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Dictionaries

THEOSOPHY(Greek) Wisdom Religion or "Divine Wisdom." The essence and basis of all the world's religions and philosophies, taught and practiced by a select few since man became a thinking being. In practical application Theosophy is purely divine ethics; the definitions given to it in dictionaries are simply nonsense, nonsense, based on religious superstition and ignorance of the true spirit of the early Rosicrucians and the medieval philosophers who called themselves Theosophists.

Source: Blavatskaya E.P. - Theosophical Dictionary

Theosophy(Greek) Literally, "divine wisdom or wisdom of the gods."

Secret Doctrine

Is not Theosophy a new religion, we are asked? In no case; it is not a “religion”, nor is its philosophy “new”, for, as has already been said, this teaching is as old as thinking man. Its provisions have now been published for the first time, but they have already been carefully presented more than once and were even expounded more than once by European initiates - especially the late Ragon.

Each reader will inevitably judge the statements made from the point of view of his knowledge, his experience and consciousness, basing his judgment on what he already knows.

Theo-philosophy develops along broader lines. From the very beginning of the eons - in time and space, in our Circle and Planet - the secrets of Nature (in any case, those that are legitimate for our Races to know) were captured in geometric figures and symbols by the disciples of the same now invisible “Heavenly Men” . The keys to them were passed from one generation of “Wise Men” to another. Some of the symbols thus passed from East to West, brought from the East by Pythagoras, who was not the inventor of his famous "Triangle". The last figure, together with the square and the circle, is a more eloquent and scientific description of the order of evolution of the Universe, spiritual and psychic as well as physical, than the volumes of descriptive Cosmogonies and revelations of the "Genesises".

Key to Theosophy

Asking. Theosophy and its teachings are often called a newfangled religion. Is this a religion?

Theosophist. No. Theosophy is Divine Knowledge or Science.

Asking. What is the true meaning of this term?

Theosophist. This is "Divine Wisdom", θεοσοφία (Theosophy) or the wisdom of the gods, like Θεογονία (Theogony) - the genealogy of the gods. The word θεοσ in Greek means "god", one of the divine beings, but, of course, not "God" in the sense that is given to it today. Therefore, it is not “the wisdom of God,” as some translate it, but divine wisdom- such as the gods have. This term is many thousands of years old.

Asking. What is the origin of this name?

Theosophist. It came to us from the Alexandrian philosophers, who were called “lovers of truth”, Philaletes, from “phil” - “loving”, and “aletheia” - “truth”. The word "theosophy" dates back to the third century AD, and was introduced into use by Ammonius Saccus and his disciples, who laid the foundation for the eclectic theosophical system.

Asking. What was the purpose of this system?

Theosophist. First, to instill in the disciples and all those who “love the truth” some great moral truths. Hence the motto adopted by the Theosophical Society - “There is no religion higher than truth.” The main goal of the founders of the eclectic theosophical school was one of the three goals of their modern successor, the Theosophical Society, namely, to reconcile all religions, sects and nations by a common system of ethics based on eternal truths.

The ancient Theosophists asserted - and the modern ones say the same - that the infinite cannot be known by the finite - that is, perceived by a finite being - but that the divine essence can be transmitted to the higher Spiritual Self in an ecstatic state. This state, unlike hypnotic, is hardly achievable by “physical and chemical means.”

It is as old as time in its teachings and ethics, if not in name, and is also the broadest and most comprehensive system of all.

For mystics, true theosophy is a state that Apollonius of Tyana was forced to describe as follows: “I can see the present and the future, as in a clear mirror. The wise, to foresee events, need not expect either the vapors of the earth or the corruption of the air ... Qeoi, or the gods see the future, ordinary people see the present, the wise see what is already about to happen." That “theosophy of the wise” of which he speaks is well expressed in the statement “The Kingdom of God is within us.”

We believe that in ancient times there were nations that were equally cultural and certainly ahead of us in spiritual terms. But there are several reasons for this voluntary ignorance. One of them was revealed by St. Paul to the cultured inhabitants of Athens - this is the loss for many centuries of real spiritual insight, and even interest, due to their too strong attachment to objects of feelings and long slavery to the dead letter of dogma and ritual. But the main reason is that true Theosophy has always been kept secret.

Asking. You have provided evidence that such secrecy existed, but what are its real reasons?

Theosophist. The reasons for this are as follows: Firstly, the perversity of ordinary human nature, its selfishness, always striving for satisfaction personal desires to the detriment of their neighbors and relatives. These people can never be trusted divine secrets. Secondly, their failure to preserve sacred and divine knowledge from profanation. It was the latter that led to the perversion of the most sublime truths and symbols and the gradual transformation of the spiritual into the anthropomorphic, concrete and reduced to crude images - in other words, to the belittling of the idea of ​​the divine and to idolatry.

