frightening other people all his life, wasreally frightened himself. It was sometime before he could speak. At lasthe said he would tell her what had happened as well as he could.

He went into the woods and found a large tree (Beech, I think) standingalone.

Having tied his handkerchief around it, he placed his back against thetree and took so many paces in a straight line away from it. Then withoutlooking towards the tree he walked three times around it—keeping the circleas nearly as possible. The night was very calm with a beautiful full moon.

After he had been round it once, there appeared to be no change.The second time the wind began to blow, and before he had completed thethird circuit, the moon was overcast and the wind blew a gale. When hehad reached the point, for the third time, from which he first started, heturned and faced the tree. Soon the wind ceased to blow, and the moonshone clear. Then, coming in an opposite direction, he saw a young ladyapproaching the tree.

She walked directly to it, untied the handkerchief and brought it tohim and then disappeared on the spot. Upon concluding his narrative hesaid if ever he should meet that girl he should know her. The moonlightfell upon her face so that each feature was distinctly visible.

Six months later business called him to another town. While waitingin the parlor of the Hotel, before being called to dinner, the lady he hadseen in the forest walked into the room.

Sometime after he obtained an introduction, and eventually becameengaged. One day while discussing different matters, he told her of hissingular experience in the woods.

“Why” said she “at that very time I had a most singular feeling, andfainted.” Her mother was appealed to and corroborated the fact. She saidshe was unconscious for such a length of time they thought her dead.

The day of the month and the hour corresponded exactly with the timethe lady untied the handkerchief and brought it to him in the forest.

F. C.

Reviews and Notes.

The Theosophist for October is a notably good number of that admirablemagazine. Madame Blavatsky contributes the leading article,“Ancient Magic in Modern Science,” the reading of which makes us eagerfor the publication of her “Secret Doctrine,” the first volume of which, welearn, will soon be ready for publication.

Mohini M. Chatterji contributes a short article on “Mother Ganga,”and his strong tale, “Sowing and Reaping,” is concluded.

Maurice Fredal writes of Apollonius of Tyana, anent Mr. Tredwell’svaluable book on the Master. It is a “coincidence” that the October288numbers of both The Theosophist and The Path should contain articles onApollonius, the two complementing each other. It has been said that theteachings of Apollonius will have much to do in the new religion which isdestined to become the leading faith of the world.

Col. Olcott has a highly interesting article on “Phantom Pictures inthe Astral Light,” in which the various traditions of “The Flying Dutchman”are given prominence, and mention is made of a phantom ship seen fromthe man-of war which carried the two sons of the Prince of Wales on theirvoyage around the world.

Two articles of this issue are contributed from Chicago—a thoughtfulessay on “Theosophy and Theosophists” by M. M. Phelon, and “AWorld-Old Story Still Unlearned,” by M. L. Brainard, the Secretary of theChicago Branch; an allegory that will take, and repay, much pains todiscover its true significance. “Some Hypnotic Experiments” is a valuablescientific article, and Miss L. S. Cook’s ideas “On Prayer” will probablymeet approval among all Theosophists, who object only to the commonforms of prayer, such as those designed to be “heard of men” like theprayers offered up in churches, and also the requests of people for divinefavors which they have done nothing to merit.

The Unpublished Writings of Eliphas Levy, a mine of occult information,are continued, and an article on Raj Yoga will be appreciated bystudents of Indian philosophy.

Madame Blavatsky: Incidents in Her Life. Edited by A. P. Sinnett.(London, 1886.) Price, $3.00. These memoirs are of absorbing interest,containing as they do authentic narratives written by the relatives and friendsof Madame Blavatsky. They are divided into ten chapters, beginning withher childhood and ending with the present time when she rests in sicknessin Germany, and bristle with stories of the most extraordinary character.Read in connection with the first article in the present number of this magazine,they become of greater interest. At page 257 Mr. Sinnett says she wasnot able to foresee the annoyances in the future. But we think she could seethose quite clearly, and therein lay one of her constant trials: that she mightsee those troubles to come and yet refrain from trying to avert them. Inquirerscan purchase the book through The Path.

ANNOUNCEMENT.

We beg to announce that with this date we sever our partnership. ThePath henceforth will be the exclusive property and under the sole managementof Mr. William Q. Judge.

William Q. Judge,
Arthur H. Gebhard.

New York, Dec. 1, 1886.

“There is a living creature in heaven which by day has “Truth” upon itsforehead, by which the angels know it is day; but in the evening it has“Faith” on its forehead, whereby the angels know that night is near.”—Fromthe Kabbalistic book, Kitzur-Sh’lh, fol. 42, col. 2.

OM!

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No. 10.

But there is another invisible eternal existence, higher, deeper,innermost; not like this life of sense, escaping sight, unchanging.This endures when all created things have passed away. This isthe highest walk and very supreme abode.—Bagavad-Gita, ch. 8.

Hear the secret of the wise. Be not anxious for subsistence;it is provided by the maker. When the child is born the mother’sbreasts flow with milk. He who hath clothed the birds with theirbright plumage will also feed thee.—Hitapodesa.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. JANUARY, 1887. No. 10.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

The Elementals, the ElementarySpirits,

And the Relationship between them and Human Beings.
A paper read before the Aryan Theosophical Society of New York, December 14th, 1886.
BY C. H. A. BJERREGAARD.

The subject of my paper is “The Elementals, the Elementary Spirits, andthe relation between them and human beings.”

I will endeavor to give an outline of some of the teachings of the occultscience relative to these beings, their relationship to the universal powers andto us, and our power over them.

In the general statement I shall probably not be able to say anythingnew to students of the occult forces of nature, except it be in the illustra290tionsI shall bring forth from what I consider new sources, from Leibnitz’sMonadology, namely:

In Leibnitz’s Monads, I think we may see the very substance of theastral sphere, in which the elementary spirits “wrap themselves,” accordingto a statement in the Kabbala. We may even see more, we may even lookupon them as the Elementals themselves.

If Leibnitz’s Monads may be considered not only as Elementals, butalso the very substance of the astral sphere, and if it be so, that according tothe Zohar, “the spirits, when they come down clothe themselves with air,or wrap themselves in elements,” then it becomes a subject of the greatestimportance to us how or by what means we may influence the astral sphere,or in other words, it becomes very important by what kind of Monads we aresurrounded.

As a help to the proper consideration of this momentous question, Ishall offer some information regarding the natural auras or objective spheres,that surround us, and also some historic facts regarding the use of aromaticvapors, odors, &c.

Having come so far with my paper, I shall say a few words about ourpower over the elementals “clothed with air and wrapped in elements,” bydefining the power of Mind and by describing those—almost unknown—smallnerve centres of the human hand, called the Pacinian corpuscles.

I shall only stop to define these two tools, the head and the hand, andleave out, for the present, the third of the human trinity, the heart.

Having defined the power of mind and the hand, I shall come to aclose with a few suggestions as to the use of these powers regarding the subjectunder consideration.

Elementary Spirits are defined in “Isis Unveiled” to be “the disembodiedsouls. The depraved souls have at some time prior to death separatedfrom themselves their divine spirits, and so lost their chance forimmortality. Eliphas Levi and some other Kabbalists make little distinctionbetween elementary spirits who have been men, and those beings whichpeople the elements, and are the blind forces of nature.”

The points to mark in this definition are these: (1) Elementary Spiritsare disembodied souls; (2) they are disembodied souls of the good, and (3)of the depraved, i. e., of those, in whom the higher principles have never beendeveloped, nor even born into light. They are the shades of those who, bytheir sins and moral misery, have closed the most interior principles of theconstitution of man, and having closed the door against them, have no partin life, but sooner or later become dissolved and disintegrated in the surroundingelements.

In the manifestations common among Spiritualists, these Elementary291Spirits play the most prominent parts. The Elementals do not. We shallconcern ourselves mainly with the Elementals.

Elementals are defined in “Isis Unveiled” as “the creatures evolved inthe four kingdoms of earth, air, fire, and water, and called by the Kabbalistsgnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and undines. They may be termed the forcesof nature, and will either operate effects as the servile agents of general law,or may be employed by the disembodied spirits—whether pure or impure—andby living adepts of magic and sorcery, to produce desired phenomenalresults. Such beings never become men.”

They are in popular mythology and folktales called by a great manynames, peris, fauns, elves, brownies, nixies, &c., &c.

They are not disembodied human spirits, but distinct Creations. Theyhave their homes in the astral sphere but are found commonly on earth.

The definition already given from “Isis Unveiled” I will amplify by a fewlines I have extracted and translated from the various works of Paracelsus:

“All elements have a soul and are living. The inhabitants of the elementsare named Saganes (Saganae), i. e., elements. They are not inferiorto men; they differ from men by having no immortal soul. They are thepowers of Nature, i. e., they are the ones who do that which is usually ascribedto Nature. We may call them beings, but they are not of Adam’s kin. Theyeat and drink such substances as in their element serve for eating and drinking.They are clothed, they marry and multiply themselves. They can notbe incarcerated, and die like the animals, having no soul.”

“They know all that is going on, and do often reveal it to men, whoare able to converse with them. But they are very unreliable, and someare very treacherous. They like children and simple minded persons thebest. They avoid drunken and beastly men. They reveal more of theirnature to the simple minded and innocent ones than to the learned andarrogant ones. They are rather simple minded themselves.”

“There are more women among them than men, and a congregation ofwomen is called a Venus-mount. The fable told about Tannhauser is nomere tale, it is true.”

Thus far, we have, perhaps, no difficulty in following Paracelsus, butwhen we read further into his revelations, our common sense fails to comprehendthe mysteries laid open. Yet, I will say for myself, that though Ican not comprehend it, I can readily apprehend such a state of things asthat described in the following words:

292

“They can come to us and mix with our society. They can bear uschildren; but such children do not belong to them, they belong to us. Wemay bring these elemental wives to us by faith, pure thinking and our image-makingpowers. When they enter our sphere of existence and copulatewith us, they appear, on account of their strange manners, like gods.”

“Those that live in the water are called Nymphs or Undines, those inthe air Sylphs, those of the earth Pygmies or Gnomes, those of the fireSalamanders. Nymphs or Undines look much like human beings, the othersdiffer more or less.”

“It is particularly the Undines or Nymphs that unite with men. Whenan Undine marries a man, both she and her child become souls.”

From the Kabbala we can draw many statements corroborating the testimonyof Paracelsus. In fact all the most valuable teachings we possess, relativeto Elementals, as far as they are printed and given to the public, are derived from theKabbala. According to it all activity, all events, in History and in Nature, are inthe hands of spirits, either Elementals or Elementary. We find them as ministeringeverywhere, from the Zodiac down to the smallest worm. We findthem mentioned by name, those of the sphere of the Shechina as well asthose presiding over the four elements.

In Jalkut Chadash it is stated: “There is not a thing in the world,not the least herb, over which is not set a spirit.”

The Kabbalistic work Berith Menucha (by Abraham, a son of Isaac, aJew from Granada), their names are given:

The spirit that presides over fire is named Jehuel, and under him rangeseven other spirits. Prince Michael is set over water, and under him ruleseven other spirits. Jechiel rules over the wild animals and these ruleunder him. Anpiel rules over the birds and two princes rule besidehim. Hariel controls the cattle and besides him three spirits. Samnielrules the creatures of earth and water and Mesannahel the worms. Delieltogether with three princes command the fishes; Ruchiel and three others,the winds; Gabriel, the thunder; Nariel, the hailstorm; Maktuniel, therocks and Alpiel the fruitful trees, while Saroel, the unfruitful. Sandolfongoverns men.

These names are important, as you know, for they are the key to therespective powers of each of these spirits.

As stated in “Isis Unveiled,” Eliphas Levi and other Kabbalists make noor very little distinction between Elementals and Elementary Spirits. Thiscannot be right by Levi to do. There are essential differences. The Elementalsnever become men, nor were they ever men. The Elementary spiritsas defined by Levi resemble very much such spirits as those we are familiarwith in ordinary spiritism. I shall in this paper only give them a passingnotice and speak about the Elementals mainly.

From the definition already given, it is evident that the Elementalsexist in a great variety of forms, some are mere forces of nature, pureabstract beings; others have some kind of body, at least, when we speak ofgnomes, sylphs, undines, &c., we represent them in figures more or lesshuman.

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In the Kabbala and other Jewish secret books and traditions, the Elementalsare represented as a middle race of beings, which, by a generalname, the Jews called Schedim (the male Ruchin and the female Lilin).They are really the lowest and the dregs of the spiritual orders. They aredivided into four classes: (1) Those of Fire; these cannot be seen with theeye; they mean to do good, and often help men. They understand theThora and have communion with the angelic world. They are masters ofmany of nature’s secrets.

It was these beings which Solomon employed, according to Mohammedantraditions, in erecting the temple. We are told,157 that “he obligedthe male genii to erect various public buildings, among others also, the temple.The female genii he obliged to cook, to bake, to wash, to weave, tospin, to carry water, and to perform other domestic labors. The stuffs theyproduced Solomon distributed among the poor.”

Much curious information can be had from these Mohammedan traditions.Solomon, we are told, once asked an Elemental, who appeared tohim in the form of a fish, as to how many there were of that kind, andreceived the following reply: “There are of my species alone, seventy thousandkinds, the least of which is so large that thou would appear in its bodylike a grain of sand in the wilderness.”

We are further told, that Solomon, by means of a certain stone, “haddominion over the kingdom of spirits, which is much greater than that ofman and beasts, and fills up the whole space between the earth and heaven.”Part of these spirits believe in the only God, but others are unbelieving.Some adore the fire; others the sun; others, again, the different stars; andmany of them even water. The first continually hover round the pious, topreserve them from evil and sin; but the latter seek in every possible mannerto torment and to seduce them, which they do the more easily, sincethey render themselves invisible, or assume any form they please. Solomondesired to see the genii in their original form. An angel rushed like a columnof fire through the air, and soon returned with a host of demons andgenii, whose appalling appearance filled Solomon, spite of his dominionover them, with horror. He had no idea that there were such misshapenand frightful beings in the world. He saw human heads on the necks ofhorses, with asses’ feet; the wings of eagles on the dromedary’s back; andthe horns of the gazelle on the head of the peaco*ck. Astonished at this singularunion, he prayed the angel to explain it to him: “This is the consequence,”replied the angel,294 “of their wicked lives and their shameless intercoursewith men, beasts and birds; for their desires know no bounds; andthe more they multiply, the more they degenerate.”

(2) The second group consists of those of Fire and Air; they are lowerin order than the former, those of Fire, but they are good and wise. Theyare also invisible. They inhabit, like the former, the upper regions.

(3) The third group consists of those of Fire, Air and Water, they aresometimes visible to our senses.

(4) The fourth class is also made of Fire, Air and Water, but havebesides an element of Earth in their constitution. They may be fully seenby human eyes.

This class and those of the third are of a wicked disposition and deceivemen, and are glad to do us harm. They have no moral sense at all. Someof them live in the waters, some in the mountains and deserts, and some infilthy places. Some of them are hideous to look upon, and are said to bemet with even in open daylight.

The two first classes mentioned stand bodily next to men and are verydangerous. They possess extraordinary powers, standing, as they do, betweenthe visible and the invisible worlds. They have some knowledge ofthe future and are particularly wise in regard to natural things. Some ofthese have in the time past been worshipped as gods and national deities.The Kabbala is quite emphatic in warnings against them, saying that theyare untrustworthy because “their natural affinities are towards the lowerrealms of existence, rather than the higher.”

All these elementals, whatever class they belong to are subject to dissolution.Their lives are not centred on an eternal principle. They die—andthat is the end of them.

It is also worthy of notice that there is a close parallel between theteachings of the Kabbala on this point with that of the Vishnu Purana regardingthe composition of the descending order of emanations. Accordingto the Kabbala, as we have just heard, the Elementals of the first orderwere pure Fire, those of the next were Fire plus Air, those of the next Fire,Air, and Water, while those of the lowest order consisted of Fire, Air,Water plus Earth. Each of them as they live on a lower plane adda new element to their constitution. The same law is found in thegroupings of the elements according to the Vishnu Purana. The purestone is Ether and has only one property, sound. The next is Air which tosound adds touch; the next is Fire, which to sound and touch adds colour;the next is Water, which to the three former adds a fourth, taste; thelast is Earth, which to all the former adds smell, thus possessing five properties.

The harmony in the teachings of these two authorities, resting as theydo on so different a basis is an additional argument for the truths of theirteachings on the main subject.

Thus far I have been speaking of Elementals in the commonly ac295ceptedsense. But, it appears to me that there is another order of beingswhich also may be called Elementals, though perhaps in another sense.

I mean the ten Sephiroth.

The Kabbala teaches that the En-Soph (the One without end, theBoundless) is present in the Sephiroth or “intelligences,” by means ofwhich creation is effected.

These Sephiroth, these “intelligences” or spheres, as they also havebeen called, these spiritual substances are emanations from the En-Soph inwhich they existed from all eternity. They are emanations, not creations.A creation implies diminution of strength, but an emanation does not,hence the ten Sephiroth form among themselves, and with the En-Soph, astrict unity. They are in fact only differing from the En-Soph in the sameway as light differs from its source, the fire. They are boundless on oneside of their being, but finite manifestations on the other. They are bothinfinite and finite.

It has been stated that the whole world is like a gigantic tree full ofbranches and leaves, the root of which is the spiritual world of the Sephiroth;or it is like an immense sea, which is constantly filled by a springeverlastingly gushing forth its streams. That which thus has been saidabout the world applies equally to the Sephiroth. They are like trees rootedin the En-Soph, but blossoming and bearing fruit in the world. They areopen within but closed without. Though they partake of the divine nature,they are on the outer side the garments of the Most High. Thistheir outer side is their bodily form, and it is with this we may come in contact.

It is almost blasphemy to call the outer side of the Sephiroth bodily—forbody is to us something very low. Let us, therefore, beware of attachinganything low or mean to Body, when we speak of the Sephiroth. Letus bow down and revere, for we are in the presence of the Holy, even whenwe in thought rise to the bodily form of the Sephiroth.

The Sephiroth, through the divine power immanent in them, upholdthe World. They are the Elemental Forces of the World. Through themflows all Power and all Mercy. Yea, the En-Soph is revealed through theSephiroth, and becomes incarnate in them. It is stated in the Kabbala thatthe En-Soph, through various Sephiroth, became incarnate in Abraham aslove, in Isaac as power, in Jacob as beauty, in Moses as firmness, in Aaronas splendor, in Joseph as foundation, etc.

The soul, notwithstanding its connection with the body, if it remainuncontaminated and pure, is able to ascend to the Kingdom of the Sephirothand to “command them”. But great mysteries surround the secrets connectedwith this power, and but few have they been who have been piousenough and strong enough to be admitted.

That the Sephiroth are powers, “Elementals,” and not individual beings296is evident from their division into three groups, intelligence, animation andmatter.

Each of the three groups is again subdivided, the first into (1) theCrown or the inscrutable Height, (2) the creative Wisdom, (3) the conceivingIntellect. The result of the combination of the latter two: the creativeWisdom and the conceiving Intellect, is in the Kabbala called knowledge(= Logos), which certainly shows these three Sephiroph to be spiritualsubstances, rather than individualities according to the common acceptationof the term. But it is not enough that we escape the mistakes which wewould fall into if we regarded the Sephiroth as individualities, we must alsobeware of regarding them as mere abstractions, which the terms wisdom andintellect might lead us into. We shall never arrive at the truth, much lessthe power of associating with these celestials, until we return to the simplicityand fearlessness of the primitive ages, when men mixed freely with the gods,and the gods descended among men and guided them in truth and holiness.

The first group of the Sephiroth rests in so sublime an atmosphere andso near the Deity, that we can know nothing of their nature or activity.

The second group of the Sephiroth exercises its power over the moralworld, and consists of (1) infinite Grace, (2) divine Justice, and (3) Beauty,which is the connecting link between Grace and Justice.

Here again we have to do neither with mere moral states nor withabstractions, but with embodiments of living and moving realities. Humaneyes can, however, neither see them, nor can human hands touch them, forthey are far removed from them, existing as they do on another plane ofexistence. Yet, he who keeps his virtue, and who knows the key to thechain of existences, can bring them out from their own realm and into hisown and cause them to act.

The third group of the Sephiroth stands in relation to Matter in thesame way as the other two stand to the Mind and the Heart, and may becalled Elementals par excellence. They are called Firmness, Splendor,primary Foundation and Kingdom.—

I now wish to engage your attention by describing to you Leibnitz’sMonads. His monads have all the characteristics of Elementals, at thesame time, that they seem to be purely physical molecules. But this veryduplicity is an argument for my theory, that Leibnitz’s monad is a faithfuldefinition of an Elemental. If it should be proved that they are notElementals, and I doubt that that can be proved, they will at least serve asillustrations as to what an Elemental is.

Leibnitz158 formulates his conception of substance in direct opposition297to Spinozism. To Spinoza substance is dead and inactive, but to Leibnitz’spenetrating powers of mind everything is living activity and active energy.In holding this view he comes infinitely nearer the Orient than any otherthinker of his day or after him. His discovery that an active energy formsthe essence of substance is a principle that places him in direct relationshipto the seers of the East.

This fact, that the chief points of Leibnitz’s philosophy are derivedfrom this conception of an active energy forming the essence of substance,places it at once in our confidence.

From Leibnitz’s Monadology I translate the following paragraphs:

§1. “The Monad is a simple substance, entering into those which arecompound; simple, that is to say, without parts.”

§2. “Monads are the veritable Atoms of Nature, in one word, the elementsof things.”

When Leibnitz speaks of atoms it must not be understood that he is amaterialist. He is far from it. Indeed, his system has been called aspiritualistic atomistic. Atoms and Elements to him are Substance notMatter. They are centres of force or better “spiritual beings, whose verynature it is to act.” These elementary particles are vital forces, not actingmechanically, but from an internal principle. They are incorporeal or spiritualunits, inaccessible to all change from without, but only subject to internalmovement. They are indestructible by any external force. Leibnitz’smonads differ from atoms in the following particulars, which are veryimportant for us to remember, otherwise we shall not be able to see the differencebetween Elementals and mere matter.

Atoms are not distinguished from each other, they are qualitativelyalike, but one monad differs from every other monad, qualitatively; andevery one is a peculiar world to itself. Not so with the atoms; they are absolutelyalike quantitatively and qualitatively and possess no individuality oftheir own. Again, the atoms of materialistic philosophy can be consideredas extended and divisible, while the monads are mere “metaphysicalpoints” and indivisible. Finally, and this is a point where these monadsof Leibnitz closely resemble the Elementals of mystic philosophy, thesemonads are representative beings. Every monad reflects every other.Every monad is a living mirror of the universe, within its own sphere.And mark this, for upon it depends the power possessed by these monads,and upon it depends the work they can do for us: in mirroring the world,the monads are not mere passive reflective agents, but spontaneously self-active;they produce the images spontaneously, as the soul does a dream.In every monad, therefore, the adept may read everything, even the future.Every monad—or elemental—is a looking-glass that can speak.

The monads may from one point of view be called force, from298another matter. To occult science force and matter are only two sides ofthe same substance.

Such a doctrine is of course much objected to by people of the modernage, who pretend to possess very fine analytical powers, and yet are unableto conceive of matter under any other conditions than those cognizableby our coarse senses.

Those who have intellectual difficulties in seeing that Brahm is everythingand everything is Brahm must take this doctrine on faith for awhile.A little earnest practice will lead them to see that truth is not attainedthrough reflection, but through immediate intuition.

If we should desire to look upon these monads as matter, I know ofno better comparison than with that which has been called Matter in aFourth state or condition, a condition as far removed from the state of gasas a gas is from a liquid.

If we should desire to look upon these monads as force, I know ofno better comparison than with that which Faraday called “Radiant Matter”and which by Crooke’s experiments has been shown to be so muchlike mere force, or matter completely divested of all the characteristics ofbodies that its physical properties have been so modified that it has changednature and appears under the form of force.

In §8 of the Monadology Leibnitz declares that “The Monads havequalities—otherwise they would not even be entities.” The qualities attributedto them make them appear very much like living rational beings. Iam disposed to look upon them as upon those little beings represented byRaphael, as heads resting upon a pair of wings: pure intelligence, or spiritswho have not yet attained to bodily life. If they have not a thinking soul, theyare at least forces that resemble life. Continuing, Leibnitz (§11) says: “Wemight give the name of Perfection (Entelechies) to all monads inasmuch asthere is in them a certain Completeness or Perfection. There is a sufficiencywhich makes them the sources of their own internal actions, and, asit were, incorporeal automata.” Says Leibnitz: (§19) “If we choose togive the name of soul to all that has perceptions and desires, in the generalsense which I have just indicated, all simple substances or monads may becalled souls.”