Asking. What is the difference between Buddhism, the religion founded by Prince Kapilavastu, and Buddhism, the “teaching of wisdom,” which, as you say, is synonymous with Theosophy?

Theosophist. This is also the difference between the secret teachings of Christ, which were called “the secrets of the kingdom of heaven,” and the later rituals and dogmatic theology of the church and sects. "Buddha" means enlightened one bodhi, or comprehension, wisdom. Its roots and branches go back to the esoteric teachings that Gautama transmitted only to his chosen arhats.

Asking. But isn't the ethics of Theosophy identical to that taught by the Buddha?

Theosophist. Of course, because this ethics is the soul of the Wisdom Religion, and was once the common property of the initiates of all peoples. But the Buddha was the first to include this sublime ethics in his public teachings, and made it the basis and the very essence of his public system. This is the great difference between exoteric Buddhism and any other religion. For while in other religions ritual and dogma occupy the first and most important place, in Buddhism ethics has always been most insistent. This explains the similarity between the ethics of Theosophy and the ethics of the religion of the Buddha, reaching almost to the point of identity.

Asking. Are there any points where there are significant differences?

Theosophist. One of the great differences between Theosophy and exoteric Buddhism is that the latter, represented by its southern school, completely denies: a) the existence of any deities; and b) any conscious life after death, or even any self-conscious individuality retained in man. At least, this is the teaching of the Thai sect, which is now believed the purest form of exoteric Buddhism. And this is true if we consider only the publicly available teachings of the Buddha; I will explain the reason for such restraint on his part further. But the northern Buddhist schools, established in those countries to which the initiated arhats retired after the death of their Master, teach all that is now called theosophical doctrines, because they form part of the knowledge of the initiates - thus proving that the overzealous orthodoxy of southern Buddhism has sacrificed truth for dead letters. But how much more majestic and noble, more scientific and philosophical is this teaching, even in its dead letter, in comparison with any other church or religion! And yet, Theosophy is not Buddhism.

Asking. In this case, your teachings are neither a revival of Buddhism nor a complete copy of Neoplatonic theosophy?

Theosophist. They are not. But to these questions I cannot give a better answer than a quotation from the paper "Theosophy", read by Dr. J. D. Buck, member of the Theosophical Society, at the last Theosophical Convention at Chicago, America (April, 1889). No living Theosophist has better expressed the true essence of Theosophy than our dear friend Dr. Buck:

"The Theosophical Society was organized for the purpose of propagating the Theosophical doctrine and encouraging a way of life corresponding to it. The present Theosophical Society is not the first of its kind. I have a book entitled: The Theosophical Protocols of the Philadelphian Society, published in London in 1697, and another , with the following title: “An Introduction to Theosophy, or the science of the mystery of Christ, that is, of the Divinity, Nature and Creation, embracing the philosophy of all the active forces of life, magical and spiritual, and giving practical guidance for the attainment of the highest purity, holiness and evangelical perfection; and also on the attainment of divine vision and the sacred angelic arts, powers and other advantages of regeneration,” published in London in 1855. Here is the dedication of this book:

"To the students of the universities, colleges and schools of Christendom; professors of metaphysics, mechanics and natural sciences in all forms; educated men and women of the fundamental orthodox faith; deists, Arians, Unitarians, Swedenborgians and other followers of all partial and unfounded creeds, rationalists and skeptics of every kind ; to the faithful and enlightened Muslims, Jews and believers in the ancient eastern religions; but especially to the preachers and missionaries of both barbarian and intellectual peoples, this introduction to Theosophy, the science of the essence and mystery of all things, is dedicated with great humility and love."