You see these infinitesimal beings are regarded by the great philosophervery much like intelligent existences; and yet they are very far removedfrom our conceptions of soul-life and existence. They are like the Elementalsof the Kabbala: they never become men.

Continuing his definitions, he says (§60): “The monads are limited,not in the object, but in the mode of their knowledge of the object.” Thatis, the objective would have no power over them, but they themselves haveonly a limited knowledge of the objectivity, hence also a limited power.299But that does not preclude the possibility of their being the means of thegreatest influence upon the objective world—in the hands, namely, of an intelligenthuman being or spirit. “They all”, says Leibnitz, “tend (confusedly)to the infinite, to the whole; but they are limited and distinguishedby the degrees of distinctness in their perception.”

Now I quote (§62) a sentence that reëchoes the most beautiful philosophyof the Orient. Leibnitz has seen as distinctly as the old nature worshippersof the early Aryans, that “every monad represents the entire universe.”This short sentence is the key to all mystical philosophy and toall magic; it is only second to such sentences as these: “God dwells in allthings in His fullness,” (Vemana verse), and “The world is the image ofGod,” (Sufi philosophy).

It is a common mistake in the world to believe that God and his truthis only to be found in the Grand, in the Large, in the infinitely large.

In opposition to this, much of our mystical and esoteric philosophypoints to the infinitely Small, declaring, that if we can become humbleenough to descend to nature’s workshop, we shall learn more from the“atoms in space” upon which God let fall a “beam of his glory,” than fromall the magnificent systems of the learned. Hear what Leibnitz himselfsays, though he is not a mystic. He ought to have been, for his insightwas truly remarkable. He declares: (§66) “There is a world of creatures,of living things, of animals, of Perfection of souls, in the minutest portionof matter.” (§67) “Every particle of matter may be conceived as a gardenof plants, or as a pond full of fishes—all swarming with life!“

Keep this in mind, that I am not talking about atoms of MATTER, butof atoms of substance, real unities, the first principles in the composition ofthings. Leibnitz himself, besides calling these corpuscular units Monads,has also called them Metaphysical points, and Scaliger called them seeds ofeternity, and a Persian poet has put it very clearly before us, that an atom isnot a unit, by saying, ”Cleave an atom, and you will find in it a Sun.” Hereis the kernel of our subject, the substance of an atom in space is the storehouseof the immanent forces to which elementals, and elementary spiritsto some extent, have access, and by means of which they work.

This view is fully corroborated by a representative of modern science,Sir John F. W. Herschel, who has approached very near to the teachings ofoccult science by declaring the presence of mind in atoms. In the FortnightlyReview of 1865, Sir John Herschel stated as follows: “All that hasbeen predicated of Atoms, ‘the dear little creatures,’ as Hermione said, alltheir hates and loves, their attractions and repulsions, according to the primarylaws of their being, only becomes intelligible when we assume thepresence of Mind.”

These various definitions of the Monads as given by Leibnitz, answer300in many important points exactly to what we find in occult teachings aboutthe Elementals, and I can see no good reason why we should not look uponLeibnitz’s Monadology as a work on Elementals.

We are really done with him as far as our subject is concerned, butbefore dismissing him to turn to other wisdom, permit me to quote a fewmore passages, though they do not bear directly upon the subjects ofmonads. He says (§83-86): “Among other differences which distinguishspirits from ordinary souls, there is also this: ‘That souls in general areliving mirrors, or images of the universe of creatures, but spirits are, furthermore,images of Divinity itself, or of the Author of Nature, capable ofcognizing the system of the universe, and of imitating something of it byarchitectonic experiments, each spirit being, as it were, a little divinity in itsown department.’—Hence spirits are able to enter into a kind of fellowshipwith God.—All spirits constitute the City of God—that is to say, the mostperfect state possible under the most perfect of monarchs.—The City of God,this truly universal monarchy, is a moral world within the natural; and it isthe most exalted and the most divine among the works of God.”

(To be continued.)

What is the “Theosophical Society”?

The subjoined extracts from the writings and public utterances of someof the leading members of the Theosophical Society will it is believed throwconsiderable light on the issues raised in Dr. Hartmann’s article in thenumber for October entitled “What is the Theosophical Society”; not somuch perhaps as testing the validity of his observations as expanding theirscope, and throwing into relief the true character of the Theosophical Society.Anything done or said by anybody without exception, not in harmony withthe spirit of these extracts is entirely without binding power on the TheosophicalSociety or any of its members.

UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD THE MAIN OBJECT OF THETHEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

In support of this assertion it may be noticed that in the April numberof the Theosophist for the year 1880 in the extract of the rules of the Societyas given in 1879, it is alternatively described as the Theosophical Society orUniversal Brotherhood, and further stated that “The Theosophical Societyis formed upon a basis of a Universal Brotherhood.”

In March, 1880, in a speech by Ráo Báhádur Gopálráo Hurry Deshmuk,the Society is described in the following words:301 “This Society wasestablished in America four years ago (i.e. in 1875) and its object is to inquireinto the philosophies of the East, to announce the brotherhood of man,and to create the bonds of fellowship among nations and sects of differentdenominations.”

In the June number of the Theosophist for 1881, the name of theSociety is again put forward as, “Universal Brotherhood” and its first objectis stated to be—To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity.

The same sentiment is to be found enunciated by Mr. Sinnett in aspeech made on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the Society. Hesays: “But even this philosophical search for truth is hardly the primaryobject of the Society. That object is promoted by the philosophical searchfor truth, as I hope directly to show, that object itself is that pressed inthe foremost watchword of the Society, Universal Brotherhood.” (SupplementTheosophist, January, 1883.)

In the last edition of his lectures, published in 1885, Col. Olcott quotesa passage from Lange’s “History of Materialism” p. 361, in which it is stated:—“Thatthe new epoch will not conquer unless it be under the banner of agreat idea which sweeps away egoism, and sets human perfection in humanfellowship as a new aim in the place of reckless toil, which looks only topersonal gain.” Col. Olcott then proceeds: “It is to such an idea as thisthat the Theosophical Society seeks to give a formal if not already a quitepractical expression,” p. 30. Further on in the same book, p. 117, he states“Our Society might have added to the name ‘Theosophical’ that of‘Philadelphian’ as it was always meant to be a Society of Universal Brotherhoodand for promoting brotherly love among all races.”

In No. 8, Transactions of the London Lodge Theosophical Society,Mr. Mohini M. Chatterji, in a paper “On the Theosophical Society and itsWork,” after enumerating the three objects of the Society, makes the followingobservation:—“Of these three the first (i.e. Universal Brotherhood) is tobe looked upon as the crown and end, the other two are merely accessoriesand means. Every member of the Theosophical Society must be inspiredby that end, but may or may not be interested in the other two objects.”

A letter from Dewan Bahadoor Ragoonath Row published in theTheosophist for March, 1884, and quoted in the same “Transaction,” stillfurther accentuates this position. He says:302—“Theosophy, as understoodby me, is made up of three elements, viz, universal brotherhood, knowledgeof truths discovered by science generally known to the ordinary scientist, andknowledge of truths still in store for them. It may be described in anotherway, viz, ‘universal religion and science reconciled.’ To be a Theosophisthe must acknowledge and practice universal brotherhood. If he is not preparedto admit the principle, he cannot be a Theosophist. In addition tothis, he should be a student of truths generally known, of course to the extentof his capacity. He should, besides, be a searcher of truths hitherto unknown.If he be all these three, he is undoubtedly a Theosophist. It is,however, possible that one may not be capable of knowing scientific truths,extant or prospective, and yet may be able to recognize and practice universalbrotherhood; he is still a Theosophist. No one who does not admitand practice universal brotherhood, though he be a scientist of the firstdegree, can ever be a Theosophist.”

In the last published report (1886) of the Rules of the TheosophicalSociety it will also be seen that the first object of the Society is again statedas the promotion of a “Universal Brotherhood of Humanity.”

It is evident from these extracts, dating from the first formation of theSociety to the present year, that Universal Brotherhood has been the oneand only constant object of the Theosophical Society. The other objectswhich have at different times been added to this can only be looked upon asadditions forming no part of the basic nature of the original, admissibleonly on the principle of toleration but in no sense binding on the Society.Whatever may be the statement put forward by individuals, from the Presidentto the youngest member of the Society, or by any groups of individuals,such statements ought to be considered as representing individual opiniononly and as having no authoritative legislation over the members of theSociety.

THE UNSECTARIAN CHARACTER OF THE SOCIETY.

This point which is the logical outcome of the former position, is likewiseas clearly enunciated in Theosophical literature.

In October, 1879, in an article entitled “What are Theosophists,”which has since been acknowledged by Madame Blavatsky, it is stated:

“With how much, then, of this nature-searching, God-seeking scienceof the ancient Aryan and Greek mystics, and of the powers of modern spiritualmediumship, does the Society agree? Our answer is:—with it all.But if asked what it believes in, the reply will be:—‘as a body—Nothing.’The Society, as a body, has no creed, as creeds are but the shells aroundspiritual knowledge; and Theosophy in its fruition is spiritual knowledgeitself—the very essence of philosophical and theistic enquiry. Visiblerepresentative of Universal Theosophy, it can be no more sectarian than aGeographical Society, which represents universal geographical explorationwithout caring whether the explorers be of one creed or another. Thereligion of the Society is an algebraical equation, in which so long as thesign = of equality is not omitted, each member is allowed to substitutequantities of his own, which better accord with climatic and other exigenciesof his native land, with the idiosyncracies of his people, or even with his303own. Having no accepted creed, our Society is very ready to give and take,to learn and teach, by practical experimentation, as opposed to mere passiveand credulous acceptance of enforced dogma. It is willing to accept everyresult claimed by any of the foregoing schools or systems, that can belogically and experimentally demonstrated. Conversely it can take nothingon mere faith, no matter by whom the demand may be made.**

“Born in the United States of America, the Society was constituted onthe model of its Mother Land. The latter, omitting the name of God fromits constitution lest it should afford a pretext one day to make a statereligion, gives absolute equality to all religions in its laws. All support andeach is in turn protected by the state. The Society, modelled upon thisconstitution, may fairly be termed a ‘Republic of Conscience.’

“We have now, we think, made clear why our members, as individuals,are free to stay outside or inside any creed they please, provided they do notpretend that none but themselves shall enjoy the privilege of conscience,and try to force their opinions upon the others. In this respect the Rulesof the Society are very strict. It tries to act upon the wisdom of the oldBuddhistic axiom: ‘Honor thine own faith, and do not slander that ofothers;’ echoed back in our present century, in the ‘Declaration of Principles’of the Brahmo Samaj, which so nobly states that: ‘no sect shallbe vilified, ridiculed, or hated.’”*****

“In conclusion, we may state that, broader and far more universal inits views than any existing mere scientific Society, it has plus science itsbelief in every possibility, and determined will to penetrate into those unknownspiritual regions which exact science pretends that its votaries haveno business to explore. And, it has one quality more than any religion inthat it makes no difference between Gentile, Jew or Christian. It is in thisspirit that the Society has been established upon the footing of a UniversalBrotherhood.”

In the supplement of the Theosophist, January, 1886, in the Preamble orStatement of Principles, first put forth in 1875 are these words: “Whatevermay be the private opinions of its members, the Society has no dogmas toenforce, no creed to disseminate. It is formed neither as a Spiritualisticschism, nor to serve as the foe or friend of any sectarian or philosophicalbody. Its only axiom is the omnipotence of truth, its only creed a professionof unqualified devotion to its discovery and propagation. In consideringthe qualification of applicants for membership, it knows neither race,sex, color, nor creed.

In the rules of the Theosophical Society, published in 1886, it is alsostated “That the Society represents no particular religious creed, is entirelyunsectarian, and includes professors of all faiths.”

In the paper before alluded to No. 8, Transactions of the London304Lodge—Mr. Mohini M. Chatterji makes the following remark:—“Allattempts to fasten the authority of the Society to any creed, philosophical orotherwise, which is not covered by these rules (viz, the printed objects of theSociety) are void ab initio; not because of the merits of such creed or doctrine,or of their exponents, but simply for the reason that the TheosophicalSociety, by its constitution, is not capable of holding any creed or doctrinein its corporate character.”

It is important that each individual member should clearly realize whatthe Theosophical Society is, what its fundamental principles and what is requiredof its members. It has been with the thought of giving furtheremphasis to the idea set forth by Dr. Hartmann in his concluding paragraphthat these few extracts have been put together. A little attention to thesestatements will it is believed show the true character and purpose of the TheosophicalSociety and aid people to discern what is and what is not consistentwith that character and purpose.

F. A.

Rotation-Individual Evolution.

[BY THE AUTHOR OF “LINES FROM LOWER LEVELS.”]

The paper on “The Higher Life,”159 and the remarks which it hascalled forth, have led me to further reflections upon the subject. That subjectis in fact, Individual Evolution, and the warning expressed by MurdhnaJoti, in that article about “impetuously rushing into the circle ofascetics,” opens up an important phase of the topic most vital to humanity.For this sentence is not a mere advisory caution; it points out the onlyavailable procedure, the one course conducive to successful evolution, orfinal perfection. This course may be briefly summed up in one word,—Rotation.Upon examination we shall find this fact proved by the lawsgoverning Universal Brotherhood.

To begin with, when we take into consideration the personalities ofthe real Founders of the Theosophical Society, we find ourselves safely concludingthat the institution of this principle of Brotherhood as thebasis of that Society, did not occur from any arbitrary selection, nor yetfrom ethical or even humanitarian considerations merely. We may say thatit was not chosen; it presented itself as a central fact, one which correlateswith all things, and is itself one of the aspects of the Great, the MysteriousLaw. It must be moreover that level of the Law most nearlyrelated to the human being, and by which alone he can raise himself fromthis “Slough of Despond” called matter. Upon no lesser precedent than305this would the Masters, those supreme exponents of the Law, proceed. Theoutcome and teaching of that Law is Unity; the power of Unity is its exotericexpression. (Its hidden expression, Great Spirits alone can declare.)This power is conferred by the economic tendency of Nature, which uniformlymoves along the line of least resistance and of larger currents ofenergy, which draw in turn all minor streams of being into their resistlesstide. In order to bring home to all mankind the primary fact that only asa united body, only by living in and working with and for all, can unbrokenadvance to the Perfect Goal be achieved, this unitarian necessity had to beconveyed by a term which would appeal to the untrained, as well as to thecultured mind. No man or woman so grossly ignorant but can sensethe advantages of “Universal Brotherhood,” while the more profound thethinker, the more he warms to the sublime comprehensiveness of this idea.

Many readers will doubtless recall an italicised sentence in the “Diaryof a Hindu,” also published in The Path. It ran as follows:—“No Yogeewill do a thing unless he sees the desire in another Yogee’s mind.” These werethe words of a teacher, and those who may require it have here an authoritativerecognition of the need of humanitarian unity. For man’s strengthlies in his perfect equilibrium, and by man I now mean the whole, triuneman. That this fact is also true on the physical plane alone, is evidencedby medical testimony to the effect that while perfect health is perfect balance,the more complete this balance, the more readily is it disturbed. Thustrained athletes are compelled to take dietetic and other precautions, whichmen of minor strength disregard with apparent impunity. I say “apparent,”because the result is of course visible in their inferior physical powers.Only when the triune man has attained equilibrium is he a moral force;then alone is he in complete harmony. Harmony with what? Withthe Law that works for perfection or reunion, faith in which and accordancewith which, is the sum of the highest consciousness of the humanbeing. Now remember that there is at all times a body, (be it numericallylarge or small,) of individuals cognizing and waiting upon this Law.They perceive its tendency, they only act with and through it, and the cumulativeenergy of this compact body, plus certain impersonal forces, is initself a tremendous power, so vast in fact, that plus the energizing spiritagain, it may be said to form the exoteric expression of the Law itself.Imagine some one member of this body attempting to act from hisseparate impulse, and not from the general instinct. By disengaginghis unit of force from the sum total, he at once neutralizes its effectand limits its expansive ratio; hence it is that action from self, however disinterested,is enfeebling in its tendency. This man may join himself to thepowers of evil and act in opposition to the Law: he has then the accruingbenefit of that energetic total, but this must fail in the long run,306because it is minus the creative spirit, which works for eventual harmony.So true is it that a given cause produces similar results on all the planesalike, that in the spiritual as in the physical world, there must be unitedaction to produce large results. The inutility of weak, single effort wasacknowledged by St. Paul when he said—“Because thou art neithercold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth.” Unless the Yogeetherefore, perceives an idea in other related minds, as the reflectionof the Universal mind, he does not act. When the individual mindhas freed itself from all desire for personal action and resting in theUniversal Mind, acts passively with it alone, saying: “I rise withthy rising, with thee subside,”—then the individual has attained Nirvana.So that our present unit of power depends upon our greater or lesser assimilationwith the highest aggregate of mind, and its continuance, upon ouradherence to that manifested body of the Universal Mind which works forGood, with faith into the Perfect Law. This body in turn depends upon theindividual efforts of its members, for the continuous elevation and expansionof its highest Ideal. Being thus interdependent, I think we may easilyrecognize that Universal Brotherhood is the starting point towards finalsuccess, and that its complete realization is the goal itself. Each mayattain Omniscience, but only as one of a body, not as a separate part.“You shall enter the light, but you shall never touch the flame.”160 So we maybe part of the universal spirit, yet never that spirit itself.

This Brotherhood then, in its harmonious equilibrium, implies subservienceto the Law of Evolution. The course marked out by this Law isone of gradual progression through a series of interlinked processes, not oneof which can be intermitted or dropped, any more than we can omit a linkfrom a chain without break of continuity, which would in this case imply abreak of individuality, either as applied to a member or to the whole body.We find this course substantiated by Nature, who is our great initiator.Murdhna Joti’s phrase about not rushing “into the circle of ascetics,” refersto the rotation prevalent in Nature, and may be used in a large generalsense, and not merely applied to any especial circle, such as the Hindu,Mahomedan, Christian or other group of ascetics. He refers to the disadvantagesconsequent upon any violation of this rotatory course; these applyquite as much to the farmer who fails to rotate his crops, as to any thing orperson rushing into any plane, before being in all respects fitted to go there.Each plane in itself constitutes a “circle of ascetics,” and must be enteredin the proper manner. In every department of Life we meet with anacceptance of this fact. No man is admitted to the privileges of naturalizationuntil he has resided in a country, and has had time to accustom himselfto its manners and laws. It is ever held necessary to serve a certain appren307ticeshipbefore entering any profession or trade. The social usages evenmake “circles of ascetics” in this sense. A boor, a ploughman, or evenunsuitably attired persons, are not desired or admitted in a parlor full ofpeople in splendid array, and a natural instinct makes them shrink fromentering there. When exceptions occur, there is an undercurrent of discordperceptible; all are alike ill at ease. So in Nature, minerals, plantsand animals are limited to their proper sphere. Birds cannot swim norfishes fly. I would say, as birds or as fish per se they cannot do so, norcan the boor, as a boor, be at ease with elevated minds. But advancementis the common lot of all, provided it be made step by step in the naturalseries of succession.

What then is this process in practical Life? It is, firstly, the identificationof yourself with the highest consciousness accessible on your presentplane, the engrafting upon your entire life of the best ideal attainable, so thatyou may act upon it in every thought and word. If you can do no more,select in your own mind the most unselfish and pure-hearted person in yourhorizon, and study the workings of such gracious aspirations and deeds.Noble ideals will soon spring up within you, and by this lodestone similarminds will swiftly be attracted, until you shall collectively form a nucleus ofpersons identical in aim and influence. If one receives a ray of Truth, hewill speedily reflect it to all, and thus our attainment is largely regulated bythat of our compeers. Largely, but not entirely. There are exceptionalsouls who progress with amazing velocity, far outstripping the comrades oftheir starting-level. But even these hearts of power reach up to the moreperfect spirits above them, and to feel this attraction they must have preparedthemselves for it, in the uniform, if rapid, rotation of previous existences.Each must trace out the prescribed circuit, but he may travel fast orslow. Let him not rashly conceive himself to be endowed with unusualspiritual momentum: time is better spent in caution than in failure.

Murdhna Joti gives valid warning not to rush in until all is ready. Thecircle is prepared, but you may not be so. Again, your fitness may beassured and the circle for the moment closed. The course of physical naturewill exemplify my meaning. The blood leaves the heart by the arteries andgoes on to the capillary interchange with the venous system, even as mandescends from Spirit into matter, and at the point of choice, turns, and reascendstowards Spirit. The veins take up the function of returning the bloodto the heart; in these are valves; they receive, hold and transmit the impulsefrom the central heart. All the blood between any two valves has to staythere until the next impulse comes from the heart; when this arrives, itpasses on. The valves close behind each quantum of blood thus ejectedthrough: it is not possible for the blood to recede; retrogression is impededby the closed valve. Nor can it remain; progress is imperative when the308next impulse drives it forward, and so it goes on to the heart In the samemanner each person should stay in his appropriate place, not only until heis ready, but also until the great Heart of all is ready to give the next impulse.Then he will inevitably go on to the next place.

Masters have said that for “chelas and adepts alike there is an abyssbehind each step; a door closed. To stop or to go back is impossible.”That which is true for the Adept is true for the humblest disciple, each inhis own manner and degree. It behooves us then to concentrate our attentionupon the natural and fitting method of progression, and to assist thoseabout us in maintaining a high average of ideality, that the entire body mayprogress evenly, steadily, and that nowhere may ignorance or undue haste clotor clog the way. In the end, the reward of patience is holy. In every effortyou make to lighten the mind of another and open it to Truth, you help yourself.“Those pearls you find for another and give to him, you really retainfor yourself in the act of benevolence. Never lose, then, that altitude ofmind. Never, never desire to get knowledge or power for any other purposethan to give it on the altar, for thus alone can it be saved to you. When youopen any door, beyond it you find others standing there who had passedyou long ago, but now, unable to proceed, they are there waiting; othersare there waiting for you! Then you come, and opening a door, those waitingdisciples perhaps may pass on; thus on and on. What a privilege this,to reflect that we may perhaps be able to help those who seemed greaterthan ourselves.”161

The consent of the Spirit has hallowed those thoughts. Another Messengerof Truth once said:—“The first shall be last and the last first; containyourselves, therefore, in Peace.”

Jasper Niemand, F. T. S.

Thoughts in Solitude.

I.

Within the symbols and doctrines of the Christian Church may indeedlie hidden all the truths of the Occult Philosophy, and another and ablerpen has already traced the correspondences, but it is necessary to realizedifferences as well as likenesses, and while Christianity, as a definite system,has embodied for the world many noble ideas, it seems to the writer to havebeen able to display only one fact of the divine jewel of Truth—to have beenable to trace only a short line of the celestial circle of Wisdom.

Putting aside all such unphilosophical dogmas, as a personal anthropomorphicGod—atonement by the vicarious sacrifice of another—eternal309damnation and such like, which may be regarded as the outworks of theCreed, and which indeed many of its own professors deny or minimize, andcoming to the essential kernel of the system—the inner stronghold of thefaith—that which would be regarded as such by all its truest sons throughoutthese nearly nineteen centuries of its existence, it would yet seem to bebut a one-sided statement—a partial view—compared with the all-embracingCatholicity of the Occult Wisdom.

Unfortunately the outworks and excrescences above referred to, have,during these many centuries, so warped the thoughts and feelings of thepopulations professing this religion that it is no longer the pure and exalteddoctrine as preached by its founder, but something very different. Thereare, no doubt, here and there good and noble souls, who practice the highervirtues of Christianity, but they are in such a minority that they are quiteunable to affect the popular standard.

When one begins to analyse the stupendous outgrowth called WesternCivilization, of which steam and electricity, in their practical uses, may beregarded as the types, and to ask how and by what means this vast fabrichas arisen, we are informed by those who are able to see below the mere surfaceof things that the setting of men’s minds in a certain direction musthave been the factor, and it is only logical that if a man’s highest religiousduty is put before him as the saving of his own soul from perdition, a tendencyof mind which may be characterized as the supremely selfish mustnaturally be set in motion. When the converging lines of hereditythrough many generations have so strengthened this tendency that it hasbecome a potent factor, the development “in excelsis” of the purely intellectualfaculties as dissociated from the moral will be seen to be the inevitableresult, and from this has naturally evolved the Western Civilizationwhich is spoken of with so much pride. But are not nations like treesto be known by their fruits? “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs ofthistles?”

What sins are dwelt on with more emphatic reprobation throughoutthe whole teachings of Christ than those of hypocrisy and cupidity? Andwhere is hypocrisy deeper than within the Christian fold? So deep indeed,that it has become an integral part of the nature, and is no more recognizedas a vice than it was by the Pharisees of old. And where is the worship ofmammon more rampant than throughout the length and breadth of Christendom?The preachers of the Churches may utter faint-hearted protests, butthe nations nevertheless remain prostrate before their idol, and as steam andelectricity extend their sway, and new countries are laid open to modernprogress, the more primitive races, to avoid extinction, join in the madcompetition for wealth. But whether conspicuously shown in the acts ofStates lustful to conquer fresh territory, or hidden in the individual charac310ter,where it displays itself in the haste to grow rich by fair means or foul, itremains none the less a gnawing canker at the heart of Christendom.

What a gulf there lies between the practice of modern Europe and thedivine teachings of the Master.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt,and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heavenwhere neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through norsteal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

And again: “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.”

There is probably no teaching more thoroughly altruistic in its character,and which, if it could be literally applied, would exercise so direct andbeneficial an influence on the human race as the teaching of Christ, but tothe impartial student there seems to be none, the spirit of whose revelationhas been more perverted and degraded by his followers of all denominations,and following the spiritual law whose complement on the physical planemay be recognized in the axiom that action and reaction are equal, the morallight to which Christ’s teachings soared is the measure which decides thedepth to which such teaching, when perverted, must inevitably fall, andChristendom may veritably be said to have become Anti-Christian.162 All thereligions of the world have more or less lost the divine afflatus by which theywere originally vivified, but it has been reserved for Christianity to mouldthe life of the nations from the very blackness of the shadows cast by the“Light of the World.”

When we ask to what goal or catastrophe this Western Civilization ishurrying, it is still more necessary to have the eyes of those who are able toread the signs of the times. The following is an extract from a letter towhich many of the above ideas may be traced which was signed “a TurkishEffendi” (in the absence of any right to suggest the real and more authoritativename), and was published by his correspondent in Blackwood’sEdinburgh Magazine of January, 1880:

“The persistent violation for centuries of the great altruistic laws propounded andenjoined by the great founder of the Christian religion, must inevitably produce a correspondingcatastrophe; and the day is not far distant when modern civilization will find,that in its great scientific discoveries and inventions, devised for the purpose of ministeringto its own extravagant necessities, it has forged the weapons by which it will itself bedestroyed. No better evidence of the truth of this can be found than in the fact that Anti-Christendomalone is menaced with the danger of a great class revolution: already inevery so-called Christian country we hear the mutterings of the coming storm, when laborand capital will find themselves arrayed against each other—when rich and poor willmeet in deadly antagonism, and the spoilers and the spoiled solve, by means of the mostrecently invented artillery, the economic problems of modern ‘progress.’ It is surely aremarkable fact that this struggle between rich and poor is specially reserved for those311whose religion inculcates upon them as the highest law—the love of their neighbor—andmost strongly denounces the love of money. No country which does not bear the nameof Christian is thus threatened.”

But to return from this long digression, take Christianity, I say, in itsloftiest ideal, as taught and practiced by its founder—and it certainly is avery lofty one—altruism in its most sublimated form—self-sacrifice incarnateupon Earth—giving of its life-blood to raise the sons of men, and drawingall to Him by the sheer force of divine love, until the believer’s heart is seton flame, and nothing seems worthy in his eyes short of absolute union withthis divine personality who is at once his Saviour, his brother and hisGod.

Yet were you to analyse the thoughts and feelings of the most ecstaticsaint, would they display more than an ardent soul, a devout mind and aholy life?

Those of the Dualist Philosophy might indeed argue that such an onehad his feet well planted on the narrow way—but the students of the widerPhilosophy of Nature know well that everything on Earth—religion included—isunder the governance of natural law. The attainment of perfection isnot to be achieved by sentiment alone—it is a scientific process, and knowledgeis the supreme enlightener.

The devotion of Bhakti is indeed a necessary prelude to progress in thereligious life, under the guidance of whichever special cult the neophytemay aspire, but it is as it were the outer court of the Temple, and the Holyof Holies cannot be reached by any save those who have attained knowledge.

Without some previous study of occult writings, this word knowledgewill entirely fail to carry home the idea which it is intended to express, andlet alone the liability to misinterpretation from this cause, how can anyonepretend to describe it who has himself none of this knowledge, who has notyet trodden one step of the path that leads there, and who can only strainwith vague imagination towards the sublime conception of the inmost workingsof Nature through her manifold diversity laid bare before the intuitivevision? However, although it is an act of temerity on the writer’s part,these few words may convey some idea to those who are no further on thepath than himself.

When the lower states of consciousness have been so welded in thefire of supreme emotion that duty, though involving the most appallingsacrifice, is no longer a thing to strive after with pain and struggle, but is anatural outcome of the life—the absolute expression of unity with nature—whenthe higher faculties, emotional, ethical and intellectual, whose respectivefunctions may be said to be the perceiving of the Beautiful, the Good,and the True, have been so merged in one that the Buddhi or divine spark312which hitherto flickered, becomes a bright, steady, luminous flame—whenthe “Explosion,” as St. Martin called it, has taken place, “by which ournatural will is forever dispersed and annihilated by contact with the divine,”—thenand then only is one fit to begin to tread the path of knowledge.

That it leads altogether beyond human experience, and entirely transcendswhat we can conceive is but too apparent.

The 15th and 16th Rules in the second part of “Light on the Path”may help towards a vague apprehension of what this knowledge means.

15th. Inquire of the earth, the air and the water of the secrets they holdfor you. The development of your inner senses will enable you to dothis.

16th. Inquire of the holy ones of the earth of the secrets they hold foryou. The conquering of the desires of the outer senses will give you theright to do this.

And the final secret of all may be said to be wrapped up in the mysteryof “self.” When the knowledge of the individualization of Being isreached, man has learned all that this world can teach him, and in the words“Know thyself” lie folded the ultimate possibilities of Humanity. Knowledgeis indeed the supreme enlightener.

Whether any intelligible idea as to the knowledge itself can be evolvedfrom what is here written—it will at least be apparent that a goodness soexalted as to be scarcely imaginable as a human attribute is required as thenecessary qualification for the commencement of the search.

Well did Shelley write in his Prometheus:

and the current Theologies of the world have not been able to remove thereproach. In the case of Christianity the failure may, to a great extent, beowing to its sentimentality and its failure to realize that to be supremelygood it is necessary to be wise—though wise with a higher wisdom than thatreferred to in the above lines.

But Christianity’s greatest fall has probably been its disregard of thefacts of Reincarnation. Whatever interpretation may be put on the great313Master’s utterance on this subject, and however the early church may haveregarded it, it is notorious that Christianity, as interpreted by its mediæval andmodern professors alike, has entirely ignored the evolution of the soul progressingthrough innumerable earthly existences, and has instead adopted theillogical and unphilosophic dogma of a human soul born into the worldfrom nothingness and meriting by its 70 or 80 years of earth-life an Eternityof bliss or an Eternity of misery.

But one does not expect of the child the reason-guided actions of maturemanhood—its teachings must be given in the form of dogma, to which itmust yield implicit obedience. Nor do we expect the infant school to providethe same training that the University does for the cultured intellect.Similarly the various Religions of the world have been the infant schools forgrowing Humanity until the complete stature of manhood should bereached.

It has been remarked by some Christians who are much enamored ofthe self-devoted love exhibited by the Founder of their faith, and the strongfeeling of personal love and attachment thereby called forth from them, thatTheosophy is cold because it does not dwell exclusively on that side of thenature, but while each separate Religion that has existed in the world maybe regarded as the analysis of one special characteristic of the mind, theoccult philosophy gathers into one synthetical whole all its varied characteristics.The different religions accentuating as they do different truthsmay be regarded at the same time—according as one looks at them fromthe scientific or religious standpoint—and both views are equally tenableand mutually comprehensive—as natural evolutions of the peoples amongwhom they arose, and as revelations from the unseen universe of partial truthswhich have to be received and assimilated before mankind can be fitted tocomprehend the Supreme Truth in its abstract purity.

It will be seen from the foregoing that what we call Theosophy is thesupreme expression of all Religion, as it is the final synthesis of all Science—forit is faith merged in Knowledge.

When one looks abroad on the world and sees how few even amongthe Religious, the Cultured and the Intellectual are able to grasp the Truthby intuitive vision—while the masses of mankind are sunk in degradationand semi-barbarity, the mind is lost in the vistas of the future, during whichthe present Religions or those which may have taken their place will haveto continue their work of teaching.

Education is slow and Evolution is tardy, and the whole circle of wisdomis slow to trace; but the march of Nature has been as it was bound tobe—for the best—and the line of Pope

“One truth is clear, whatever is is right.”

314

seems more and more to be borne in upon the mind as an Eternal verity.

Destiny has guided us till now, and has made us what we are, but wewho now realize the omnipotence of the divinely guided Will, have becomepotentially the makers—let us take it in our hands and shape our owncareer, for the sooner we rise to the heights of our Being, the sooner shallwe be able to stretch down helping hands to the suffering Humanity ofTo-day.

Pilgrim.

Tea Table Talk.

THE TENDENCY OF THE PRESENT CIVILIZATION.—An Ancient HinduStory.

Pretty much every subject comes up for discussion at our afternoon tea-table.Hence I was not surprised lately, walking in upon our five-o’clockcallers, to find an argument on crime going the rounds with the bread andbutter.

“What is the worst thing you have seen in the papers lately?” Thisquestion imparted the flavor of caviare to the mild refreshment of the ladies.The Club Bachelor held a certain divorce case to be——; the motherdrowned the rest in the peremptory rattle of her tea-cups and instancedcruelty to the child slave of an Italian padrone. Sue let off a pyrotechnicseries of wrath-compelling wrongs to animals, whom she considers “milesabove horrid humans.” The widow pilloried that brutal subject of recentpress dispatches “who murdered his fifth wife at her tea-table. Fancy!What an invasion of the Sanctuary.” Pretty Polly was also heard battlingvi et armis with the Medical Student over a breach of promise case, and allwere moderately heated over these comparative claims to condemnationwhen the professor entered. Tumultuously appealed to, he replied in hisserious way that if he must discriminate between evils, he should give precedenceto the matter of the Chicago Anarchists. First, because of the blood-shedand riot; second, because of recent manifestations of incipient public sympathywith the criminals. “For,” said he, “considering the infectiousnature of the evil, a crime which strikes at principles as well as at humanityis a thousandfold crime.”

A murmur of approbation showed that as usual, he had conveyed theultimate sense of the tea-table,—minus a paltry minority. For the widow fixingher eyes on me where I had edged between Polly and the Student,remarked that Mr. Julius looked “as if he sympathised with incitors of riotsrather than with their victims.”

The prompt horror visible on Polly’s face nettled me into this reply.“Madam, your discrimination merits my homage, I am not totally devoid315of all sympathy with the incitors of riots,” (gutturals of dismay from everythroat,) “for those incitors,” here I bowed in a semi circle, “are yourselves.”

The silent indignation of my peers was brought presently home to myrecreant soul by the mother’s gentle—“Really, Mr. Julius, you will excuseme if I regret what you have just said.”

“Excuse me, you who are Charity itself, and read my clumsy speech inthe light of a declaration made by a Hindu theosophist—Mr. Mohini:“Whence springs the great diversity of conditions, the contemplation ofwhich breeds Socialism? Is it not the direct outgrowth of the passionof acquisitiveness? The more a Western man gets, the more he wants, andwhile your world holds to this principle you can never be free from thedanger and fear of socialism. The Brotherhood of Man which JesusChrist believed in has become unthinkable to you, with your millionaires atone end of the scale and your tramps at the other.”163

“Do I understand you to conclude that Society, being responsible forcrime, should permit criminals to go unpunished?”

“By no means, Professor, but if you will excuse another quotation,—‘Givemoral restraint to moral maladies, and not impious chastisem*nts.Do not travel in a bloody circle in punishing murder by murder, for so yousanction assassination in one sense and you perpetuate a war of cannibals.’**Remember the condemned man who said: ‘In assassinatingI risked my head. You gain; I pay; we are quits.’ And in his heart headded: ‘we are equals.’”

“Who said that?” queried the widow.

“Eliphas Levi, at your service.”

“Thanks. I’ve no use for French morals!” Under cover of this dartshe retired. What I love most in woman is her way of retreating from thefield of defeat with all the honors of war!

“Seems to me,” said Sue, emerging from a monopoly of tea bun, “thatthings are just perfectly awful anyhow.”

“My Dear! What can you know about it?” remonstrated the mother.Sue silently pointed a sticky and accusing finger towards those philanthropicjournals which cheerfully fulfil their mission of household enlightenment]ad nauseam.

“Things are as they always were,” said the Professor smoothing hisphilosophic beard.

The old Lady ruffled up in her shady corner. “By no means. WhenI was young—”

The mother looked deprecatingly at me.316 “Mr. Julius, have you neverwondered why Life should be so dark? And yet there was once a GoldenAge!”

“The occultists say that every age has its own characteristics. This isKali Yuga, the dark age. In the Satwa Yuga, cycle of causes or truth, thehighest of the three conditions or states, known as Satwa Guna, prevailed.164Consequently in that age, men lived longer, happier and more spirituallives. In Treta, the second age, prevailed Raja Guna the second condition,and the life period and happiness of men decreased. In the Dwarapa,(third age) there was less of Raja Guna. In the present Kali Yuga, thereis more of Tamo Guna, and this is the worst of the cycles.

“The characteristics of these grand cycles and the different minor cyclesare elaborately described in the sacred literature of the Hindus. If itwould not weary you I could tell a story which gives some idea of thenature of cyclic influence and how coming events cast their shadows before.”

Popular opinion, led by Sue, clamored for the story.

“This story is taken from a secret sanscrit book, called the Diary ofthe Pandavas. It gives a diurnal account of the 18 years forest life of fiveexiled princely brothers immediately previous to our dark age. This bookcontains 18 x 360 stories describing the cumulative tendency of sin, and itis said was used in the last yugas as the first book of morals for boys;165every story has its moral; the series reveals the genealogy of evil, or of thedescent of spirit into matter.

“The volume is secretly preserved for the training of occultists, and theentire order in which the stories are arranged is only revealed during initiations.An initiate who has passed three initiations and is preparing for thefourth, is only shown that series treating of such especial elements of hisevil nature as he is then preparing to convert into higher energies. In thisstory, the five brothers are ideal kings. The eldest is regarded as an embodimentof Dharma, (the Law itself,) an incarnation of the God of Justice,yet so strong was the influence of the coming dark cycle, that one Adharma,(transgression of law, injustice) occurred daily within the palace. Late oneevening the Maharaja, (elder brother) had retired and was chatting with hiswife. The four younger brothers were as usual respectively guarding thefour palace gates. Bhima, (the terrible) wisest of the younger brothers wasinvariably at the chief gate during the first three hours. To him comes apoor injured Brahmin who asks to see the Maharaja immediately and knocksthe “Bell of Complaint.” The Maharaja sends a servant to say that he isin bed and will hear the complaint next morning. The Brahmin saw thatthe shadow of Kali Yuga had come and smiling, turned away.166 But Bhima317would not let him go without knowing whether justice had been done him.The Brahmin refused to reply; he would not sit in judgment nor revealthe king’s faults. Bhima knew from the petitioner’s silence that no attentionhad been paid to his case, and ordered that a trumpet be sounded and aproclamation be thus issued: “Strange that our just brother the Monarchhas relied upon to-morrow and sacrificed duty to pleasure.” The kingheard the cry of the trumpeter and coming hastily on foot, he overtook theBrahmin, fell at his feet, heard and redressed his complaint, then walkedsullenly back. Kali’s influence was thus doubly seen. First in the Monarch’sconduct and secondly, in that the younger brother should presume tojudge and to teach the elder. If even in the palace of the five most lawabiding persons, Kali played so powerful a part, we may imagine her influencein other circles of life, amongst the ignorant, or amongst us latermortals now when her momentum has full swing.”

There was a brief silence. Then a shooting fire ray revealed a divinegem in the Mother’s eye and her soft voice said lowly; “After all, it seemsthat we are our brother’s keeper.” And no one gainsayed her.

Julius.

Note.—Any one desirous of having queries answered, or of relatingauthentic dreams, experiences, etc., is invited to communicate with “Julius,Care The Path, P. O. Box 2659.” No attention will be paid to anonymousletters.

Theosophical Work in America.

Boston.—The Boston T. S. meets every Friday evening. Mr. MohiniM. Chatterji is stopping quietly with friends in Boston. He is not here ona public mission, feeling that a different instrument is needed for arousinggeneral interest in Theosophy. He is always glad to see Theosophists, however,and has set apart Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons to receivethem and other earnest inquirers. He has a small class in the Bhagavat-GitaTuesdays and Thursdays. Interest in occult subjects is largely increasingthis winter. Some experiments by Mr. W. I. Bishop in “Thought Transference”have done their share in directing public interest that way. It isamusing to observe the crude theories to account for the phenomenon putforward by some of the members of the American Society for PsychicalResearch, which seems to have been organized for the special purpose of notfinding out anything. One of the members, Rev. Minot J. Savage, however,comes out with the declaration that three things are proven beyonddoubt; Thought Transference, Hypnotism, and Clairvoyance. There are318rumors of a notable book by a strictly anonymous author, and of specialinterest to Theosophists, soon to be issued by a Boston publisher.

On Tuesday evening, December 21, by invitation of a well known theosophist,the Boston and Malden Societies held a largely attended jointmeeting, to listen to Mr. Mohini Chatterji, who spoke on various phases ofTheosophy, and with his spiritual insight, eloquence and learning, affordedquestioners much light in the course of the discussion that followed.

In the field of psychical research much interest has been aroused by anable article by Mr. Charles Howard Montague, city editor of The Globe,describing the results and nature of experiments by which, after a few days’trial, he was enabled to accomplish all that was done by Mr. W. I. Bishop,in his so-called feats of mind-reading. Mr. Montague says that it is not“muscle-reading,” but “impulse reading,” or close attention to unconsciousimpulses given by the subject. As it is absurd to seek a psychical explanationfor what proves to be physical phenomena, it is well for the public toknow the truth and not be deluded by the claims of Mr. Bishop and otherpublic performers. Mr. Montague does not pretend to account, by his solutions,for the well-known cases of genuine thought transference.

Malden.—A largely attended open meeting of the Malden Branch,T. S., held Monday evening, December 6, was addressed by Mohini M.Chatterji on the Theosophical Aspects of the Christian Religion, based on astudy of the New Testament. The broad and tolerant attitude of the speakermade a deep impression. At one of the recent previous meetings a recordof some religious conversations held by the three Zuñi Indians who havebeen spending the summer on the neighboring coast with Mr. Frank HamiltonCushing, the Ethnologist, was read and discussed, with one of theirbeautiful folktales, both showing deep veins of pure Theosophy.

New York.—The Aryan Theosophical Society continues to holdbi-monthly meetings, which have been well attended. In November, BrotherMohini M. Chatterji and Col. Aymé addressed meetings. Col. Aymé gavean address on Theosophy and Mathematics, with illustrations on the blackboard.On the first meeting in December, Bro. C. H. A. Bjerregaard reada paper upon the Elementals, which was of great value and interest; the firstpart of it is printed in this number and will be finished in February.

California.—The work here is being carried on by the Branches inLos Angeles and Oakland, and some new members are reported.

The American Theosophical Council.—In October, a Convention washeld at Cincinnati, O., at which all the active Branches were represented.The American section of the General Theosophical Council was then formed,to take the place of the Board of Control, which went out of existence. Dr.319Buck acted as Chairman, and a General Secretary who is to act as the meansof communication between Branches and Headquarters was elected. Thechoice fell upon Mr. William Q. Judge, of New York, to whom hereafter allapplication and official communications should be sent. Since this convention,new applications have been coming in and the work shows no signs ofabatement.

It is expected that another meeting of the Council will be held very soonfor the purpose of carrying out some proposals for slight changes in themanagement of formal matters. The Council assumes no control of Brancheswho are left perfectly free so long as they act within the general rules of theSociety.

Chicago.—At the annual election of this Branch, held December 4th,1886, the following officers were elected: President, Stanley B. Sexton; Vice-President,Annie G. Ordway; Recording Secretary, Ursula N. Gestefeld; CorrespondingSecretary, M. L. Brainard; Treasurer and Librarian, Mrs. A. V.Wakeman. Address all official correspondence to the Corresponding Secretary,376 W. Adams St.

Reviews and Notes.

The Theosophist.—The leading article in The Theosophist for Novemberis again by Madame Blavatsky—a notable contribution on animatedimages, in the course of which it is shown that some of the circ*mstances inthat amusing travesty of Occultism, Anstey’s “Fallen Idol,” are based ontrue occult principles. By the way, every Theosophist should read Mr. Sinnett’s“Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky,” for thereby a clearer conceptionof the character of that illustrious and heroic woman will be gained,with a better understanding of her nature and mission. Col. Olcott’s secondand concluding article on “The Seeress of Prevorst,” is a careful and scholarlypiece of work, throwing some light from Eastern sources on that remarkablecase of occult development in an obscure German village. Dr. Hartmanhas a paper on “Occultism in Germany,” in which he gives an importanthint concerning one of the methods of practically developing one’s highernature. Srinivas Rao’s new story opens interestingly. The Eliphas Levyseries continue, and a second article on Hypnotic Experiments is given.Several other interesting contributions must remain unnoticed. It is a valuablenumber. The Theosophist deserves to increase its circulation with theincreasing interest in Theosophy.

Notes and Queries.—Brother Gould continues this useful and interestingpublication. We are indebted to him for November and December numbers.Many of the replies are by our old friend, Prof. Alex. Wilder, who islearned in all that is curious in history, archæology and philology. TheDecember number has 40 pages of extremely valuable matter. Address S.C. & L. M. Gould, Manchester, N. H.; price $1 a year.

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Psychometry and Thought Transference, by N. C. F. T. S., with anintroduction by H. S. Olcott, is one of the Adyar series. It has been compiledwith a view of putting in a small compass the main facts available relatingto these two subjects, with an outline of the occult explanation of thesame.

Esoteric Buddhism.—A new American edition of this book has beenbrought out by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., containing all the new matter andnotes of the latest English edition, besides a special introduction; it is soldat a less price. Inquirers can order through The Path.

The Platonist is to be revived, and will shortly appear in a newshape—octavo, 56 pp.; $3 per year. Thos. M. Johnson, Osceola, St. ClairCo., Mo.

Correspondence.

AN IMPORTANT CORRECTION.
To all the Readers of The Path.

In the November number of Path in my article “Theories about Reincarnationand Spirits,” the entire batch of elaborate arguments is upsetand made to fall flat owing to the mistake of either copyist or printer. Onpage 235, the last paragraph is made to begin with these words: “Thereforethe reincarnating principles are left behind in Kama-loka, etc.,” whereasit ought to read “Therefore the NON-reincarnating principles (the false personality)are left behind in Kama-loka, etc.,” a statement fully corroboratedby what follows, since it is stated that those principles fade out and disappear.

There seems to be some fatality attending this question. The spiritualistswill not fail to see in it the guiding hand of their dear departed onesfrom “Summerland;” and I am inclined to share that belief with them inso far that there must be some mischievous spook between me and theprinting of my articles. Unless immediately corrected and attention drawnto it, this error is one which is sure to be quoted some day against me andcalled a contradiction.

Yours truly,

H. P. Blavatsky.

November 20th, 1886.

Note.—The MS. for the article referred to was written out by some onefor Mme. Blavatsky and forwarded to us as it was printed, and it is quiteevident that the error was the copyist’s, and not ours nor Madame’s; besidesthat, the remainder of the paragraph clearly shows a mistake. Wedid not feel justified in making such an important change on our own responsibility,but are now glad to have the author do it herself. Otherminor errors probably also can be found in consequence of the peculiarwriting of the amanuensis, but they are very trivial in their nature.—[Ed.]

For thoughts alone cause the round of rebirths in this world; let a manstrive to purify his thoughts. What a man thinks, that he is: this is theold secret.—Maitrayana Brahmana Upanishad, vi Prap., 34.

OM

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No. 11.

There is not anything amongst the hosts of heaven which isfree from the influence of the three qualities which arise from thefirst principles of nature.—Bagavad-Gita, ch. xviii.

Know that there is no enlightenment from without; the secretof things is revealed from within. From without cometh no DivineRevelation, but the spirit heareth within. Do not think I tell youthat which you know not; for except you know it, it cannot be givenyou. To him that hath it is given, and he bath the more abundantly.—HermeticPhilosophy.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. FEBRUARY, 1887. No. 11.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

The Elementals, the ElementarySpirits,

And the Relationship between them and Human Beings.
A paper read before the Aryan Theosophical Society of New York, December 14th, 1886.
BY C. H. A. BJERREGAARD.
(Continued.)

There are several designations for “angels” in the Bible, which clearlyshow that beings like the elementals of the Kabbala and the monads ofLeibnitz, must be understood by that term rather than that which is commonlyunderstood. They are called “morning stars,” (Job 38, 7); “flaming fires,”(Ps. 104, 4.); “the mighty ones,” (Ps. 103, 20) and St. Paul sees them inhis cosmogonic vision (1 Col. 1, 16) as “principalities and powers.” Such322names as these preclude the idea of personality, and we find ourselves compelledto think of them as impersonal existences, in the same way as we conceivethe angel that troubled the waters of the pool of Bethesda, as aninfluence, a spiritual substance or conscious force.

I stated above that the Kabbala taught that all events in Nature andHistory were under the immediate superintendence of spirits, elementalsand elementary. It was in harmony with such teachings, that the translatorsof the Septuagint translated Deuteronomy 32, 8-9, thus: “When theMost High divided to the nations their inheritance, he set the bounds ofthe Heathen according to the number of the spirits, but He Himself tookHis abode in Israel.”

According to this translation, which differs radically167 from the orthodox,spirits i.e. Elementals and Elementary Spirits, are the rulers, the principalitiesand powers, among the heathen, i. e. all people outside of Israel. Whateverwe may think of the exclusiveness of this passage, and the work giventhe “chosen people” to perform, we can verify this passage historically.

All people of the earth—so far as we know their religious andphilosophical ideas—have drawn their spiritual life from sources very differentfrom those whence the leaders of Israel derived their inspiration. I say theleaders of Israel, for the Israelites as a people, never comprehended themission imposed upon them, they constantly fell back into what has beencalled the “idolatry” of the nations around. The people, as a people,were true to their natural instincts, which led them to follow the guidinginfluence of natural ideas, (i. e. Elementals and Elementary Spirits).

I need not tell you that the Ideas now spoken of are not merely Conceptions,such as we, according to common usage, are wont to believe. Ideasto the antique world, were exactly the same thing as Leibnitz called monads,and the Kabbala Elements and Elementary Spirits. Plato, for instance,attributes to ideas an independent, singular existence and hypostative power.He calls them Gods (in the Timœus), and asserts that movement, life, animation,and reason belong to them, (in the Sophistes).

The nations of the earth, all those not belonging to the chosen few,have indeed been—for good and for evil—guided by the Spirits, now calledElementals, now Ideas and now Gods. Therefore, if any one will studythe history of mankind, he must begin with a knowledge of these occultpowers. If any one will guide mankind’s history, he must follow the lawsof these occult forces.

If we recognize the translation of the Septuagint as given above, andfind ourselves outside the pale of the chosen people, whose work is in323 “theplan of salvation,” we know where to look for the intermediate powersbetween ourselves and the Deity, we know that they are the Elementals, thepowers of Nature, the silent, but invincible giants of the Elements.

The importance to Theosophists of the modern school of clear conceptionson these points are evident. I need not point out to you why andwherefore.

In the Zohar it is stated that, “when spirits come down, they clothe themselveswith air or wrap themselves in Elements.” It is also stated that,“some spirits have a natural affinity for the air-(elements), others for fire-(elements),and when they come down to the earth, they envelop themselveseither in air-(elements) or fire-(elements), according to their nature.”

These statements, which can easily be supplemented with many morelike them, are of the greatest importance, when the question is of spiritmanifestations, for it becomes a matter of grave consequence by what kindof monads we are surrounded.

But, before speaking of the atmosphere of monads that surround us, Imust define the auras or emanations that proceed from all objects in nature.

As an aromatic scent emanates from a flower, so all other bodies emiteither colors or rays of “imponderable” matter. Copper and Arsenic sendout auras of red matter; Lead and Sulphur emit a blue colored substance;Gold, Silver Antimony green, etc. In short, Science teaches that all matteris luminous, i. e. shines by its own light.

Human beings, be they spiritual-minded or not, are also surrounded bytheir spheres. We all know this. We have all felt these sphere influences,and some of you have perhaps seen them. It it said that persons of a highand spiritual character have beautiful auras of white and blue, gold and green,in various tints; while low natures emit principally dark red emanations,which in brutal and vulgar persons darken almost to black.

The impulse or motive power, the cause, if you choose, of these emanationsis the soul of man, of course. According to the condition of the soul,these emanations are more or less powerful, more or less extensive, more orless clear. The stuff they are made of, what is it? It is of course physical,though they may not be measured and weighed by any scientific instrumentknown at this day.

These emanations are soul-rays and they become reflected upon those smallMONADIC bodies already described. I can not prove this to you experimentally,but I can see these reflections as clearly as a physical experiment can demonstrateto you the light-reflection of the sun’s rays upon a raindrop.

Swedenborg claimed to have smelled the inner nature of certain spiritshe met with in the spiritual world, and to have determined their moral valueby these rays. In his work “Heaven and Hell,” he has recorded severalsuch experiences.

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It is an innate power of the soul, that enables it to throw off these raysand it does it by necessity, for without going beyond itself, to express itself,the soul would never realize itself.

The soul can, however, also be trained to emit these rays or auras, consciously.

If we will believe the famous Norse traveller and explorer of Spiritland,already referred to, Em. Swedenborg, we may learn from his ArcanaCelestia, that “the particular quality of a spirit is perceived immediately onhis entrance into the other life, from his sphere,” that “the sphere is theimage of the spirit extended beyond him;” “indeed, it is the image of allthat is in him.” The cause of the spheres around spirits, the same authorstates to be from “the activity of things in the interior memory,” from“the ruling love.”

Swedenborg further states, that “by the sphere which exhales fromthe spirit of man, even while he lives in the body, every deed, howeversecret, becomes manifest in clear light,” and that good or evil spirits recognizehim by his sphere; and that good spirits can not be present with thosewho are in worldly and corporeal loves, however pious exteriorly, becausethey instantly perceive their sphere of evil as something filthy; and, on theother hand, that good spirits readily associate with those surrounded bypure and heavenly spheres. But it is not necessary to have recourse to theseers and those spiritually illuminated, most of us have some knowledge ofthese facts from daily life. Who has not perceived the low and filthy spherethat surrounds the sensual, or the intolerable atmosphere of a proud andhaughty spirit, or been depressed in the surroundings of a melancholy andpassionate man or woman? Indeed, we all have perceptions as to thesethings; some stronger, some less developed.

It is, as I said, the very life of the soul to diffuse itself through all itssurroundings. Without such an activity it would not be soul. An inactive,an inert soul has no existence.

Next, the soul, while thus actualizing itself, takes its material fromthe monads, just described, and moulds them into such shapes and forms asare requisite for its own life and the influence it endeavors to exert. TheSoul has the power to mould and shape them into any possible condition.(More about this later on.) This faculty is its image-making power or theform-making power of the soul.

In order to understand this image-making power, let it first be remembered,that it is an axiom in all mystical and spiritual philosophy, thatthe spiritual degree in man (Atman) contains in its unity with the Universalsoul, the patterns of all things and that these are reflected through thesoul (Buddhi and Manas).

This being so, the soul (Buddhi and Manas) to understand the principle325of creation has only to descend to its own deep, the spirit (Atman), there to findit reflected. Having found and realized the idea of creation, the soul maytake material from the ethereal world, called by the Orientals Akasa, andout of it build any form—image, I call it—it likes.

Unless the soul gives such form and shape to the ideas and life, thatdwells in its own inner deep, these will remain uncreated and the soul uneducatedby not approving of its opportunities.

This is what I call the image-making power of the soul. Upon it dependsall Kardialogy or the science of the heart, and all Rationality. Uponit depends our attainment of psychic powers.

It is not only an innate and natural tendency of the soul (Manas) to gobeyond its body to find material with which to clothe the life that it wantsto give expression to. The soul (Manas) can and must be trained to do thisCONSCIOUSLY.

You can easily see that this power possessed consciously will give itspossessor the power to work magic.

And this leads me directly to the subject of the use of aromas, odors,etc., wherewith to create a suitable atmosphere around us; an atmospherecongenial to the nature of spirits.

You all remember the splendid scene in Bulwer’s Zanoni where Glyndonmeets the Dweller of the Threshold. In that scene is described all themystery of aromatic vapors, their effect upon the human mind, and theassistance they offer to spirit manifestations.

In short, it is of the greatest importance that we produce the rightenvironment by the right kind of emanations or auras, and atmospheres:“As we give, so we shall receive!”

It would require a volume to relate the religious, political, economic,and gallant history of odors and perfumes. I shall mention a few instancesonly.

From the highest antiquity we find that priests have employed odoriferoussubstances. The worshippers of light, the Zoroastrians, laid perfumes fivetimes a day upon the sacred flame, that symbolized light and life. TheGreeks were very profuse in the use of ambrosia, and believed that the godsalways appeared in fragrant clouds. You all know the importance ofsmoke and perfumes in the rituals used at the Mysteries and around thesacred tripod on which rested the prophetesses at Delphi. The Romans almostcarried the use of incense and odoriferous substances too far. Fromthe classic people the custom was borrowed by the Christian Church.There was even a time, when the Romish Church owned large estates inthe East, devoted exclusively to the cultivation of balms and essences to beused in the rites of worship.

But it was not only in religious practices that these delicate media were326used to facilitate the descent of spiritual beings. All through the Orient,even to this day, they are employed in the private life for the same purpose;not for mere luxury, as some people will have us believe. It was very appropriateindeed, that the Greeks should burn aromatic substances during theirbanquets, and who can estimate the soothing influence upon the wild andwarlike Romans of their beautiful custom of perfuming their baths, theirsleeping rooms and beds, and their drinks. It is not at all likely that theRomans should have been ignorant of the high spiritual significance of thesepractices. Why should they before battle anoint the Roman eagles with therichest perfumes, if they did not think it pleasing to the god of war and hisfollowers, if they did not thereby expect to prepare a suitable atmospherefor their descent.

I pass by the modern use of these things. Among the many abuseswith which we are familiar, the strong human instinct asserts itself everywhere.We expect, for instance, that Youth and Beauty shall be surroundedby a sphere, sweet-smelling and elevating; and our instincts are true in this,for there is a close parallel between purity and aromatic odors.

It is a truth well understood that Spirit does not act immediately uponMatter. There always is a medium between them. It seems rational thatit should be so. Spirit and Matter being the two poles of one and the samesubstance need the intermediate middle as a point of conjunction and exchangeof energy.

Applying this general law to the particulars before us, it seems most naturalto conclude that the Elementals are the media by means of which all our spiritualefforts are exerted upon Nature, and that nothing can be done without theirintervention.

But the question also arises: how do we make the Elementals performthis work for us? By what means do we influence them?

Occult Science teaches that “the pure of heart,” those that, having travelledover “the Path,” have come to “freedom,” can, by a mere mentaleffort or by stretching out the hand, “do these things.”

In view of this teaching, I shall state a few facts relative to the powerof the Mind and the Hand.

(1) The Word spoken consists of the thought or idea we want to conveyto the person spoken to, and (2) this thought clothed in a form, a kindof vessel, by means of which we send the thought flying through space.These two elements are the main factors of the Word.

Let us now look a little closer upon each of these two factors.

When an animal in distress calls for another, we, human beings, understandthat it throws its desire or animal life into the sounds which proceedfrom that throat, and the other animal answers instinctively, we say quitecorrectly, for we do not think that the animals reason about their doings.

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This kind of “language,” if it can be so called, is not much differentfrom the language of mankind at large. All language as used in ordinarydaily life is but slightly higher in character, but not different in degree.

Language—the Word—is spoken when an Idea or Spiritual Life is communicated.In the true sense, we only speak or pronounce the Word when theHighest finds a channel into the actual world by means of our vocal organs.

That is the Word! Now, about its Form. Whence comes its material?For form is something substantial. It is not enough that an architecthas a design to a building in his mind, he needs actual material withwhich to erect the house if it is to be realized on the actual side of existence.As surely as he procures stones and wood, etc., so do we also need materialsubstances with which to construct our mental edifices. From whatworld do we draw these substances? From the astral or ethereal molecules!From the Monads!

By a pre-established harmony, the suitable monads glomerate around theheavenly idea that proceeds to reveal itself upon our tongue when we speakthe Word. Thus the thought gets its Form.

Thus far I have spoken of the thought or idea descending to utteritself upon our tongue, we being the mere tools of the idea. And such isalmost always the case. We neither originate thought nor its form.Thought or Spirit speaks through us as the passive agents. Yet we all knowhow we boast of our oracles, of our prophets and our seers, even becausethey act as passive agents.

But there is a language still higher. It is possible for man to originatethought and to control the form to such thought. The adepts know thissecret and they have arrived at that power by getting beyond the “ordinary”laws of life. They are not mere channels for the flux and reflux of thought;they originate and control thought.

Heaven’s first law is order. As we know some of the laws accordingto which we formulate speech in a logical way, so that other sphere outside(or inside, if you like), which is full of the germs of life, has its laws.Hence the adepts, too, follow certain rules or laws, when they want to originateor control thought and its form. Vulgarly, the laws or methods arecalled spells or incantations.

Before we consciously can work spells or control spirits and their energies,we must arrive at the state of the adept, where he is beyond the lawsthat govern, so to say, the surface of things. But we cannot come there onany highroads nor by any short cuts. We must travel the road of self-denialand that of illusion.

As it is possible to enter into the sanctuary of a temple by sheer brutalforce, so it is possible to get into possession of formulas and spells whichwork wonders, though we be neither pure of mind nor strong of heart.

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Would formulas and spells under such conditions be useful to us?They may! They may not! They may also work our destruction. Wehave been taught that they are more dangerous to us than a naked sword inthe hands of a child. The child may accidentally do some useful work withits sharp instrument, but it may also destroy itself.

From this we should learn that the true course to pursue in regard tothe performing of wonders by means of Elementals or Elementary Spirits isto first to attain to the state of an adept: to learn to control life andthought.

If we should happen to come in possession of spells or incantationswithout knowing the proper use of them—better not use them!

But how do we attain to that state just described?

I can not define the way nor teach anybody how to do so, but I thinkthat the way must be very much like that travelled by the Lord Buddhaand now followed by “the Adepts.”

But, as it is not our immediate duty to prepare for the performance ofmiracles, we have been warned to abstain from such vain pursuits.

Far better is it for us to follow the directions given for moral life:

“Try to get as near to wisdom and goodness as you can in this life.Trouble not yourself about the gods. Disturb yourself not by curiosities ordesires about any future existence. Seek only after the fruit of the noblepath of self-culture and of self-control.” These are words from BuddhistScriptures.

It is not only by mind that we may control the Elementals and the Elementaryspirits. The hand forms a most important element among thetools used in occult science.

I shall not define the science of chiromancy, but describe the magneticpoints of the fingers.

Have you given any thought and attention to the hand? Generally weconsider the head of a man and put our estimate upon him according tothe size of his brain. But we neglect the hand. And yet the hand is asimportant a factor in the execution of spiritual acts as is the brain.

The hand is the executive organ of the dynamico-mysterious actions ofthe Spirit of man. Through the hand its psychico-somatic operations takeplace, through it its whole spiritual-psychical energy flows out, when laidupon the sick, for instance.

It may be readily enough understood that the spiritual activity of thespirit of man ultimates itself in acts, and that almost all of these are executedby the hand, but it is probably but little known that in healing, forinstance, there is a peculiar physical basis in the hand, upon which the healingpower is dependent, the Pacinian corpuscles, namely.

It is now many years ago (it was in 1830 and 1840) that Pacini, a329physician of Pistola, made his discovery; but with the exception of the literatureto which it gave rise, and which is known only to a few learned menand a few librarians of larger libraries, little or nothing is known of hisdiscovery.

Pacini found in all the sensible nerves of the fingers many small elliptical,whitish corpuscles. He compared them to the electrical organs of thetorpedo and described them as animal magneto-motors, as organs of animalmagnetism. And so did Henle and Kólliker, two German anatomists, whohave studied and described these corpuscles very minutely.

In the human body they are found in great numbers in connectionwith the nerves of the hand, also in those of the foot. Why should they notbe in the feet? Let us remember the rythmical structure of the humanbody, particularly the feet, and it becomes clear why they are there; theecstatic dances of the enthusiasts and the not-sinking of somnambulists inwater or their ability to use the soles of their feet as organs of perception andthe ancient art of healing by the soles of the feet—all these facts explain themystery.

They are found sparingly on the spinal nerves, and on the plexuses ofthe sympathetic, but never on the nerves of motion.

They are most numerous on the small twigs of nerves and generallyplaced parallel to them, though often at an acute angle. They are more orless oval, sometimes elongated and bent. They are nearly transparent, witha whitish line traversing their axis. The corpuscles of the human subjectare from one-twentieth to one-tenth of an inch in length.

They consist of a series of membranous capsules, from thirty to sixtyor more in number, enclosed one within the other. Inside of these capsulesthere is a single nervous fibre of a tubular kind enclosed in the stalk,and advancing to the central capsule, which it traverses from end to end.Sometimes the capsules are connected by transverse bands.

Anatomists are interested in these Pacinian corpuscles because of thenovel aspect in which they present the constituent parts of the nerve-tube,placed in the heart of a system of concentric membranous capsules with interveningfluid, and divested of that layer which they (the anatomists)regard as an isolator and protector of the more potential central axis within.

This apparatus—almost formed like a voltaic pile, is the instrument forthat peculiar vital energy, known more or less to all students as AnimalMagnetism.

Since the cat is somewhat famous in all witchcraft, let me state, that inthe mesentary of the cat, they can be seen in large numbers with the nakedeye, as small oval shaped grains a little smaller than hempseeds. A fewhave been found in the ox (the symbol of the priestly office); but they arewanting in all birds, amphibia and fishes.

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Though his discovery was disputed it has since been verified and thetheory strongly supported. These organs are the beneficent media throughwhich the Spirit operates.

From time immemorial the human hand has been regarded as the life-pointof a mysterious magical power, but not until Pacini’s discovery do weknow its seat. These corpuscles are its seat. Are they perhaps agglomerationsof such monads as I have described and thus the media by means ofwhich the highest spiritual powers perform their work?

We find the Elementals under all forms of existence, as mere naturalforces, totally, to our perceptions, destitute of any self-conscious life; we findthem also attaining a form very near the human. There is no valid reasonagainst supposing them to be the stuff out of which we form thoughts, muchless against considering them to be the life-giving elements in the Paciniancorpuscles.

Let us maintain the theory that there is no such thing as a dead or inanimateforce in the universe. Every atom, itself a form of power, is alivewith force. Every atom in space reflects the Universal Self, who is:

The Soul of Things.

I shall now come to the end of my paper by a few words which containthe practical purpose of my lecture.

(1) The monads, just described, whether they reflect the auras, thatsurround us consciously or unconsciously, whether they are used as mind-stuffor be located in the Pacinian corpuscles of the hand, are physicalmedia of intercourse between the Elementaries and the adepts.

Why not! If Eastern adepts and Western mediums are in possessionof power to atomize “the body,” to make it become the smallest of thesmallest, to enter into a diamond, for instance, if they have power to magnify“the body” to any dimensions; to change the polarity of the body,to make it become the lightest of the lightest as in the well known phenomenaof levitation, why should the Elementaries, existing, as they do,under much more favorable circ*mstances, not be able to enter into matter,to enter into atoms which “contain a Sun” and there, for the time beingdirect its vital principle and its universal orbs, to such purposes as theychoose, to make it serve the adept’s or magician’s will, who seeks aid orenlightenment?

(2) I contend that they do! And I argue for the necessity ofproducing such surroundings of auras of monads as will facilitate and raisethe standard of what is commonly called “Mediumship.”

(3) I argue for a cultivation of the image-making power of the soul,that we may be able to direct and utilize consciously the intercourse withthe Elementaries.

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(4) I wish to have a knowledge spread abroad about the Paciniancorpuscles, that we may lay our hands upon mankind and cure its ills.

I feel personally convinced that there is both “Light and Life” to befound upon these lines of study and conduct.

Poetical Occultism.

SOME ROUGH STUDIES OF THE OCCULT LEANINGS OFTHE POETS.

IV.

Whitman, in his short and remarkable poem, “To him that wasCrucified,” perceives very clearly the verity of Mahatmahood; the existenceof men who live upon a higher plane than that of ordinary mortals, and whoare united in an order of spiritual brotherhood. The poem runs:168

These lines, sublime as they are, will probably be regarded as littleshort of blasphemous by many of our good friends who, sounding his name,do not understand him; who, worshipping him as the only Man-God, havelost sight of the God in man, the Christ, the potential development of whichin all men was the great lesson which the Nazarene sought to convey. Theylittle think that he whose name they sound may perhaps be walking theearth to-day, striving to bring men to the light, but despised and rejected332by themselves because in an unrecognized and strange guise, while the sameold truths are again trampled upon, since they lack the endorsem*nt ofestablished authority.

The poet, however, shows that he, too broad to be limited by onename, truly understands the mission of Jesus; he, with his own grandteachings of universal brotherhood despised and misunderstood because oftheir unfamiliar form, is elevated by the sublimity of the truths thatinspire himself to the level which gives him the right to address the founderof Christianity as a comrade. He sees, too, with a directness that probablyhas come to no other modern poet, that there is a band of “Equals” workingfor the same end, “transmitting the same charge and succession,”through all races, through all ages, and giving vitality to all religions. Thefree, uninfluenced attitude which he who would grow towards the lightmust maintain is expressed here with most effective simplicity, as is the endfor which THEY are striving—so to saturate the world and all eras with theirprecepts as finally to lift all mankind into the unity of perfect Brotherhood.

The true mental abnegation is here referred to, just as Krishna in theBagavad-Gita tries to teach Arjuna. In speaking of the necessity for retiringto the forest so as to attain perfection untroubled by man, he says toArjuna that the true philosopher will look with equal mind upon all classesof men, upon all systems of thought and all objects of sense, esteeming allalike, inasmuch as they are all one in the Supreme Spirit, and that spiritfound in each, so that to retire to the forest is not a necessity. Thus Whitmansays that he and all others of the same mind, are indifferent of lands,times, disputes or disputers, allowers of all theologies, because they wellknow—as occultism teaches—that each theology and each assertion is onefacet of the great Truth.

The result of this state of mind is beautifully set forth in the lineswhich say that amid the bawling and din, reached at by divisions andjealousies on every side that close peremptorily upon us to surround andfetter us, we walk free, unheld by all, because we are fixed upon the immutablerock of the True. This is the imperturbability sought by the ancientChinese philosophers, who, themselves students of occultism, esteemed thatequanimity above all else.

There are various passages throughout Whitman’s poems that intimatea perception, perhaps intuitive, of the existences of the Masters. For instance,he says, “I see the serene company of philosophers,” and in “ASong of the Rolling Earth” are the lines:

And again, towards the end of the same poem:

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“When the materials are all prepared and ready, the architects shall appear.”

The thought here is identical with that in “Light on the Path” (noteto Rule 21, First Section):

“Therefore in the Hall of Learning, when he is capable of entering there, the disciplewill always find his master.”

And in the following note:

“When the disciple is ready to learn, then he is accepted, acknowledged, recognized.It must be so; for he has lit his lamp, and it cannot be hidden.”

The poem in question concludes with the following exalted lines whichcontain a significant statement of one of the great truths of Occultism:

It is hardly possible to say whether or not the poet means that thesearchitects are in one sense the various, changeful mortal costumes thehuman monad had here and there, in many races and places, assumed whilepassing through the wheel of rebirths. When he says that the architects“will understand you and justify you,” we may easily picture the time whenthe regenerated man, now able to see all his illusionary entrances upon thestage of life under the costume of varied personalities, can understand thatall these different incarnations were fully justified by the need for the particularexperience found in each new life, and thus he himself is glorifiedand justified by these architects, who were really himself.

Complete proof of Whitman’s belief in reincarnation is to be found inthe following lines from “Facing West from California’s Shores:”

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This last query is answered in Light on the Path (rule 12, § I.): “Youwill enter the light, but you will never touch the flame.” The Self is whatwe seek. It resides in the heart of every mortal creature “smaller than agrain of mustard seed;” the heart is in the Sun—and now we speak of thereal heart and the real spiritual sun which is “now hidden by a vase ofgolden light”—(as the Upanishads say)—the Sun in the mouth of Brahmanand Brahman is the All.

S. B. J.

Hindu Symbolism.

III.

This figure represents the Mystic Brahma espousals with Parasakti.The latter is the divine principle of intellectual emanative potentiality orenergy, and the ideal of archi-typal womanhood. The Sakti is conceived ofas the female part of the energy of Brahma’s intellectual, creative power andcreative wisdom. Brahma is here the true Para-Brahma, and Para-Sakti atrue Para-sarasvadi. The sexless in Brahman (neuter) is here transmutedinto the male or energizing power, as the principal symbolic type of thedivine emanative, yet immanent, creative power, as the masculine principleof the ideal or Great Androgynic Man or the Makrokosm; and the flaming335Sun is here depicted as the flaming sun-face, representative of the male-activedeity, also called Purusha. The Sakti or Para-Sakti, the fructifyingenergy and potentiality of Brahman’s wisdom, wears upon her head a brightfire-flaming crown or nimbus.

The veil surrounding them, is the mystic veil produced by the ideationof the eternal thought of the eternal Mind. In the left hand of the sun-figureon the first finger, is carried a bird or perhaps a dove, which is intended tosymbolize the flight of the ideal creation from the eternal Mind before theappearance of that which appears to us to be the real world. In the righthand he holds the end of the mystic veil. On the head of Maya—thewoman—is the world-egg cap. Below, in the shadow of the sphericalcloak of the God-dawn, is seen the world-egg surrounded by the spiritualizingAnanda the snake of eternity, which as if asleep and inactive, is suspendedaround the egg.

In India the principal general symbols are fire and water, sun andmoon, man and woman, bull and cow, the linga and yoni, the lotus andthe sacred fig (ficus indica). The lotus is formed of red, white and bluecolors; blue is considered the same as black.

Isaac Myer.

“Light on the Path.”

“The Soul of man is immortal and its future is the future of a thing whose growthand splendour has no limit.”

It is with extreme diffidence that I venture to undertake a short commentaryor analysis of the book whose title heads this article; not only becauseof the nature of the work itself, but also because it has already been twicecommented upon, once by the author, and once by a very learned studentof Eastern Literature. The author’s notes, however, were rather an extensionof the original text than a commentary in the strict sense of the word;while the object of the second annotator was more an attempt to show theidentity of the doctrines contained in Light on the Path with those ofancient Brahamanical Philosophy, than to give the nature of those doctrinesin themselves.

The object of this paper on the contrary, is to attempt to analyze thescheme of Philosophy in accordance with which this little book has beenwritten; in other words, to attempt to set forth the intellectual counterpart ofthe spiritual doctrines of Light on the Path. It is inevitable that, in thuschanging the doctrine from the Spiritual to the intellectual plane, so tospeak, the intellectual counterpart should be inferior to the Spiritual original.To counterbalance this loss, however, it is true on the other hand that the336intellectual counterpart may render the spiritual original accessible to some,the conformation of whose minds renders them unable to appreciate itdirectly. It is in the hope that this may be so that the present paper hasbeen attempted.

To begin with, then, the work we are considering indicates a possible enlightenmentof the Soul, and development of the higher part of our nature;and further states that these results cannot take place before a certain battle hasbeen fought and won: we have, therefore, to discover what the soul is; whatis the nature of the battle; what are the opposing forces; and what are theresults of the struggle.

The combatants are the higher nature, or Soul on the one side; and thelower nature or egotism on the other. The higher nature includes the intellectual,Spiritual, and æsthetical powers: that is to say, the powers whichdeal with the perception of truth, goodness, and beauty.

The sense of truth is characteristically manifested in the conquest ofsome intricate mathematical problem, or in following successfully somedifficult chain of reasoning.

The sense of beauty is manifested in the joy with which we behold thesplendor of a glorious sunset.

The sense of goodness is manifested in the voice of an approving conscience,or in the reverence and admiration we feel for some godlike and noblecharacter.

It is undeniable that the intellect can discriminate between what is,and what is not, true, within its own domain, the æsthetical faculty also canpronounce with certainty as to the presence or absence of that quality whichwe call beauty.

So can the moral nature decide without hesitation as to what is or whatis not in accordance with Righteousness. These three powers of the highernature are subject to development, that is to say, at different periods theywill perceive the qualities of beauty, truth, and goodness in different objects,and in different degrees; but as to the reality of the three qualities theirvoice is ever the same.

The three powers perceive three harmonies, each in its own domain;when the three are harmoniously developed the three harmonies are perceivedto be one, and to this one great harmony are given the names of the Eternaland the Law of God. The seer of old feeling the sense of Rightousness’within him exclaimed: “I will rejoice in the Eternal, and in him will I putmy trust.” When the powers of the higher nature are developed, under alltemporary disharmony and chaotic disturbance, are perceived a deeper orderand more enduring harmony ever at work. Marcus Aurelius had perceptionof a deep Spiritual truth, when he wrote the concluding sentences of thefollowing utterance.

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“Figs, when they are quite ripe, gape open: and in the ripe olives,the very circ*mstance of their being near to rottenness, adds a peculiarbeauty to the fruit, and ears of corn bending down, and foam which flowsfrom the mouth of wild boars, and many other things,—though they are farfrom being beautiful, in a certain sense,—still, because they come in thecourse of nature, have a beauty in them, and they please the mind; so thatif a man should have a feeling and a deeper insight with respect to thethings which are produced in the universe, there is hardly anything whichcomes in the course of nature, which will not seem to him to be, in a manner,disposed so as to give pleasure.” That is,—in all things, could we butperceive it, is the harmony of the Eternal.

The first harmony, the harmony of truth, is perceived by the scientificmaterialist; that is to say, he is capable of perceiving the reign of Law inthe physical universe.

The artistic nature can perceive the harmony of beauty in nature and art.

By the spiritually-minded is perceived the moral harmony.

It is the distinctive mark of modern Civilization that the harmonies oftruth and beauty, of Science and Art are perceived and openly recognizedby all, while the harmony of Holiness is passed over, in silence and oblivion.It is the object of Theosophy, rightly understood, to arouse the world to arenewed sense of the harmony of Righteousness.

So much for the higher nature. Confronting it stands the Egotism.For where the moral sense dictates peace and goodwill to all men, the Egotismraises a selfish claim for a monopoly of all good things, all pleasures, allenjoyments. The first enjoyment the Egotism demands is to surpass anddominate all other Egotisms which it seems to see pursuing the same pleasuresas itself. Hence the command: “Kill out ambition.” Having oncegained this domination the self cries out for enjoyments both sensual andsensuous, for all the pleasures of life. Hence the need for the command“Kill out the desire of life;” the self is also deterred by indolence fromcarrying out any good inspirations that may descend through the thick mistwhich surrounds it, from the higher nature: against indolence it is written“Kill out the desire of comfort.”

But the moral sense condemns the existence of this self, this centre offorce, which is not in accordance with its perception of Harmony. Whenonce the moral nature comes to perceive the evil of egotism, the questioninevitably arises for solution, “Shall this cause of disharmony cease orcontinue?” If the decision is for its continuance one of two things willhappen. Either, before the moral nature has been completely paralysedand atrophied by neglect,—before the seared conscience is completelysilenced,—the fact will be recognised, in the midst of pain and sorrowunspeakable, that “to work for self is to work for disappointment;” and in338that case the moral nature may at last meet with its development and allmay be well; “the weak must wait for its growth, its fruition, its death, andit is a plant that lives and increases through the ages.” It has been said also“the forging of earthly chains is the occupation of the indifferent, theawful duty of unloosing them through the sorrows of the heart is also theiroccupation” and truly “both are foolish sacrifices.” Either this takes place,or,—the moral nature at last becomes completely deadened, all the forceand vital power which has been drawn away from it goes to strengthen theEgotism which becomes from henceforth a centre of evil, of destruction; anenemy of the eternal.

It seems that individual existence means a certain amount of force,which may vitalise either the powers of the higher nature or those of theegotism; or those of both, in part. It seems also that the egotism is agroup of centres, so to speak, from some or all of which the energic force ofthe individual may work; so that, for example, when this force works fromone centre in the egotism sensuality arises; when from another centre,hate; from another, evil ambition, and so on. When the energic force israised to the higher nature it may act from various centres; from one, ascharity; from another, as holiness, and so on. Hence, “any good qualitymay become any other good quality”—if the conditions are favorable.It seems also that the Will can degrade the energic force from the soul tothe egotism; or, conversely, can raise it from the egotism to the soul; sothat, by the alchemical power of the will, so to speak, the baser metalbecomes converted and, rising to the top of the still, becomes pure gold.Besides the higher and lower natures we have been considering there residesalso, in the complete being, consciousness or sense of existence and will.When all the portions of energic force,—or the Satwaic sparks, as they areelsewhere called,—rise to the higher nature, the individual becomes onewith the Eternal, and a part of the United Spirit of Life, and individualexistence ceases, in a sense. When the question is asked “Shall the selfcease or continue?” the moral nature answers decisively “It ought tocease.” If the truth of this mandate is recognised, at once a terriblestruggle arises; self opposed rises with tenfold force and violence; again andagain it craftily casts doubt on the truth of the moral nature; raises obstacles,temptations and hindrances; all the pleasures it has enjoyed are to be sweptaway forever; all the momentum and power that the egotism has gained,through long continued indulgence and unhindered growth, are brought tobear at once on the struggle; the whole nature is torn by the conflict, the will istried to the uttermost; but under all this turmoil and strife lies the assuredconsciousness of final victory; it is felt that sooner or later the self must bedestroyed, that it is built for time and not for eternity, that its days arenumbered.

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During the struggle intervals of peace occur, and grow greater andlonger as the end approaches; till at last, when the final victory is won thispeace becomes habitual.

But as the conflict goes on, the will at last gains strength to say, oncefor all “Henceforth, forever, will I serve self no more.” And immediatelythe first struggle is ended. The dominance of self is forever destroyed. Inreply to the command “Seek in the heart the source of evil, and expungeit” the soul can say “this also have I done,” then comes “peace to thetroubled spirit” peace deep and pure. The soul recognises that the self hasbeen the cause of individual existence; when the self is removed the soultends to harmonise itself with the great harmony, to become one with theeternal; but all the evil tendencies to selfishness and sin, must be graduallyovercome, for though their cause and source has been destroyed, yet theystill maintain a certain momentum. Not yet can it be said that the soul isperfectly at one with the United Spirit of Life. Much remains to be done,yet much has been done already, for during the struggle the energic forcehas become loosened from the centres of self, and has ascended to strengthenand vivify the soul, which becomes strong, fully awakened, and in harmonywith the eternal; the flower of the soul is opening, the first step on the Pathis taken. In the Idyll of the White Lotus the same author has given thesame history in another form. The New-Testament story is the same, andso is the scheme of Christian Theology for those who have eyes to see it;for that story is “the tragedy of the soul, it has been told in all ages andamong every people.”

Charles Johnston.

Dublin, Ireland.

MusingsOn the True Theosophist’s Path.

If you desire to labor for the good of the world, it will be unwise foryou to strive to include it all at once in your efforts. If you can help elevateor teach but one soul—that is a good beginning, and more than is givento many.

Fear nothing that is in Nature and visible. Dread no influence exertedby sect, faith, or society. Each and every one of them originated uponthe same basis—Truth, or a portion of it at least. You may not assume that340you have a greater share than they, it being needful only, that you find allthe truth each one possesses. You are at war with none. It is peaceyou are seeking, therefore it is best that the good in everything is found. Forthis brings peace.

It has been written that he who lives the Life shall know the doctrine.Few there be who realize the significance of The Life.

It is not by intellectually philosophizing upon it, until reason ceases tosolve the problem, nor by listening in ecstatic delight to the ravings of anElemental clothed—whose hallucinations are but the offspring of the Astral—thatthe life is realized. Nor will it be realized by the accounts of the experiencesof other students. For there be some who will not realize DivineTruth itself, when written, unless it be properly punctuated or expressed inflowery flowing words.

Remember this: that as you live your life each day with an upliftedpurpose and unselfish desire, each and every event will bear for you a deepsignificance—an occult meaning—and as you learn their import, so do youfit yourself for higher work.

There are no rose-gardens upon the way in which to loiter about, norfawning slaves to fan one with golden rods of Ostrich plumes. The IneffableLight will not stream out upon you every time you may think you haveturned up the wick, nor will you find yourself sailing about in an astralbody, to the delight of yourself and the astonishment of the rest of theworld, simply because you are making the effort to find wisdom.

He who is bound in any way—he who is narrow in his thoughts—findsit doubly difficult to pass onward. You may equally as well gain wisdomand light in a church as by sitting upon a post while your nails growthrough your hands. It is not by going to extremes or growing fanatical inany direction that the life will be realized.

Be temperate in all things, most of all in the condemnation of othermen. It is unwise to be intemperate or drunken with wine. It is equallyunwise to be drunken with temperance. Men would gain the powers; or theway of working wonders. Do you know, O man, what the powers of theMystic are? Do you know that for each gift of this kind he gives a partof himself? That it is only with mental anguish, earthly sorrow, and almosthis heart’s blood, these gifts are gained? Is it true, think you, my brother,that he who truly possesses them desires to sell them at a dollar a peep, orany other price? He who would trade upon these things finds himselffarther from his goal than when he was born.

There are gifts and powers. Not just such as you have created in yourimagination, perhaps. Harken to one of these powers: He who has passedonward to a certain point, finds that the hearts of men lie spread before himas an open book, and from there onward the motives of men are clear. In341other words he can read the hearts of men. But not selfishly; should he butonce use this knowledge selfishly, the book is closed—and he reads no more.Think you, my brothers, he would permit himself to sell a page out of thisbook?

Time—that which does not exist outside the inner circle of this littleworld—seems of vast importance to the physical man. There comes to himat times, the thought that he is not making any progress, and that he is receivingnothing from some Mystic source. From the fact that he has thethought that no progress is being made the evidence is gained that he isworking onward. Only the dead in living bodies need fear. That whichmen would receive from Mystic sources is frequently often repeated, and insuch a quiet, unobtrusive voice, that he who is waiting to hear it shouted inhis ear, is apt to pass on unheeding.

Urge no man to see as yourself, as it is quite possible you may seedifferently when you awake in the morning. It is wiser to let the matterrest without argument. No man is absolutely convinced by that. It is butblowing your breath against the whirlwind.

It was at one time written over the door: “Abandon Hope, all ye who enterhere.” It has taken hundreds of years for a few to come to the realizationthat the wise men had not the slightest desire for the company of a lot ofhopeless incurables in the mysteries. There is to be abandoned hope for thegratification of our passions, our curiosities, our ambition or desire for gain.There is also another Hope—the true; and he is a wise man who comesto the knowledge of it. Sister to Patience, they together are the Godmothersof Right Living, and two of the Ten who assist the Teacher.

American Mystic.

Thought Effects.

Some thirty years ago, I began a five years’ residence in a foreign land.Whilst there, I was conscious of a stern conflict going on within me to keepmyself from falling into some of the ways and beliefs of the people of thatland. So strong was the assault in one direction upon the Idol of Rightwhich had been set up within me by a New England training, that for fear itshould topple and fall, I was constrained to withdraw myself little by littlefrom social relations, until finally I came to be pretty much alone, living onthe pampas with flocks, herds, nature generally, and a few books for company.Even after this change the fight went on, though in a less active formand on a more desultory scale.

After I went from there, reflection upon the subject brought me to thisconclusion among others, viz.: that one of the most powerful forces emanat342ingfrom distinct societies of mankind works by mental action upon manfrom the unseen atmosphere surrounding him.

It is said advisingly, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” It maybe said, warningly: “When one enters upon living in Rome, he can scarcehelp but do as the Romans do.”

In these later days, investigation of Theosophy has shown me of whatnature was the obstacle against which I had been contending so stoutly.

It was of the Karma of that nation. It has shown me also the methodof that unseen, unheard influence which “is in the air,” ever about us, everready to move us, to govern us. And this method of influence, unseen andunheard, is the action upon us of forces existing on the Astral Plane. Amongthese forces are the thoughts of men living upon the objective plane ofEarth.

After so much of preface, I come to a more particular consideration ofsome of the effects of those thoughts of man, which are unexpressed by speechor action, upon others and upon himself:

1st. How may we effectually resist the force of bad influence of localityoperating on us from the Astral Plane?

2nd. How may we do something, otherwise than by precept and example,towards overcoming the evil Karma of Locality which may be affectingothers?

3rd. How may we in individual cases help some unfortunates withwhose needs we are acquainted?

An answer is—by Thoughts.

In man’s advancement from darkness into light, in the “HumanSoul’s” departure from lower materiality to entrance into right Spiritual living,among other means to be used to attain that end are right thought, rightaction, right speech and right meditation. Of these, right thought, is ofprimary importance, for it is the foundation from which only the others canspring into life. Actions in objectivity are illusions; they are shadows ofour personality created by thoughts. Thoughts are nearer, more akin to ourpersonality than actions are, for they are primary expressions from personality,always preceding conscious speech and action. Of all the indices toour personality of which we have knowledge thoughts are the clearest; weare as our thoughts are. In compliance with that grand mandate, “KnowThyself,” why scan life’s page of speech and actions—shadows—when a vastvolume of thoughts—realities—expressions of our personality, lies open tous for finding knowledge of self?

Though independent of speech and action, thoughts are realities. Theyare real, living, active forces, until their force is expended,—but the effectsof right thoughts last forever. Space does not necessarily limit their reach.They are in the air, so to speak, everywhere, and can move with a rapidity343that is instantaneous. They may not only be sent, but are received. It takesbut the veriest morsel of time to send a thought to the Sun; at the Sun ittakes as little time to receive a thought from the Earth.

To the first question—“how may we effectually resist the force of badinfluence of Locality operating on us from the Astral Plane?”—one way is tosearch for Spiritual Truth. That truth is “in the air.” It is conveyed to usby Thoughts. But a thought “from the air” is as a seed. A mustard seedplanted in ice will not fructify; a spiritual thought-seed falling upon a“Human Soul” which is bound and tied to Earth by its “Animal Soul”will not fructify. The mustard seed must fall into ground properly preparedfor its reception, ere by culture it can sprout, grow, and bear fruit.And so, too, must the soil of the “Human Soul,” be made ready in orderthat it shall afford an appropriate bed upon which the ever-present Spiritualthought-seed shall alight. On such a prepared soil it will surely fall; assurely as the magnetic needle points to its pole, and once there, by our ownculture it may grow into “an everlasting tree of Holiness.”

How is that bed prepared? How is it that we become ready to receiveSpiritual Truth? By right thought, right action, right speech and right meditation.It lies within our inner selves whether we shall advance in Spiritualknowledge and life, and nowhere else; it must be our purpose, our business.No dictum of the Schools can bring it about. No printed book on esotericwisdom or on ethics, or on the multitudinous religions of man can giveit to us;—belonging to the Theosophical Society does not necessarily leadus into Spiritual life. These, to the hungry “Human Soul,” may be ofimmense importance, but if the “Human Soul”—principle 5, be not firstprepared, if we do not look upward and build upward, all these means,—Spiritualthoughts that are “in the air,” wise books, this society of yours—theyare all to such a spiritually-desert soul, but as of old—“pearls beforeswine”—hidden light—a force shut out by ourselves from acting within us.

When we are engaged in right searching for Spiritual Truth, bad forcesfrom the Astral Plane are inoperative upon us: Thus may we effectuallyresist the force of bad influence of Locality operating on ourselves fromthe Astral Plane.

The second question we are considering is, “How may we do something,otherwise than by precept and example, towards overcoming the evilKarma which may be affecting others?”

Surely, again, it is by right thought, and right action, speech and meditation.For, not only do they prepare the way for the reception of SpiritualTruths, but the ego, so thinking, acting, speaking and meditating, is, whileso employed, disseminating Spiritual light on all sides through the AstralPlane. He is throwing out Spiritual truth-seed which is reaching far andnear. Wherever a “Human Soul” is in need of it, and hungering for it, it344will surely fall; for there the soil is ready for its reception. These rightthoughts have gone into “the air,” and are certain to strike in somewherefor good.

Thus by right thought we may do something otherwise than by preceptand example, towards obliterating the evil Karma of locality which isaffecting others.

Regarding the third question; it seems to me that we all know someparticular individuals to whose high needs we can minister by direct intentionthrough the power of thought.

Who, that observes and reflects, cannot gather from his own experiencethe fact that thought can fly to a person at a distance? How common tosay “I was thinking of one and he appeared.” It is not an uncommonexperience for one to unexpectedly entertain serious, at any rate markedthoughts about another, and subsequently to find that the other was similarlyoccupied in mind with him at the same time. It is odd if there be notsome among you who know that thought messages have been sent, receivedand acted on by the object-person when the receiver was in an abnormalcondition to the sender. By these and other illustrations which doubtlesswill occur to you, we know that it is within the province of cause andeffect that thought has power to operate on others at a distance by directintention of the sender, by mental action alone.

Believing in the reality of thought—knowing the reality of thought—inits power to shield us from evil; in its power to affect others unknown tous; in our power to project it to special individuals, what opportunitiesit affords us for conferring high good.

But in order to do positive good to another by this direct thoughtunexpressed by speech or action, some certain conditions are necessary,which we may consider as milestones that shall indicate the progress of ourown ascending path from materiality to spirituality. To be a power bythought influence,—(I do not refer now to thought sent by will power to aparticular “sensitive” who is in subjective state to the sender—which conditionis on a lower plane than that which we are now considering,) presupposesintensity of love born of and nurtured by Spirituality for thosewhose high good we thus seek to establish. There must first be born inus an enthusiasm for giving high and positive good to another unconciouslyenthusiasm, as is our enthusiasm, shall be the energy of our missive-thought;and according to the energy of that thought will be its effectupon the object to which it is sent,—the more powerfully intense thethought the deeper it will penetrate;—the longer its effects will endure.

Right meditation will be required of us to determine what we reallydesired to effect. If we arrive at the position within ourselves necessary for345obtaining power for affecting another for good by thought message, therewill be engendered within us a portion of that grand principle on which thisSociety is founded, viz: Universal Brotherhood—unselfish love for others.

In making thought message to others, on the basis of lifting them to ahigher plane of action, a part of our daily life, by its reaction upon ourselveswe shall surely be “laying up treasures in Heaven”—and full willbe our material for Devachanic life.

As in Devachan one shall live in the good he has done while in objectiveearth life—shall live in the true beauty he has learned to perceive—shalllive in the effects of his good-life, his thoughts while here on earth can bemade for the Devachanic period of his existence a vast storehouse of “good-life”of purest water. But it must be of thoughts untinged by selfish considerations.It must be of thoughts evolved through love of others for theirgood.

Right thought being the grand power it is:

1st. To resist within ourselves the bad Karma of Locality.

2nd. By which to weaken and destroy the bad Karma of Locality,which is disastrously affecting others.

3rd. By which from a basis of spiritual love we may send light to agroping soul,—what heavy responsibility is ever over us that it shall beour purpose, our study to “think aright.”—To live much in thus rightthinking—we shall ever be lifting some of the heavy Karma from off theworld. It is thus, that we can “live in the Eternal, for right thought is ofthe Universal Mind, and Universal Mind is of the Eternal.”

Reflect that persistent right thinking affects humanity constantly in theright direction, ever from the gross and material to the refined and Spiritual.It will ever be a constant force so long as evil exists. Let this idea sinkinto our consciousness. Let right thought be to us as the strong arm withwhich to do good to others. One need not long for wealth, for position orpower that he may do good to others; the poorest in material wealth, thehumblest in station, the most insignificant among men has within himselfthis ever open storehouse of power for conferring good on which hecan draw without limit; a wealth he can scatter broadcast, or can give bydirect selection of object with the surety that he is bestowing benefitsbroadly,—knowing that he is successfully contending against Spiritualpoverty—which is the sum of evil.

He who uses this wealth, can do so—must do so only by sacrifice ofthought of self. He must be interested only in combating evil by helpinghumanity at large; of offering special help to those whom he knows aredesirous of help. As his life-love for the objects in view is the only foundationupon which he can do these works,—love of self can not be a powerwithin him.

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To put it the other way. Begin the work of thought for the good ofothers by first forgetting self; as fast as possible get away from the dominionof materiality. Live in the love of doing enduring good to others—these conditionsare the true and upward advancement of ourselves. The doing ofthese things is the reward;—it is the advancing into God-life. It is partof our real Eternal selves. It is living in the Eternal—the everlasting good;for the God-life—the good-life is the only eternally active one. Byliving thus, the gross and material now enchaining our entities will bebroken down and will die and leave us—and die they must sooner or lateror the “I am I” shall perish.

H. N. H., F.T.S.

Brooklyn, Oct 15, 1886.

Environment.

To the Western mind the doctrines of Karma and Reincarnation containdifficulties which while they seem imaginary to the Eastern student, arenevertheless for the Western man as real as any of the other numerousobstructions in the path of salvation. All difficulties are more or less imaginary,for the whole world and all its entanglements are said to be an illusionresulting from the notion of a separate I. But while we exist here inmatter, and so long as there is a manifested universe, these illusions are realto that man who has not risen above them to the knowledge that they arebut the masks behind which the reality is hidden.

For nearly twenty centuries the Western nations have been building upthe notion of a separate I—of meum and tuum—and it is hard for them to acceptany system which goes against those notions.

As they progress in what is called material civilization with all its dazzlingallurements and aids to luxury, their delusion is further increased becausethey appraise the value of their doctrine by the results which seem toflow from it, until at last they push so far what they call the reign of law,that it becomes a reign of terror. All duty to their fellows is excluded fromit in practice, although the beautiful doctrines of Jesus are preached to thepeople daily by preachers who are paid to preach but not to enforce, andwho cannot insist upon the practice which should logically follow the theorybecause the consequences would be a loss of position and livelihood.

So when out of such a nation rises a mind that asks for help to findagain the path that was lost, he is unconsciously much affected by the educationnot only of himself but also of his nation through all these centuries.He has inherited tendencies that are hard to be overcome. He battles withphantasms, real for him but mere dreams for the student who has beenbrought up under other influences.

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When, therefore, he is told to rise above the body, to conquer it, tosubdue his passions, his vanity, anger and ambition, he asks, “what if bornedown by this environment, which I was involuntarily born into, I shall fail.”Then when told that he must fight or die in the struggle, he may reply thatthe doctrine of Karma is cold and cruel because it holds him responsiblefor the consequences which appear to be the result of that unsought environment.It then becomes with him a question whether to fight and die,or to swim on with the current careless as to its conclusion but happy ifperhaps it shall carry him into smooth water whose shores are elysian.

Or perhaps he is a student of occultism whose ambition has been firedby the prospect of adeptship, of attaining powers over nature, or what not.

Beginning the struggle he presently finds himself beset with difficultieswhich, not long after, he is convinced are solely the result of his environment.In his heart he says that Karma has unkindly put him where hemust constantly work for a living for himself and a family: or he has a lifelong partner whose attitude is such that he is sure were he away from herhe could progress: until at last he calls upon heaven to interpose and changethe surroundings so opposed to his perfecting himself.

This man has indeed erred worse than the first. He has wrongly supposedthat his environment was a thing to be hated and spurned away. Withoutdistinctly so saying to himself, he has nursed within the recesses of hisbeing the idea that he like Buddha could in this one life triumph over all theimplacable forces and powers that bar the way to Nirvana. We should rememberthat the Buddha does not come every day but is the efflorescenceof ages, who when the time is ripe surely appears in one place and in onebody, not to work for his own advancement but for the salvation of theworld.

What then of environment and what of its power over us?

Is environment Karma or is it Reincarnation? The Law is Karma,reincarnation is only an incident. It is one of the means which The Lawuses to bring us at last to the true light. The wheel of rebirths is turnedover and over again by us in obedience to this law, so that we may at lastcome to place our entire reliance upon Karma. Nor is our environmentKarma itself, for Karma is the subtle power which works in that environment.

There is nothing but the Self—using the word as Max Müller does todesignate the Supreme Soul—and its environment. The Aryans for thelatter use the word Kosams or sheaths. So that there is only this Self and thevarious sheaths by which it is clothed, beginning with the most intangible andcoming down to the body, while outside of that and common to all is what iscommonly known as environment, whereas the word should be held to includeall that is not The Self.

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How unphilosophical therefore it is to quarrel with our surroundings, andto desire to escape them? We only escape one kind to immediately fall intoanother. And even did we come into the society of the wisest devotees wewould still carry the environment of the Self in our own bodies, which willalways be our enemy so long as we do not know what it is in all its smallestdetails. Coming down then to the particular person, it is plain that that partof the environment which consists in the circ*mstances of life and personalsurroundings is only an incident, and that the real environment to be understoodand cared about is that in which Karma itself inheres in us.

Thus we see that it is a mistake to say—as we often hear it said—“Ifhe only had a fair chance; if his surroundings were more favorable hewould do better,” since he really could not be in any other circ*mstancesat that time, for if he were it would not be he but some one else. It mustbe necessary for him to pass through those identical trials and disadvantagesto perfect the Self; and it is only because we see but an infinitesimal partof the long series that any apparent confusion or difficulty arises. So ourstrife will be, not to escape from anything, but to realize that theseKosams, or sheaths, are an integral portion of ourselves, which we mustfully understand before we can change the abhorred surroundings. This isdone by acknowledging the unity of spirit, by knowing that everything,good and bad alike, is the Supreme. We then come into harmony with theSupreme Soul, with the whole universe, and no environment is detrimental.

The very first step is to rise from considering the mere outsidedelusive environment, knowing it to be the result of past lives, the fruitionof Karma done, and say with Uddalaka in speaking to his son:

“All this Universe has the Deity for its life. That Deity is the Truth.He is the Universal soul. He Thou art, O Svetaketu!”169

Hadjii Erinn.

Tea Table Talk.

Recently the tea-table was chatting about the Widow’s escape fromthe Romish fold. She was nearly converted by the urbane MonsignorCapel, but escaped at the critical moment, she said, “by reason of a suddenpreoccupation.” This turned out to be the death of her worthyhusband. The Widow is a pretty and amiable creature, approved even bythe ladies who say “she is a good little soul and mourns most expensively.”Hence she never appears at the tea-table without an escort, and the mostfrequent of these is one Didymus, lawyer by profession, good humored,sceptic by nature, whose careless, semi-flippant manner makes it difficult to349know him, though he and I frequent the same clubs and make our bows inthe same drawing rooms. On the day in question the lady said that shebrought him often because she “wanted him converted to Theosophy.”

“But, my dear Madam,” said I, “you know we don’t believe in converts.Theosophy is simply an extension of previous beliefs and likeVictor Hugo it says, ‘in the name of Religion, I protest against religions.’People have to grow into it. When they are ready for it a crisis of somekind, now moral, now physical, seems to occur just before they accept theLight from the East as a man receives back something he has lost. Itseems as if those elemental creatures, who attend man, foresaw his determinationand strove to frighten him away from the initial moment of choice.Great momentum, even of misapplied energies, often indicates the nearnessof radical change.”

“Yes,” broke in Didymus quietly, “I believe that of the Elementaland the astral world. I’ve been there myself, don’t you know!”

Imagine the feelings of Balaam upon a noted occasion! Unlike theexcellent but misunderstood animal of scripture, Didymus was urged tocontinue.

“No,” said he, “I can’t profess to explain my experiences, but I’ll tellthem by way of illustrating Mr. Julius’ remark, as I find most people do gothrough a climax of some kind before they round the turning point of theAge.” The tea-table settled itself comfortably and Didymus proceeded.

“I was in a good deal of trouble last winter, trouble of various kinds,and needless to specify, and I had foolishly taken to a pretty lively life. Idon’t mind saying that one of the chief causes of my trouble was the factthat I couldn’t believe in anything that made life worth living; all myideals were pretty well played out. One Sunday I awoke with an overwhelmingsense of terrible calamity, I recalled the events of the previousday, but all was in due order from the matutinal co*cktail to the vespertoddy, so I finally concluded that my depression was a hint that I had beenliving too hard and I resolved to stop it. This resolve, by the way, Icarried out from that hour, nor have I ever touched liquor since. I passedthe day otherwise as usual with various friends and dined out with aglorious appetite. Returning to my hotel, I was engaged in making notesof one of Herbert Spencer’s works, when my attention was attracted byvoices in the adjoining room, and I was astounded to find that they weredetailing with startling accuracy, certain of my affairs which I not unnaturallysupposed were hidden from the world at large. Conquering myblank amazement I sprang into the corridor, when the voices as suddenlyceased and I found my neighbor’s door ajar and the room entirely empty.This rather took me down, and I concluded to turn in, and was just fallingasleep, when I seemed to see two fellows in evening dress whom I some350howknew to be jugglers. They advanced, bowed, and thereupon began aseries of the most fascinating and laughable tricks I ever saw. I looked onwith interest for what appeared to me a long time but at last the rapidityand variety of the illusions produced a feeling of intense weariness, and Isaid, ‘Gentlemen, thanks for your interesting performance, but you willpardon my remarking that it is late, and I am very tired.’ They bowed, saidnothing, and continued their performance which became even moreludicrous. I repeated my request; again the bows and tricks of increasingabsurdity. Worn out I exclaimed angrily, ‘I consider this a beastly imposition,you know, and if you persist I shall be obliged—’ but I neverfinished the sentence, for the two distorted their faces into masks ofindescribable comicality and were off while I laughed—and awoke. As Idid so, I was amazed to see a broad patch of vivid scarlet light slide downthe wall from ceiling to floor and before I could give a second thought tothis phenomenon, a big white cat sprang from the foot of my bed andvanished in the darkness.

“This aroused me thoroughly, for though I had never experienced thelike before, I said to myself ‘Old Boy, you must have a touch of D. T.though why the devil you should have with your seasoned head, I can’tsay.’ I got up and lit my gas; it was after midnight but I concluded to goout and get some medicine. The halls were quite dark save for a light inthe front vestibule and I felt my way down by the balustrade. Turning thecorner of the staircase I became aware of a shape—I cannot call it a form—whichwas distinguishable from the surrounding darkness only by beingmore intensely black. It seemed about seven feet high, the body wasindistinct but in the sharply defined head two fiery eyes glowed with amalice and menace that were truly appalling. The shape stood directlybefore me and barred my way. I felt an icy chill down my back, and I’dwager that my hair stood up, but summoning all my courage I said,—‘Well;what do you want?’ The silent shape bowed mockingly and theeyes became more malignant and threatening. My temper, which is reallyhasty,” (cries of “Oh! no!” from the ladies,) “got the better of my fears,and advancing in furious anger I cried; ‘Stand aside and let me pass.’The shape vanished and I reached the front door without further incident.

“The cold night somewhat calmed me, but as I crossed Madison SquareI imagined that some one was following me. I turned sharply about; thesquare was deserted. I resumed my walk; again the swift footsteps evercoming closer: again I turned; nothing! By this time I began to bealarmed. For visible foes a man cares little, but those ghastly footsteps,—theycurdled my very blood, by Jove! I walked on and reaching Broadway,I was struck with the tumult of voices that filled the air though there werebut few people about. The street cars seemed crowded with noisy men,351laughing, swearing, telling more or less questionable stories, and fromevery cab and wagon came similar sounds: it was like the rumpus on theStock Exchange on a field day. The invisible footsteps, at first drownedin the noise recommenced, and constantly turning, I found myself everduped. By this time I began to think the whole thing an illusion, butpresently I saw a man just ahead of me look out from a doorway. As Iapproached, he apparently drew back, but getting opposite the door I foundit closed by barred iron shutters: this occurred over and over. Then as Iwould approach anyone, pedestrian or driver, he would shout at me,mockingly, jovially, profanely or inconsequently, yet I could see that hislips were closed and that he was only mechanically aware of my presence.

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“I now began to feel that there were two of me, so to speak. Onerecognized that this was all a delusion; the other self was alarmed andunstrung. I walked quietly but rapidly, attracting no attention. Lookingat myself in a chance mirror I saw that in outward appearance I was thesame as ever. Reaching the drug store by the Herald Office, I sat downcompletely unstrung, but my voice was steady as I asked for some Bromideof Potash, and the attendant gave me a dose in a glass of soda water at myrequest without remark. Having no excuse for remaining I reluctantlyturned homeward, hoping that fatigue and the drug would dissipate mydelusions. In vain! I no longer heard the dogging steps or saw thepeeping men, but the voices were louder and more confusing in a perfectchorus of commonplace talk, intensified in volume. Arrived home, I tookanother dose of Bromide and threw myself on the bed. Instantly it seemedto sink under me and then rose violently. I rose, lit the gas and my cigar,but the voices began again in the next room. Though tired out, I soughtthe street again. By this time the sense of being ‘double’ was intensified,and I recognized with anger that my higher self was under the control of alower portion which it ridiculed and reprobated. I walked up Broadwaythis time, and as I passed the hotels from doors and windows cameinvitations to drink, to dine, to play billiards and less innocent suggestions.A man and woman came towards me, and I was amazed at the breadth, ordepth of their conversation, ranging over topics not whispered in general,much less proclaimed on the highway, yet as I met them I saw that theirlips moved not; with heads bent slightly against the keen air of the wintermorning they sped silently on their way. Jeers and mockeries saluted mefrom the cab stands, yet the cabbies dozed on their boxes. Hour after hourI walked thus, ready to drop with hunger and fatigue but unable to stop.At last in the cold grey of the morning I returned home, took a tub and ameal, and went to my Doctor, having heard the irrational tumult of voicesall the while. The Doctor was vastly amused at some points of mynarration; he thought my cat might be D. T. but could make nothing outof all the rest except a threatening of insanity, and giving me some beastlypowders, advised me to live quietly, and keep out of doors as much aspossible. I attended to my routine business, all the time hearing the voices,except when someone addressed me. Getting restless as the day wore on Iwalked down along the East River piers, went on board vessels, into holdsand engine rooms, climbed over cargo and chatted with stevedores. Noone saw anything unusual about me; friends asked me to wine and dine,yet still the hateful voices mingled with the real ones till I hardly knewthem apart and feared I should commit some noticeable indiscretion. Theday passed in misery; as I got to my bed at last, a red setter appeared bymy side. An inmate owned a dog of this species, and at first I thought thiswas he, but my door was locked and as I turned to him he vanished,which upset my nerves again. Again I sought my Doctor’s aid, and takinga second worse prescription, passed another hideous night in desperatewandering, ever with the voices at my ear. It was useless to try to sleep oreven to lie down; my bed heaved like a ship in a tempest. The next day Ipassed at my office again or with any acquaintances I could muster, talkingas much as possible in the hope of a brief respite from the maddeningsounds. At last the medicines did their work; the next day found me clearheaded, the sights and sounds of the astral plane had vanished; I don’twant to experience them again, but I believe in them, you bet! Later Ifound out what they really were when my life had wholly changed, and Ihad joined the Theosophical Society.”

The ladies turned on him with one voice. “You! A Theosophist! andyou never told us!”

“Well,” said he humbly, “I tried hard, but—you never gave me achance.”

Pretty Polly says that under cover of the laughter the Widow whisperedto Didymus that she had thought he was trying to tell her something else.But I don’t believe it, for Didymus is still a bachelor; some say he is achela.

In answer to queries, I would say that all occurrences related in thisdepartment are strictly true, as is the above experience of an F. T. S. communicatedsince the published invitation to correspondents in our last number.All such will be hospitably received by the Tea-Table. I may addfurther that “Julius” is now the name of a department merely; though ithas at times sheltered groups of personalities of both sexes, there has alwaysbeen one fixed quantity directing these, and that’s he who now signs

Julius.

“These sons belong to me; this wealth belongs to me:” with suchthoughts is a fool tormented. He himself does not belong to himself,much less sons and wealth.—Buddhaghosha Parables.

OM

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No. 12.

Let us adore the supremacy of that divine Sun, the Godhead whoilluminates who recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom allmust return, whom we invoke: may he direct our understandingaright in our progress toward his holy seat.—The Gayatri.

The spiritual mind which by study hath forsaken the fruit ofworks, and which by wisdom hath cut asunder the bond of doubt,cannot be brought back to mortal birth by reason of any humanaction.—Bagavad-Gita, ch. iv.

THE PATH.

Vol. I. MARCH, 1887. No. 12.

The Theosophical Society, as such, is not responsible for any opinion ordeclaration in this magazine, by whomsoever expressed, unless contained in anofficial document.

Where any article, or statement, has the author’s name attached, healone is responsible, and for those which are unsigned, the Editor will beaccountable.

A Year on The Path.

The present issue of this Magazine closes the first year of its publication.It was not started because its projectors thought that they alone knewthe true Path, but solely out of an intense longing to direct inquiringminds towards a way which had seemed to many persons who had tried it,to hold out the possibility of finding an answer to the burning questionsthat vex the human heart.

The question is always naturally asked “What is the Path?” or “Whatis the Philosophy?” which is the same thing, for of course the following ofany path whatever will depend upon the particular philosophy or doctrinesbelieved in. The path we had in view is held by us to be the same onewhich in all ages has been sought by Heathen, Jew and Christian alike. Bysome called the path to Heaven, by others the path to Jesus, the path toNirvana, and by the Theosophists the path to Truth. Jesus has defined it as354a narrow, difficult and straight path. By the ancient Brahmins it has beencalled, “the small old path leading far away on which those sages walk whor*ach salvation;” and Buddha thought it was a noble fourfold path by whichalone the miseries of existence can be truly surmounted.

But of course mental diversities inevitably cause diversity in theunderstanding of any proposition. Thus it happens that Theosophists havemany different views of how the path should be followed, but none of themdisagree with the statement that there must be one Truth, and that no religioncan be called higher than Truth. We therefore have pursued, as faras possible, a course which is the result of the belief that the prevalence ofsimilar doctrines in the writings and traditions of all peoples points to thefact that the true religion is that one which will find the basic ideas common toall philosophies and religions.

We turned most readily and frequently to the simple declarationsfound in the ancient books of India, esteeming most highly that wonderfulepic poem—the Bagavad-Gita. And in that is found a verse that seems totruly express in powerful words what philosophers have been blindlygrasping after in many directions.

“It is even a portion of myself (the Supreme) that in this material world isthe universal spirit of all things. It draweth together the five organs andthe mind, which is the sixth, in order that it may obtain a body, and that itmay leave it again; and that portion of myself (Ishwar) having taken themunder his charge, accompanieth them from his own abode as the breeze thefragrance from the flower.”170

To catch the light which gleams through this verse, is not for mortalminds an easy task, and thus it becomes necessary to present as many viewsfrom all minds as can be obtained. But it seems plain that in every religion isfound the belief that that part of man which is immortal must be a part ofthe Supreme Being, for there cannot be two immortalities at once, sincethat would give to each a beginning, and therefore the immortal portion ofman must be derived from the true and only immortality.

This immortal spark has manifested itself in many different classes ofmen, giving rise to all the varied religions, many of which have forever disappearedfrom view. Not any one of them could have been the whole Truth,but each must have presented one of the facettes of the great gem, and thusthrough the whole surely run ideas shared by all. These common ideaspoint to truth. They grow out of man’s inner nature and are not theresult of revealed books. But some one people or another must have paidmore attention to the deep things of life than another. The “Christian”nations have dazzled themselves with the baneful glitter of material progress.They are not the peoples who will furnish the clearest clues to the Path.355A few short years and they will have abandoned the systems now held sodear, because their mad rush to the perfection of their civilization will givethem control over now undreamed of forces. Then will come the momentwhen they must choose which of two kind of fruit they will take. In themeantime it is well to try and show a relation between their present systemand the old, or at least to pick out what grains of truth are in the mass.

In the year just passing we have been cheered by much encouragementfrom without and within. Theosophy has grown not only in ten years, butduring the year past. A new age is not far away. The huge, unwieldyflower of the 19th century civilization, has almost fully bloomed, andpreparation must be made for the wonderful new flower which is to risefrom the old. We have not pinned our faith on Vedas nor Christian scriptures,nor desired any others to do so. All our devotion to Aryan literature andphilosophy arises from a belief that the millions of minds who have troddenweary steps before ours, left a path which might be followed with profit, yet withdiscrimination. For we implicitly believe that in this curve of the cycle,the final authority is the man himself. In former times the disclosed Vedas,and later, the teachings of the great Buddha, were the right authority, inwhose authoritative teachings and enjoined practices were found the necessarysteps to raise Man to an upright position. But the grand clock of the Universepoints to another hour, and now Man must seize the key in his handsand himself—as a whole—open the gate. Hitherto he has depended uponthe great souls whose hands have stayed impending doom. Let us thentogether enter upon another year, fearing nothing, assured of strength inthe Union of Brotherhood. For how can we fear death, or life, or any horroror evil, at any place or time, when we well know that even death itself isa part of the dream which we are weaving before our eyes.

Our belief may be summed up in the motto of the Theosophical Society“There is no religion higher than Truth,” and our practice consists in adisregard of any authority in matters of religion and philosophy except suchpropositions as from their innate quality we feel to be true.

What is True “Christianity”?

“Christianity” is a religion; but the word “religion” has evidentlythree distinct meanings:

1. In the first place it signifies the practice of a certain kind of spiritualtraining, by which the higher principles in the constitution of man aredeveloped and reunited (bound back) to the divine source to which theybelong. In this sense it is the same as yogism (from yog, to bind).

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2. In the second aspect it implies the knowledge of the true relationexisting between microcosmic man as a part of the All and the macrocosmof the spiritual and material universe. In this sense it is a science.

3. In the third and common acceptation of the term, “religion” meansa certain system of forms, ceremonies and usages, by which some supposedeternal deity is worshipped or propitiated and his favor obtained, so thatthe sinner may escape the deserved punishment and evade the law. In thissense it is a superstition.

To become a “Christian” of the third order, it is merely necessary tosubmit to a certain ceremony called baptism, whose mode of administrationvaries in the different sects; but it seems that to become a real Christiansome other baptism is necessary, namely, the baptism of the water ofTruth, the baptism of Blood, and the baptism of the living Fire of the Spirit.

The first baptism, with the water of Truth, means the attainment ofspiritual knowledge, and corresponds to the first of the four noble truthstaught by Buddha: “right doctrine.”

The second, or the baptism of Blood, is commonly supposed to meana shedding of blood by martyrdom, in the defense of a belief in a historicalChrist. But such a process would be a loss of blood and not a receptionof it, and could not properly be called a “baptism.” The best way toobtain information in regard to this “baptism of blood,” will be to askthose who have received it or who are receiving it at present.

There is a certain class of “practical occultists,” whose inner sensesare opened to a great extent, and who have been taught by no one but thespirit within themselves and their own experience. They say that the“baptism of blood” means a penetration of the growing spiritual germ inman, through the flesh and blood and bones of the physical body, bywhich even the gross elements of the physical form are attenuated andpurified,171 and that this process produces pains and sufferings, typically representedby the suffering, crucifixion and death of the man Jesus ofNazareth. They say that no one can be a true follower of Christ, or a“real Christian,” who has not undergone this baptism of blood, andexperienced the pains of crucifixion,172 but that man having passed throughthat occult process becomes an Adept, when only the highest baptism (orthe last initiation)—the baptism of Fire—will be necessary to enter thehighest attainable state (Spiritual Power), and to become a Son of Light.

But, it is asked, what has Jesus of Nazareth to do with that process?How does the latter come to be typified by his suffering, and what is therationale of it?

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It is claimed that at the beginning of certain historical periods, whenold religious truths are about to be forgotten, and the idolatry of formassumes the place of true religion, some great spirit (planetary) appearsupon the Earth, incarnated into a human form, and by his word andexample impresses the old truths forcibly upon a number of receptiveminds, to communicate them to others, and thus lay the foundation of anew religious system, embodying old truths in a new form.

It is believed that the man Jesus of Nazareth was the mortal form inwhich such a Spirit was embodied; the latter being no less than what I believeevery planetary spirit to be—an emanation of the Universal Logos orthe Word.173

But what is the Logos? or, to express it better, how can we form a conceptionof it? We can conceive of no other God (or Supreme Good) butthe one which lives within ourselves, and which is said to be the image ofthe Universal God reflected in the purified human soul, where it (He) mayattain self-consciousness and the knowledge of self. The Universal Godmay be described as the incomprehensible centre from which proceed theelements of Love, Life and Light in the various modes of manifestation onthe different planes. The whole of Nature is a product of the Spirit ofGod, being poured out throughout the All by the power of The Word, whichis the Life—or thought rendered active by will.

The same process which took place in the eternal Macrocosm of theUniverse, takes place in the inner world belonging to the microcosm of man.“No one can come to the Father, but through the Son;” that is to say: NoGod will take his seat in the interior temple of Man, except through thepower of the Word—in other words; by the concentration of thought andgood will upon the divine germ which rests in the innermost centre of everyhuman being. If we concentrate our Love upon that centre of Good, thedivine germ will begin its active Life, and the interior world will graduallybecome illuminated by the Light of the spirit. As this principle grows, itwill penetrate the soul and through the soul all the lower principles,even the physical body, throwing off the impurities of soul and body, andthe more such impurities are present, the greater will be the suffering, typicallyrepresented by Jesus, until finally the baptism of blood is completed, thesoul purified, the animal ego dead and the man has become a “Christ” oran Adept,—that is to say one in whom the (6th) Christ principle has takenform.

It will readily be seen that this process is much more difficult to accomplish,than merely to go to church, pay the dues to the priests, attend toprayer-meetings and perform the prescribed ceremonies. To accomplishthis process requires a constant meditation of the highest kind, and a con358tinualemployment of will power to keep away the disturbing elements ofevil, which in a person who strives for light are still more boisterous than inone who is indifferent, for as soon as the spiritual light kindled in the centrebegins to radiate its life-giving rays throughout our interior world, the“dwellers of the threshold”—the evil egos, created by evil thoughts and selfishdesires, floating at the periphery of the soul-sphere like clouds sailingthrough the atmosphere of our earth, begin to feel the destroying influenceof the central sun and battle for their existence. Still this atmosphere ofevil must be penetrated before we can reach the luminous centre and thetranquil heaven within, and this is done by clinging to the principle of Goodand virtue whose rays radiate from the centre. This principle will at firstonly be felt intuitionally but as we feed it with good thoughts, it grows andthe interior spiritual senses become opened, so that we may see andhear its voice distinctly and without any fear of misunderstanding itsmeaning.

The “below” is always in exact correspondence to and related withthe “above.” We are immersed in an all surrounding but invisible oceanof life, whose waves pervade our psychic organization, in the same sense asvolumes of air enter our lungs, and as the latter stimulates the life of the body,likewise the former stimulates the growth of the elements of the spirit; whichdraw their substance from the lower-animal-principles. In the same waythe caloric rays of the sun enter the bodies of plants and stimulate the assimilationof the elements which are drawn from earth, water and air.

Those who have gone through that occult process, will require no proofof the truth of these assertions: because they know it to be true by experience;but the “exoteric Christian” and sceptic, having no such experienceto assist his faith, may arrive at a certain degree of conviction by using hisreasoning powers and logic in conjunction with the teachings of the Bible.Christ is reported in the New Testament to have said: “Except Ye eat theflesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, ye have no life in You” (Johnvi, 53); and again: “I am the living bread, which came down fromheaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever” (John vi, 51.)Now this seems plain enough to every student of occultism, and if translatedinto the scientific language of modern occultists, it would mean:“Unless you absorb and assimilate within your psychic organization thesixth principle (The Christ), which is the only permanent and immortalprinciple in the constitution of Man, you will have no sixth principle developedwithin you, and consequently possess no immortal life—at least asfar as Your personality is concerned (for the divine and now unconsciousgerm within you cannot die, but will reincarnate again). But if you absorbthe principle or spiritual life and develop the spirit within you, so thatit grows through your flesh and blood, then will you have drunk from the359Elixir of Life and received the Baptism of Blood and become a Christian,an Adept; for ‘Christ’ will have taken form in your body, and being himselfimmortal you will be immortal through him.”

These views are corroborated by the great Christian mystic Jacob Boehme,by Jane Leade, Paracelsus, the Rosicrucians, and I can find nothing in themwhich would in any way conflict with the Esoteric Doctrine, as taught by theEastern Adepts. If any difference in opinion could arise, it could be only,in regard to the person of Jesus of Nazareth or Jehoshua, and whether helived exactly at the time claimed by modern Christians. This question Imust leave to some one wiser than myself to settle; but it seems of no greatimportance to me; for the existence of the Christ-principle is disputed bynone, and the man, Jesus—having died—can only be a Savior to us at present,if we study his character and imitate his example.

F. Hartmann, M. D.

Papyrus—The Gem.

The roads were thronged with the people moving toward the greatsquare, for it was a feast of the Goddess. The temples were crowded, whilelong lines of men and maidens in the robes of “The Sacred” wound in andout toward the river.

Music and song rose and fell upon the evening breeze, like the pulse ofa throbbing heart. Here and there could be seen the Scribes, and seatedin an open space, the Tale-tellers. One of these, as I rested near him, toldthe tale of

ONE WHO FOUND THE GEM.

“In the land of the Wise-men, there dwelt a young man. Many yearshad he labored in a strange mine; the ‘Mine of the Priceless Gems;’—hopefully,bravely, but fruitlessly. He had long known that he who should findthe Master Stone, would be free, be full of peace and dig no more, fornothing better could be found. He also knew that he who found the stoneshould seek to share it with all men.

“Many small stones had he found, but they were laid aside to be usedwhen the great stone was reached.

“Silently and steadily he worked on, until one gloomy day when he hadgrown so weak that he could make but one more effort, that effort was rewarded,and before him lay the great gem. Weary, weak, but joyful, hegathered it into his bosom, and went forth to share it with others; for hewho told not of his gem, or shared it not with all men, must lose the stone.

“Far he wandered, telling his wonderful story, the finding of the PricelessStone—the stone that made men greater, wiser, more loving than all thingsliving; the stone that no man could keep unless he gave it away.

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“Far he wandered in his own country, seeking to tell his story and giveof the Stone to each one he met. Silently they listened—gravely they meditatedand gently they said to him: ‘This is Kali-yuga, the dark age. Cometo us a hundred thousand years from now. Until then—the stone is not forus. It is Karma.’

“Far into another land he wandered, ever trying for the same end.Gravely they listened, quietly they spoke: ‘Peace be with you. When theLotus ceases to bloom and our Sacred River runs dry, come to us. Untilthen we need not the stone.’

“Over the seas unto another land he went, for fully he believed that therethey would hear and share with him. The many days of wandering and thelong journey across the sea had made him thin and ragged. He had notthought of this, but as he told his story he was reminded of it and manyother things, for here the people answered in many ways, and not alwaysgently.

“Some listened, for his story was new to them, but the gem was uncut,and they wished it polished.

“Others paused and desired him to tell his story in their tents, for thatwould make them exalted and famous, but they wanted not the gem. Ashe did not belong to their tribe, it would bring discredit upon them to receiveanything from him.

“One paused to listen and desired some of the stone, but he desired touse it to elevate his own position and assist him in overreaching his fellowsin bartering and bargaining. The Wanderer was unable to give any of thestone to such as this one.

“Another listened, but inasmuch as the Wanderer refused to make thegem float in the air, he would none if it.

“Another heard, but he already knew of a better stone, and was sure hewould find it, because he ate nothing but star-light and moonbeams.

“Another could not receive any of the stone or listen to the story, for theWanderer was poor and ragged. Unless he was dressed in purple and finelinen and told his story in words of oil and honey, he could not be thepossessor of the gem.

“Still another heard, but he knew it was not the gem. As the Wandererhad been unsuccessful before, surely he could not have found the stone.Even had he found it, he could not have the proper judgment to divide it.So he wanted none of the stone.

“Near and far went the Wanderer. Still ever the same. Some wantedit, but the stone was too hard, or not bright enough. He was not of theirpeople, or was ignorant. He was too ragged and worn to suit their ideas,so they wanted none of the stone.

“Saddened, aged and heart-sore, he wandered back to the land of the361Wise men. To one of these he went, telling of his journeyings and that noman would share with him the magnificent stone, and also of his sorrowthat he too must lose it.

“‘Be not troubled, my son,’ said the Wise One, ‘the stone is for you, norcan you lose it. He who makes the effort to help his fellow man is therightful owner and still possesses the entire stone, although he has shared itwith all the world. To each and every one to whom you have spoken,although they knew it not, you have given one of the smaller stones whichyou first found. It is enough. When the Master Stone is cut and polished,then is the labor of the fortunate possessor ended. The long journeyingand weary wandering, the sorrow-laden heart and tear-dimmed eyes, have cutand polished your gem. Behold, it is a white and a fair stone!’

“Drawing it from his bosom, the Wanderer gazed into the wonderfullight of the stone while an expression of great peace stole over his face.Folding the gem close to his bosom his eyelids closed, and he fell asleep, awanderer no more.”

Rameses.

Heralds from the Unseen.

“Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.”—I Cor.xv, 51. “I have found the small old path leading far away.”—Upanishad.

To him who without murmuring, confident in the perfect justice of thelaw, waits and watches, there comes a herald from heights unseen. The justman follows him and attains; the unwise may surprise him and follow also.But when the fool has rushed unbidden in where angels fear to tread, hemeets a mailed Truth with a drawn sword, on whose point he dies. Nowthere are two deaths. From the one he may rise, “in a moment, in thetwinkling of an eye,***for the dead shall be raised,”174 and this bythe vivifying power of truth, if so be he have one identical incorruptibleatom in his spiritual make up, or else that rash being is dead forever, andthe spirit monad creates another in the dream of three thousand years.

The indivisible Truth in its entirety is incommunicable in the words ofour plane. A clue may indeed be given; it is the herald to those who awaithim. It is useless to turn the page to see who this is that offers the clue.Of myself I know nothing, yet through me may much be made known. Iam the trumpet; through it the herald may proclaim a mystery.

It was in a night of silence that a Power bade me waken, and drew meto a dark cave wherein It passed. Not so I, for the entrance was narrowand I had encumbrances about me. Only many nights later, when I had362parted with effort, hope and fear, did I stand within. All of me that wasessential had entered; this was enough. Then a musical chord breathedlow, the darkness dispersed, and I saw the Unknown Land.

It was a circling land of streams, Light everywhere, flowing, flowing,flowing. The flow was cadenced and welled from a mysterious Centre ofblackness at the edges of which spouted cataracts of flame. My thoughtshrank with awe of the Darkness, but an unknown grasp of Might expandedwithin me and drew me to that flaming verge. On the knees of the soul Ifall and am not. I become one with the All, and consciously resting inOmniscience I know the whole. Yet what forever dwells, wakeful and broodingwith that dark pavillion, nor man nor angel may discover. Profounderthan all Being, It is, girt about by unfathomed fires. “Ye shall enter thelight, but ye shall never touch the flame.”175

A stir was over that central Dark, a titanic breath, like the sighing ofmyriad seas, measured, omnipotent. Where its harmonious friction frettedthe verges of space, the flames burst forth, and with fecund pulsations gavebirth to heat, light, motion and sound. The Centre felt a boundless attractionfor the circumference, pouring toward it with inexhaustible energy, for“the heart of it is Love.” This was the force centrifugal, which in a dazzleof starry scintillations thrusts the universal glooms apart with a song. Werethis all, Discord and Division were the end. But the circumference trembledalso with a vast yearning toward the Centre, so that it ever tended to returnthere, as the prodigal, enriched in experience, returns to the mystic house ofthe Father. This was the centripetal force, and these two caused the doublevibration of the Astral Light, and they are all you shall know though youblend with the infinite forever. “Whatever there is, the whole world whengone forth trembles in His breath: that Brahman is a great terror, like adrawn sword. They who know it become immortal.”176

Then a voice said—“The Absolute evolves thought from Himself, andthe vibration of this thought in the passive wells of space generates Lightand its correlated forces. The Thought is,—‘Creation!’ The singingbreath is the Word; the Light is the Absolute made manifest, and the Universebegins.” At once I saw divergent lances of light pour their serriedsplendors into the void, and the point of each spear displaced the mist whichcurling backward from the centre of energy thus formed, communicated themovement to sister vapors in turn. Activities shoot, play back and forth,elongate, crystalize, and so great planets spring into the arena, feel the firstinstinct of separate Being, struggle to depart,—an estranged Self—in meteoricdesolation, when the magnetic impulse of the Centre streams along thecreative ray, meets the responsive principle, and lo! each chafing Orb, held363in leash by Love, wheels into the circle of attraction and obeys the Law. Theastral world has begun!

Thence presently the Light spreads afresh, reflected and repeated fromevery facet of every star, till arrowy glories, vibrant with each vibration spedforth by the primary pencils of light, in turn create dull planetary masses inthe luminous abyss; then ever renewed coruscations quicken their dust withwhose initial tremor shining crystals sparkle out and glide togetherabout a glistering ring whose centre is ever a darkness ruffled by the outreachingcurrent from that first tinted Gloom. So new spheres form, these,repeating the parent movement, with wide spreading auras touch and arousetheir neighbors, and interpenetrating, revolving, throwing off, taking on,converging, diverging, modifying and modified, a world of forms is evolvedwhose final expression of Being is Man. Thus further departing, the infinitevariations end in individuality and the greater the individuality, themore it leans to the centrifugal force, and the lack of equilibrium in theforces draws man further from the Eternal and he forgets the Law. Hisaura, his rays are nerve currents centred in the personality, but linked bystar-beam and moon-ray to the quivering Source of all light, so that eachman vibrating, imparts to the Akasa about him his own specific rate ofvibration, and all men, all things, suspended as it were in this fine etherwhich fills the universe, act and react each on each, every one striving tomodify the others to his own vibratory ratio, while the Light in the sameway attacks all, and the battle of the giants is here. So the final expressionof “evil” is inertia, and the highest attribute of Spirit is the Thoughtwhich is Life.

Once again the Voice spoke then saying: “What gives Life?” Someoneanswered: “Vibration.” And when It said, “Look back to theearth world,” I obeyed. I saw the modern sage reducing all the greatforces, all the intoxicating play of colors and the bewildering tangle ofharmonies to this one source,—Vibration. I saw wondering students bendingover sensitive flames that danced or died at the mandate of sound. Isaw a child playing with iron filings on glass, and as he drew a bowathwart the pane they marshalled into tiny mimicries of the primitive crystallinecreation. I saw the Frost spirit, tracing his white wonders of tropicalforests on vibrant surfaces, blazoning symbols of summer on the grimescutcheon of the snow. I saw Sound disintegrating granite and iron,taming wild beasts with a lure, transforming brothers into demons at thesibilant hiss of a scathing word.177 I saw Light fecundating the soil, andthe teeming battalions of the underworld issuing from the palpitatingspark in their germs; the selective art of the flower, choosing the kindred364color of her tribe from all the flashing scale, gave up to me its secret of thesynchronous vibration of that hue with the astral soul within her fragrantform. Passion I saw also, flaming in two breasts that for one tumultuousmoment became one, and knew it for an instant of similar vibration. Aye,and saw that Love was a steadfast quality of motion between loyal hearts,saw too that Anger and Hatred had their rise in the same source, and mountingupward I saw that Faith was a similitude of vibration with Truth itself.Again the Voice spoke; “Dost thou see aught but Vibration anywhere?”I answered: “Such all life is, and from such all proceeds. He who consits secret laws and can institute its musical numbers at will, is a God!He can create and destroy.” “Go then, and by analogy learn what thouart,” said the Voice, and like the rebel fraction of a star I fell from Glory,and found myself alone in the Maya world again, with these words thrillingmy brain. “But He, that Highest Person, who wakes in us while we sleep,shaping one lovely sight after another, He indeed is called the Light, Heis called Brahman, He alone is called The Immortal. All worlds arefounded on It and no one goes beyond. This is that.”178

It is rarely that a man gets the whole of his thought; often others supplyit. Analogy is the power of following a thought into all its correlations,and I shall ask you to do this in a measure with mine. These puny pagescannot contain the theme of cycles, and falling short, it scarce matters byhow many pen strokes I fail. Consider this first; what are we? Lookabroad over our Society, largely; we see each member working on his ownparticular line. So it must be with man for ages. When you shall haveexhausted your special hobby, when through astral perception, or mesmericcontrol or mental acumen, you shall have attained high powers, the hour ofyour limitation will strike, as its awful knell can strike, even from thetowers of Futurity, and you will know that you have not found that corner-stoneon which alone the Eternal rests,—your indivisible Self. “Great onesfall back, even from the threshold, unable to sustain the weight of responsibility;unable to pass on.”179 Follow from the start that solitary beaconwhich informs the ultimate goal: Unity. Make it your touchstone and yourguide; other stars are reflected lights only. The doctrine of unselfishnessis no sentiment, but of logical, practical utility. The individual way liesfrom limited Being, through Becoming, to unlimited Being, precisely as theuniversal way lies from sterile Unity, through Division to fecund Unity,or from the one Life through Death to the Life of the All. He who infinal choice elects the path of Division, chooses Death eternal. You mayindeed wend homeward through the devious tangle of reflected rays, buthow long, how hard are such paths! I would see your souls with eagle365swoop make straight for the Central Sun. Look then within you. Man!Woman! Are you what you seem? Till this thought daily; it will bear theharvest of Life.

With analogy for our guide we observe that the first forms of life are crystallineand have two poles. You man, are also a magnetic sphere withphysical and spiritual poles. On the physical side of the subject we findmodern scientists telling us that man is matter in a state of low vibration,and thought, matter in a state of high vibration.180 In this ascertained view,Spirit is a higher state of vibration than we at present cognize. “Does thefact look crass and material, threatening to degrade thy theory of Spirit?Resist it not; it goes to refine and raise thy theory of matter just as much.”181Nor do I say this is all. Trust your highest ideal to the unconditionedcausation lying back of that primal vibration—Absolute Thought.

The vibrant tension of fixed thought must in time heighten the vibratoryratio of the man, for tension excites increased pulsation. This rarefiesthe density of all bodies, and the friction of intensified chemical action establisheslight, heat and odic force. The increased porosity of the physicalbody tends to disengage the atoms of the astral body, and the generation ofa strong odic current forces it out to the astral world, (always attracting it)all the sooner because the intensified pulsation of thought-tension sends theauric emanations further into space, thus draughting a larger portion of theworld-soul to the entity. All vibration being attended with sound (whichmay or may not escape the ear) we proceed to examine tones and find themvarying from the lowest of eight vibrations per second, to the highest knownto western science of 24,000 per second. Remember that the tones of anger,hatred, scorn are all deep notes, those of cheerfulness, love, hope are treble.Here we discover the apparently inexplicable effect of spoken words whichraise or depress our vibrations to their own by means of the etheric medium.To resist the wildfire spread of passion or anger we have but tocheck the vibration by holding steadily to our own; this maintained, mayraise that of others, precisely as the high musical note constantly sounded,raises all lower ones at all related, to its own pitch. Tyndall says: “Scientificeducation ought to teach us to see the invisible as well as the visible innature; to picture with the vision of the mind those operations which entirelyelude bodily vision; to look at the very atoms of matter in motion andat rest, and to follow them forth without once losing sight of them**to see them integrating themselves in natural phenomena.” So I shall askyou to imagine a tone at a high rate of vibration, to see it striking thehearer’s brain at a certain focus, creating there a centre of energy, whichtending to crystallization, fixes the thought in the mind. And the more366permanent duration of pleasant (which are high) thoughts and tones is evidentif we glance back over a long period of time and note how the joysstand out and the griefs disappear; so we always forget physical suffering.Moreover we may see this tone raising his vibratory ratio and glancing offat an angle of reflection equal to that of incidence, reacting upon the surroundingether and upon all hearers. The magical success of eastern mantrasdepends upon the exact intonation, which governs the vibratory result, andthe proper intonation of the sacred books, learned from the priests, doubtlessincreased their effect. Turning to colors, we find them varying in vibrationfrom violet 1/60000 inch to red 1/38000 inch, and the violet has greater actinism;so it would seem to follow that the more extended the undulation the greaterthe chemical action and resultant odic force. Hence the tone of animalsor man is not such a poor test of their nature as we might suppose, and acertain clue to character is given in a preferred color. The higher soundsthus create greater akasic disturbance through increased undulation. Deleuzein his work on magnetism says: “The word which indicates our will canoften exert an action.** The very tones of the magnetizer, being producedby the vital energy, act upon the organs of the patients.” Reichenbachproved that all chemical action is a source of odic force, and the transmertionof air being nothing less, additional witness is born to the occultpower of a word. All mesmerizers are now agreed that motions and wordsare unnecessary; the will suffices; what is this but the tension of fixedthought. Everything in Nature has its own specific rate of vibration; if weknow and can reproduce and heighten it we can call the thing into existenceor pass ourselves within its consciousness. Hence the old saying thatnumbers are the names of things. The “lost word” itself is, doubt it not,a sound of the highest possible vibration, represented by the Aum, or soundof the eternal outpour of Light, the Logos of the Christians. The ordinaryear may not grasp this sound, but Tyndall tells us such are not dead becausethey have passed from our ken.182 When we remember that this astralvibration can in time elevate that of all matter, we glimpse alike the greatfactor of Evolution and of the use of Aum. The thought being spirituallyfixed, an unbroken vital current sets in between the man and the“One eternal Thinker, thinking non-eternal thoughts. He though one,fulfils the desire of many. The wise, who perceive Him within their Self,to them belong eternal joy, eternal peace!”183 Here we perceive the force ofthe repeated injunction to be calm; how else can the harmonious mediumact upon us? “The man who is not calm and subdued, or whose mind isnot at rest, he can never obtain the Self, even by knowledge.”184

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Follow me now to the plane of soul. As all things from planet to moleculehave their mystic centre, that of man is found in the heart, whose systoleand diastole are regulated by the double movement of the Astral Light. There,hemmed about by the light of the semi-material soul, is the dusky centre,where the spirit may awaken and breathe. “The self is smaller than small,greater than great, hidden in the heart of the creature.” Air is breathed bythe lungs; the soul breathes the astral light. As that spiritual monad whois your own Augoides, breathed first upon the plastic Akasa and drew togetherthe principles of a man, so It must again breathe upon this silentcentre to create the spiritual man. It does not inhabit him, It overshadowshim. It is his “Father in Heaven” to whom Jesus bade him pray; hisCreator. In each heart stands this shrouded altar to an unknown God.“Whom ye therefore ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you.” He hascreated the physical man hundreds of times, for His mission is unfulfilleduntil through Evolution, He shall have made “one higher than the angels.”In that illimitable future which evades the mind, my soul sees ultimatebeings in their glory, raise the swelling tide of Being higher still. So Divinityraises Itself by Itself and man expands God. Here is the adhesion ofJesus to the destiny latent in Humanity. “Be ye perfect as your Father inHeaven is also perfect.”

Jasper Niemand, F. T. S.

(Concluded in April.)

Thoughts in Solitude.

II.

The votaries of Religions that preach salvation only through the acceptanceof their dogmas must inevitably be more or less animated by theproselytising spirit, and the more pretentious the claims of power to save by theinculcation of orthodox opinion, the more urgent must appear the necessityto spread those opinions as widely as possible. Indeed it seems imperativeon one who holds such a faith in his heart of hearts, that he should spendhis life in trying to spread it.

But when the true philosophic thought is attained and the law ofKarma with its infinite ramifications realized as the all pervading power, howvain will seem all attempts to control or even deeply affect the destiny ofothers. Truly Occultism teaches the widest tolerance, and though itsstudent will doubtless as formerly try to influence all who are brought intocontact with him in his journey through life, and if possible instil into themthe thoughts that actuate him and give his life a definite purpose, yet will herealize that over his own life alone has he paramount power. He may exercisehis worldly wisdom as the sower of seed, may avoid what is mostpatently the rocky or the thorny ground, but he will gradually learn to cease368to look for results from even the most promising, and will rise more andmore on the wings of devotion to the true giver of the increase.

While therefore it is a subject for satisfaction if the TheosophicalSociety should indeed prove to be the dawn of that better hope for mankindthe nucleus of that Universal Brotherhood which shall overspread all lands,and which shall plant in the hearts of men the Science-Religion along whoselines will move the spiritual progress of all future Humanity, yet as a Societyit can scarcely be expected to be free from the imperfections inherent in allorganization, which being of the earth is necessarily earthly—and after all itis a matter of very small moment in what form truth is given to the world.This only is certain that truth must advance that no man can stay thewheel of evolution—that the Divine Wisdom which we believe animates uswill one day be recognized by all mankind as the only solution of theproblem of the Universe, and as the guide to Life Eternal.

And Destiny will not be hurried—spite of our impatience—any more thanshe can be retarded. The evil Karma of the World must work itself out.The unclean man let him be unclean still, let him measure every depth ofvice and taste of every spring of passion till the hour strikes for him alsoand his painful upward progress has to begin. So have the Rishis donewho went before us, so have we done in past existences, indeed we may havebut extricated ourselves from the slough, and the mire may still be clingingto our feet. For no man can transcend experience, and all earthly places,foul and clean alike, must be trodden by him. Nor when the words or actsof others come into direct antagonism with our own personality, any morethan when the cruelty and injustice in the world at large are brought painfullybefore us, shall we continue to blame the actors, or allow the oldprejudices “with their lurid colourings of passion” to dominate us anylonger, for the true philosophic thought will have taught us to recognize thatall acts are but the result of the “Three Qualities” blended in infinite combination—thegreat Karma of the World working itself out.

The deeper one looks into this Western Civilization of ours, and themore one realizes in what degrading depths its masses are sunk, in whatheartless frivolity so many of the more opulent spend their lives, and inwhat superstitious intolerance its so-called Religious World moves, it seemsindeed a forlorn hope to attempt to carry conviction of the Occult Truthor expect a widespread acceptance of it. But though this age of Darknessmay exhibit an appalling depth of materiality, yet in all ages of the world,the blind multitude are many and the lovers of Wisdom few. And indeedthis love of Wisdom is no light attainment, but one for which the soul hasbeen educated through life times of experience and paroxysms of pain, forwhile the gratification of any of the senses still continues to give supremesatisfaction, there is no room in the soul for Theosophic thought. Not until369by the slow education of repeated experience it is realized that the sensescan no longer satisfy, that even the higher joys of communion with oneskind—though culminating in the ideal union of two souls—are but stepsin the ladder to the Supreme Thought, can any true idea of the DivineWisdom have been formed. Indeed a time will come for the student whenthe gratification of the senses will actually cause pain. It may be usheredin for one through the sense of sight, when the most beautiful scenery ofearth, and the most perfect combinations of mountain wood and water onlyaccentuate by their faint reflex the passionate desire for that land which noeye hath seen, that land which no eye can see. Or the symphonies ofearthly music which once enthralled the soul may raise the longing for thesong of the celestial choir to that ecstatic point where it becomes unrecognisablefrom pain. And so the student is driven inward to find at last hisrefuge in pure Thought, and he begins to perceive that the Eternal World ofideas is the only real World, the only one in which pure Being is to befound, and that this phenomenal existence is indeed but the circling of thenets of delusion, the restless tossing of the false salt waves of sense whichreward “with droughts that double thirst” the deluded souls that float on them.

The more the student lives in this ideal world, the more will he findthat the association with those whose interests are exclusively centred onearthly things becomes repugnant to him, and that even the calls of duty todescend from the tranquil heights of Thought, to the jarring discord of actionin the world, are responded to with increasing pain, though duty in suchcases is likely to be in process of changing her sphere of action. When theinner struggles of one still bound by ties of earth suggest such thoughts asthese, surely the isolation from contact with the rude world of the mostspiritual men, those who have achieved the sublime heights of Mahatmaship, isno longer a thing to wonder at, but becomes apparent as an absolute necessity.

The desires above referred to of seeing the invisible, and realizing thedivine, will probably if practised continuously enough, and with sufficientintensity, be the prelude to some partial lifting of the veil, when the ecstaticmay reap in a moment of beatific vision more than he ever dreamed of,and receive accretion of strength for the coming years, though this is morelikely to be the immediate reward of some supreme self-devotion whether inact or thought, and when the words of Krishna, “near to renunciation—verynear—dwelleth eternal peace” will flash upon the soul as truth thatrequires no word of mortal man to give it authority.

But woe to the man who unduly cultivates his spiritual faculties withoutbeing a complete master of his lower nature—the beast below will turnand rend him some day—the little bit of lust unconquered may be the meansof his complete undoing. For as his astral consciousness develops hiswhole being intensifies, including the small unconquered part of his phy370sicalnature, which he will then have to fight upon the Astral plane, in farmore terrible struggle than had he conquered on the physical. It becomesin fact what is symbolically known as the “Dweller on the threshold” thathas to be fought and conquered before the neophyte can aspire to gain thefirst glimmering of vision on the true spiritual plane. For it must alwaysbe remembered that our nature is threefold, “body, soul and spirit” as theinitiate St. Paul expressed it, and until the personality has transferred all itsforces unto the soul plane, it cannot expect to attain to that of spirit. Fromthis it will be evident how necessary it is to live more and more continuouslyin the Eternal Thought until all fleshly appetites and desires of sensedie off by sheer inanition.

The vague dreams with which life began, and which the child withmemories fresh from “that imperial palace whence he came” pictured in amaterial way of a golden city with walls of jasper and with gates of pearl,and into which no unclean thing was permitted to enter, are lost for a whilein the frenzied rush of youth and early manhood, but maturer years bringthem back with an added pathos and a more spiritualized meaning. It isindeed the Golden city we all seek for—“the city that hath foundationswhose builder and whose maker is God.”

Pilgrim.

Hindu Symbolism.

IV.

AUM symbolized as in unison with the attributes of the Trimurti,as the symbolic foundation of the elementary universe. This has a certainconnection with figures Nos. 1 and 2 and 3.

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The idea is to represent the mystic body of Brahman (neuter) and theideal type of the Trimurti. The representation is of a four-handed cloudpicture. A wreath of clouds forms the outline of the head which is withoutany tiara. Two suns indicate the eyes without lids, always open. Thissymbolism is also found in the Hebrew books, e. g. the Zohar. The noseand eyebrows are formed by a palm tree divided on the top, in the centre.This tree was considered as androgynous. The mouth is merely an openingin the clouds; from it emanate, four principal rays, the four-worlds ofthe Kabbalah. AUM is winged, Brahman (neuter) is not, for the latteris also AUM—Prana, the breath of the highest life and mystic carrier of theWill of Brahman (neuter). AUM is the bird of the Brahman Desire or Wish.

The four hands of AUM are holding the architypes of the fourelements, fire, water, air, earth, in their height and depth. The lower aresupporting the Himalayah Mountains, the mountains of the gods. Fromwhich comes the German Himmel i. e. Heaven. The linga yoni is shownas the symbol of all the creative and emanative powers which lie in themystic cloud garment of AUM. In this figure are nearly all the principalsymbols of the Brahmanical religious metaphysics.

The bond which unites Prakriti to Brahman (neuter) is Prana, thesubtile body of Brahman, the form of the Being, the divine breath, theprinciple of the organism, the respiration so to say, of the Deity; in Sanscritit also means “breath of man,” more correctly it is AUM, the first formof the creator, the Sun engendered before Time, the first Word (the Logos)which went from Its mouth, the ‘Hokhmah or Wisdom of the Kabbalah,when It prepared Its work, the creative Word. Prana and AUM are confoundedin Maya, and as it, they have formed the Cow. AUM is theson of Maya as he is the son of Brahman (neuter), because Maya isBrahman. AUM is the first born Word or Logos of the Deity, the Memrahof the Jews, the Honover of the Persians, the origin of the Vedas.It has revealed and manifested all the emanated things, the so-calledcreation. It appeared before all things, and contains all qualities, allthe elements, and is the name and body of Brahman (neuter), and consequentlyas infinite as It. The Will, Desire, Word is the master architect andcreator of all the things. Brahma meditating upon the divine Word, thereinfound the primitive water, the common bond of all the creatures, the primitivefire, and the Trimurti of the Vedas, also the worlds and universal harmonyof all the things. The image of AUM is the Cow, which is also a symbolof the universe. The universe was concealed and at first was hidden underthe waters, and the waters were in Atma. These waters are those withoutany shores, all that which exists is water, and the water and AUM makebut one; these primitive waters are the sea of Maya, the celestial ocean ofall existence.

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There are to be found further in this symbolical picture many othersuggestions flowing from the Ancient Aryan or Hindu system. That systemis believed to contain in germ all the others which have since arisen, as: theHermetic, the Jewish, the Christian and others. Space, however, forbids amore extended explanation at present, and the student is recommended tostudy the four which have appeared in this magazine.

Isaac Myer.

Through the Gates of Gold.

The most notable book for guidance in Mysticism which has appearedsince Light on the Path was written has just been published under the significanttitle of “Through the Gates of Gold.”185 Though the author’s name iswithheld, the occult student will quickly discern that it must proceed froma very high source. In certain respects the book may be regarded as a commentaryon Light on the Path. The reader would do well to bear this inmind. Many things in that book will be made clear by the reading of thisone, and one will be constantly reminded of that work, which has alreadybecome a classic in our literature. Through the Gates of Gold is a work tobe kept constantly at hand for reference and study. It will surely takerank as one of the standard books of Theosophy.

The “Gates of Gold” represent the entrance to that realm of the soulunknowable through the physical perceptions, and the purpose of this workis to indicate some of the steps necessary to reach their threshold. Through itsextraordinary beauty of style and the clearness of its statement it will appealto a wider portion of the public than most works of a Theosophical character.It speaks to the Western World in its own language, and in this factlies much of its value.

Those of us who have been longing for some thing “practical” willfind it here, while it will probably come into the hands of thousands whoknow little or nothing of Theosophy, and thus meet wants deeply feltthough unexpressed. There are also doubtless many, we fancy, who will becarried far along in its pages by its resistless logic until they encounter somethingwhich will give a rude shock to some of their old conceptions, whichthey have imagined as firmly based as upon a rock—a shock which maycause them to draw back in alarm, but from which they will not find it soeasy to recover, and which will be likely to set them thinking seriously.

The titles of the five chapters of the book are, respectively, “TheSearch for Pleasure,” “The Mystery of Threshold,” “The Initial Effort,”“The Meaning of Pain,” and “The Secret of Strength.” Instead of specu373latingupon mysteries that lie at the very end of man’s destiny, and whichcannot be approached by any manner of conjecture, the work very sensiblytakes up that which lies next at hand, that which constitutes the first step tobe taken if we are ever to take a second one, and teaches us its significance.At the outset we must cope with sensation and learn its nature and meaning.An important teaching of Light on the Path has been misread bymany. We are not enjoined to kill out sensation, but to “kill out desirefor sensation,” which is something quite different “Sensation, as weobtain it through the physical body, affords us all that induces us to livein that shape,” says this work. The problem is, to extract the meaningwhich it holds for us. That is what existence is for. “If men will butpause and consider what lessons they have learned from pleasure and pain,much might be guessed of that strange thing which causes these effects.”

“The question concerning results seemingly unknowable, that concerningthe life beyond the Gates,” is presented as one that has been askedthroughout the ages, coming at the hour “when the flower of civilizationhad blown to its full, and when its petals are but slackly held together,”the period when man reaches the greatest physical development of his cycle.It is then that in the distance a great glittering is seen, before which manydrop their eyes bewildered and dazzled, though now and then one is foundbrave enough to gaze fixedly on this glittering, and to decipher somethingof the shape within it. “Poets and philosophers, thinkers and teachers,all those who are the ‘elder brothers of the race’—have beheld this sightfrom time to time, and some among them have recognized in the bewilderingglitter the outlines of the Gates of Gold.”

Those Gates admit us to the sanctuary of man’s own nature, tothe place whence his life-power comes, and where he is priest of the shrineof life. It needs but a strong hand to push them open, we are told. “Thecourage to enter them is the courage to search the recesses of one’s ownnature without fear and without shame. In the fine part, the essence, theflavor of the man, is found the key which unlocks those great Gates.”

The necessity of killing out the sense of separateness is profoundly emphasizedas one of the most important factors in this process. We must divestourselves of the illusions of the material life. “When we desire tospeak with those who have tried the Golden Gates and pushed them open,then it is very necessary—in fact it is essential—to discriminate, and notbring into our life the confusions of our sleep. If we do, we are reckonedas madmen, and fall back into the darkness where there is no friend but chaos.This chaos has followed every effort of man that is written in history; aftercivilization has flowered, the flower falls and dies, and winter and darknessdestroy it.” In this last sentence is indicated the purpose of civilization.It is the blossoming of a race, with the purpose of producing a certain374spiritual fruit; this fruit having ripened, then the degeneration of thegreat residuum begins, to be worked over and over again in the grandfermenting processes of reincarnation. Our great civilization is now floweringand in this fact we may read the reason for the extraordinary efforts tosow the seed of the Mystic Teachings wherever the mind of man may beready to receive it.

In the “Mystery of Threshold,” we are told that “only a man who hasthe potentialities in him both of the voluptuary and the stoic has any chanceof entering the Golden Gates. He must be capable of testing and valuingto its most delicate fraction every joy existence has to give; and he must becapable of denying himself all pleasure, and that without suffering from thedenial.”

The fact that the way is different for each individual is finely set forthin “The Initial Effort,” in the words that man “may burst the shell thatholds him in darkness, tear the veil that hides him from the eternal, at anymoment where it is easiest for him to do so; and most often this point willbe where he least expects to find it.” By this we may see the uselessness oflaying down arbitrary laws in the matter.

The meaning of those important words, “All steps are necessary tomake up the ladder,” finds a wealth of illustration here. These sentencesare particularly pregnant: “Spirit is not a gas created by matter, and wecannot create our future by forcibly using one material agent and leavingout the rest. Spirit is the great life on which matter rests, as does the rockyworld on the free and fluid ether; whenever we can break our limitationswe find ourselves on that marvellous shore where Wordsworth once saw thegleam of the gold.” Virtue, being of the material life, man has not the powerto carry it with him, “yet the aroma of his good deeds is a far sweeter sacrificethan the odor of crime and cruelty.”

“To the one who has lifted the golden latch the spring of sweet waters,the fountain itself whence all softness arises, is opened and becomes part ofhis heritage. But before this can be reached a heavy weight has to be liftedfrom the heart, an iron bar which holds it down and prevents it from arisingin its strength.”

The author here wishes to show that there is sweetness and light inoccultism, and not merely a wide dry level of dreadful Karma, such as someTheosophists are prone to dwell on. And this sweetness and light maybe reached when we discover the iron bar and raising it shall permit theheart to be free. This iron bar is what the Hindus call “the knot of theheart!” In their scriptures they talk of unloosing this knot, and say thatwhen that is accomplished freedom is near. But what is the iron bar andthe knot? is the question we must answer. It is the astringent power ofself—of egotism—of the idea of separateness. This idea has many strong375holds.It hold its most secret court and deepest counsels near the far removeddepths and centre of the heart. But it manifests itself first, in thatplace which is nearest to our ignorant preceptions, where we see it first afterbeginning the search. When we assault and conquer it there it disappears.It has only retreated to the next row of outworks where for a time itappears not to our sight, and we imagine it killed, while it is laughing atour imaginary conquests and security. Soon again we find it and conqueragain, only to have it again retreat. So we must follow it up if we wish tograsp it at last in its final stand just near the “kernel of the heart”. Thereit has become an “iron bar that holds down the heart”, and there only canthe fight be really won. That disciple is fortunate who is able to sinkpast all the pretended outer citadels and seize at once this personal devilwho holds the bar of iron, and there wage the battle. If won there,it is easy to return to the outermost places and take them by capitulation.This is very difficult, for many reasons. It is not a mere juggleof words to speak of this trial. It is a living tangible thing that can bemet by any real student. The great difficulty of rushing at once to thecentre lies in the unimaginable terrors which assault the soul on its shortjourney there. This being so it is better to begin the battle on the outsidein just the way pointed out in this book and Light on the Path, by testingexperience and learning from it.

In the lines quoted the author attempts to direct the eyes of a verymaterialistic age to the fact which is an accepted one by all true students ofoccultism, that the true heart of a man-which is visibly represented by themuscular heart—is the focus point for spirit, for knowledge, for power;and that from that point the converged rays begin to spread out fan-like,until they embrace the Universe. So it is the Gate. And it is just at thatneutral spot of concentration that the pillars and the doors are fixed. It isbeyond it that the glorious golden light burns, and throws up a “burnishedglow.” We find in this the same teachings as in the Upanishads. Thelatter speaks of “the ether which is within the heart,” and also says that wemust pass across that ether.

“The Meaning of Pain” is considered in a way which throws a greatlight on the existence of that which for ages has puzzled many learned men.“Pain arouses, softens, breaks, and destroys. Regarded from a sufficientlyremoved standpoint, it appears as a medicine, as a knife, as a weapon, as apoison, in turn. It is an implement, a thing which is used, evidently.What we desire to discover is, who is the user; what part of ourselves is itthat demands the presence of this thing so hateful to the rest?”

The task is, to rise above both pain and pleasure and unite them toour service.376 “Pain and pleasure stand apart and separate, as do the twosexes; and it is in the merging, the making the two into one, that joy anddeep sensation and profound peace are obtained. Where there is neithermale nor female, neither pain nor pleasure, there is the god in man dominant;and then is life real.”

The following passage can hardly fail to startle many good people:“Destiny, the inevitable, does indeed exist for the race and for the individual;but who can ordain this save the man himself? There is no clewin heaven or earth to the existence of any ordainer other than the man whosuffers or enjoys that which is ordained.” But can any earnest student ofTheosophy deny, or object to this? Is it not a pure statement of the law ofKarma? Does it not agree perfectly with the teaching of the Bhagavat-Gita?There is surely no power which sits apart like a judge in court, andfines us or rewards us for this misstep or that merit; it is we who shape, orordain, our own future.

God is not denied. The seeming paradox that a God exists withineach man is made clear when we perceive that our separate existence is anillusion; the physical, which makes us separate individuals, must eventuallyfall away, leaving each man one with all men, and with God, who is the Infinite.

And the passage which will surely be widely misunderstood is that in“The secret of strength.” “Religion holds a man back from the path,prevents his stepping forward, for various very plain reasons. First, it makesthe vital mistake of distinguishing between good and evil. Nature knowsno such distinctions.” Religion is always man-made. It cannot therefore bethe whole truth. It is a good thing for the ordinary and outside man,but surely it will never bring him to the Gates of Gold. If religion be ofGod how is it that we find that same God in his own works and acts violatingthe precepts of religion? He kills each man once in life; every day thefierce elements and strange circ*mstances which he is said to be the authorof, bring on famine, cold and innumerable untimely deaths; where then, inThe True, can there be any room for such distinctions as right and wrong?The disciple, must as he walks on the path, abide by law and order, but ifhe pins his faith on any religion whatever he will stop at once, and it makesno matter whether he sets up Mahatmas, Gods, Krishna, Vedas or mysteriousacts of grace, each of these will stop him and throw him into a rut fromwhich even heavenly death will not release him. Religion can only teachmorals and ethics. It cannot answer the question “what am I?” TheBuddhist ascetic holds a fan before his eyes to keep away the sight of objectscondemned by his religion. But he thereby gains no knowledge, for thatpart of him which is affected by the improper sights has to be known by theman himself, and it is by experience alone that the knowledge can be possessedand assimilated.

The book closes gloriously, with some hints that have been muchneeded. Too many, even of the sincerest students of occultism, have377sought to ignore that one-half of their nature, which is here taught to benecessary. Instead of crushing out the animal nature, we have here thehigh and wise teaching that we must learn to fully understand the animaland subordinate it to the spiritual. “The god in man, degraded, is a thingunspeakable in its infamous power of production. The animal in man,elevated, is a thing unimaginable in its great powers of service and ofstrength,” and we are told that our animal self is a great force, the secret of theold-world magicians, and of the coming race which Lord Lytton foreshadowed.“But this power can only be attained by giving the god thesovereignty. Make your animal ruler over your self, and he will never ruleothers.”

This teaching will be seen to be identical with that of the closing wordsof “The Idyll of the White Lotus”: “He will learn how to expound spiritualtruths, and to enter into the life of his highest self, and he can learn also tohold within him the glory of that higher self, and yet to retain life uponthis planet so long as it shall last, if need be; to retain life in the vigor ofmanhood, till his entire work is completed, and he has taught the threetruths to all who look for light.”

There are three sentences in the book which ought to be imprinted inthe reader’s mind, and we present them inversely:

“Secreted and hidden in the heart of the world and the heart of man isthe light which can illumine all life, the future and the past.”

“On the mental steps of a million men Buddha passed through theGates of Gold; and because a great crowd pressed about the threshold hewas able to leave behind him words which prove that those gates will open.”

“This is one of the most important factors in the development of man,the recognition—profound and complete recognition—of the law of universalunity and coherence.”

Considerations on Magic.

We hear a good deal nowadays and are likely to hear still more ofoccult science. In this regard we may as well accept the inevitable. Allthings have their day, and all things revolve in cycles; they come and go,and come again, though never twice the same. Even our very thoughtsconform to this universal law. The life, the teachings, and the fate ofPythagoras are involved in mystery, but the fate of the schools which heestablished and of the followers who succeeded him are matters of history.The slaughter of the Magi stands over against the abuses and abominationswhich were perpetrated in their name, and doubtless by many styling themselvesMagicians.

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It is not the object of this brief paper to attempt to define magic, orelucidate occult Science as such, but rather to suggest a few considerationswhich are of vital import at the present time, equally important to those whoutterly deny to magic any more than an imaginative basis, as to those whoconvinced of its existence as a science, are, or are to become investigators.In both the publications and conversations of the day, frequently occur theexpressions “black magic,” and “white magic” and those who follow thesestudies are designated as followers of the “left hand path,” or the “righthand path“. It ought to be understood that up to a certain point all studentsof magic, or occultism, journey together. By and by is reached a placewhere two roads meet, or where the common path divides, and the awfulvoice from the silence, heard only in the recesses of the individual soul uttersthe stern command: ”Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.” Instead ofblack and white magic, read, black and white motive.

The student of occultism is rushing on his destiny, but up to a certainpoint that destiny is in his own hands, though he is constantly shaping hiscourse, freeing his soul from the trammels of sense and self, or becoming entangledin the web, which, with warp and woof will presently clothe him aswith a garment without a seam.

If early in the race he finds it difficult to shake off his chains, let himremember that at every step they grow more and more tyrannical, and oftenbefore the goal is reached where the ways divide, the battle is lost or won,and the decision there is only a matter of form. That decision once madeis irrevocable, or so nearly so that no exception need be made. Man livesat once in two worlds: the natural and the spiritual, and as in the naturalplane he influences his associates, and is in turn influenced by them, so lethim not imagine that in the spiritual plane he is alone. This will be a fatalmistake for the dabbler in magic, or the student in occultism. Throughoutthis vast universe, the good will seek the good, and the evil the evil, eachwill be unconsciously drawn to its own kind.

But when man faces his destiny in full consciousness of the issues involved,as he must before the final decision is reached, he will be no longerunconscious of these influences, but will recognize his companions: companions,alas! no longer, Masters now, inhuman, pitiless; and the samelaw of attraction which has led him along the tortuous path, unveils its face,and by affinity of evil, the slave stands in the presence of his master, and thefiends that have all along incited him to laugh at the miseries of his fellowmen, and trample under his feet every kindly impulse, every tender sympathy,now make the measureless hells within his own soul resound with theirlaughter at him, the poor deluded fool whose selfish pride and ambition havestifled and at last obliterated his humanity.

Blind indeed is he who cannot see why those who are in possession379of arcane wisdom, hesitate in giving it out to the world, and when in thecycles of time its day has come, they put forth the only doctrine which haspower to save and bless, Universal Brotherhood, with all that the termimplies.

There may be those who have already in this new era, entered the left-handroad. But now as of old, “by their works ye shall know them”. Tolabor with them is in vain. Selfishness, pride and lust for power are thesigns by which we may know them. They may not at once cast off disguise,and they will never deceive the true Theosophist. They can neverthelessdeceive to their ruin the ignorant, the curious, the unwary, and it is forsuch as these that these lines are penned, and the worst of it is, thatthese poor deluded souls, are led to believe that no such danger exists,and this belief is fortified by the so-called scientists, who are quoted asauthority, and who ridicule everything but rank materialism. Yet notwithstandingall this, these simple souls flutter like moths around the flame tillthey are drawn within the vortex. It is better a million times, that the proud,the selfish and time-serving should eat, drink and be merry, and letoccultism alone, for these propensities unless speedily eradicated, will bearfruit and ripen into quick harvests, and the wages thereof is death, literallythe “second death”.

The purpose of Theosophy is to eradicate these evil tendencies of man,so that whether on the ordinary planes of daily life, or in the higher occultrealms, the Christ shall be lifted up, and draw all men unto him.