The following year (1856) another book, The Theosophical Collection, was published, 600 pages of large format in diamond type. Only 500 copies of this work were published - for free distribution to libraries and universities. These early movements, of which there were many, were begun within the Church by men of great piety and impeccable reputation. All these works were orthodox in form, used Christian expressions, and, like the works of the eminent Church leader William Law, were, from the point of view of the average reader, distinguished only by deep piety and piety. They were only attempts to extract and explain the deeper meaning and original meaning of the Holy Scriptures, and to explain and reveal the theosophical way of life. These works soon fell into oblivion and are now practically unknown. They tried to reform the clergy and restore true piety, and were never welcomed. One word “heresy” was enough to bury them along with all other similar utopias. At the time of the Reformation, Johann Reuchlin made a similar attempt, and with the same result, although he was a close and trusted friend of Luther. The Orthodox have never wanted to be instructed and enlightened. The Reformers were told, as Festus told Paul, that too much learning had driven them mad, and that it would be dangerous to go any further. Leaving aside the terminology, which was partly the consequence of the habit and education of these authors, and partly the result of religious restrictions imposed through secular power, and turning to the essence of these works, they were in the strictest sense theosophical and related exclusively to man's knowledge of his own nature and the higher life of the soul. The present Theosophical movement has sometimes been declared to be an attempt to convert Christendom to Buddhism, which simply means that the word heresy has lost its awesome meaning and force. Individual people at all times have more or less correctly understood theosophical teachings and woven it into the fabric of their lives. This teaching is not exclusive to any religion, nor is it limited to any particular society or time. By birthright it belongs to every human soul. Everyone must choose such a thing as a symbol of faith for themselves, in accordance with their nature, needs and various life experiences. That is why those who represented Theosophy as a new religion hunted in vain for its creed and ritual. Her credo is loyalty to Truth, and her ritual is “honoring every truth by its application.”

How little this principle of Universal Brotherhood is understood by the masses of mankind, and how rarely its supreme importance is recognized, may be seen by the variety of opinions and fictitious interpretations concerning the Theosophical Society. This Society was founded on a single principle, the essential brotherhood of man, as here briefly described and imperfectly stated. It has been attacked as Buddhist and anti-Christian, as if it could be both, whereas both Buddhism and Christianity, from their inception by inspired founders, proclaim brotherhood as the only fundamentally important part of doctrine and life. Theosophy was also considered something new under the sun, or at best an old mysticism masquerading under a new name. And while it is true that many Societies founded on the principles of altruism or brotherhood and their support have had different names, it is also true that many have been called Theosophical, and their principles and objects have been the same as those of the modern Theosophical Society. In these societies the essence of the teaching was the same, and everything else was random, although this does not change the fact that many people are attracted by superficial details and do not notice or ignore the essence of the teaching."

It is impossible to give a clearer and more precise answer to your question than was given by this man, who is one of our most sincere and valued Theosophists.

Asking. In this case, which system, other than Buddhist ethics, do you prefer or follow?

Theosophist. None - and everyone. Specifically, we do not adhere to any religion or philosophy - we select the good that we find in each. But here, again, it must be stated that, like all other ancient systems, theosophy is divided into exoteric and esoteric.

Theosophist. In no way - not even in the sense of a new and direct revelation from some higher, supernatural or, at least, superhuman creatures; but only in the sense of “lifting the veil” from old, very old truths for minds that were previously ignorant of them, and did not even know about the very existence and preservation of this ancient knowledge.

Asking. You talked about "persecution". If Theosophy presents the truth as it is, why is it met with such resistance rather than universal acceptance?

Theosophist. Again, for many different reasons, one of which is people's hatred of "innovation", as they call it. Egoism is inherently conservative and hates to be disturbed. He will prefer an accommodating, undemanding lie the greatest truth, if the latter requires the sacrifice of even a little comfort. The power of mental inertia is enormous unless something promises immediate benefit and reward. Our age is to an outstanding degree unspiritual and prosaic. Added to this is the unfamiliar character of the Theosophical teachings and the complex nature of the doctrines, some of which directly contradict many of the human prejudices nurtured by sectarians and ingrained into the very core of popular beliefs. If we add to this the personal effort and high purity of life which are required of those who would become disciples internal circle, as well as a very limited number of people ready to follow our rules, which require complete unselfishness, it will become clear why Theosophy is doomed to such slow progress and such a difficult climb. In essence, this is a philosophy only for those who have suffered in the quagmire of life and have lost all hope of getting out of there in any other way. Moreover, the history of any system of faith or morality, first planted on unfamiliar soil, shows that its first shoots encountered all the obstacles that obscurantism and selfishness could inflict. Truly, “the crown of an innovator is the crown of thorns!” Demolition of old, bug-eaten buildings is never without some danger.

And I declare, openly and fearlessly, that the perversity of this [modern Christian (ed.)] doctrine, like many others, can eradicate only theosophy.

Asking. How?

Theosophist. Simply by demonstrating the logical, philosophical, metaphysical and even scientific reasons that: a) The origin of all people, both spiritually and physically, is the same, which is the fundamental position of Theosophy; b) Since humanity is essentially one, and this essence of it is one - infinite, uncreated and eternal, whether we call it God or Nature - nothing, therefore, can affect one nation or one person without affecting all other nations and all other people. This is as certain and obvious as the fact that a stone thrown into a pond will, sooner or later, set in motion every drop of water in it.

Asking. But how does Theosophy explain the common origin of all people?

Theosophist. The teaching that root of all Nature, objective and subjective, and everything that generally exists in the Universe, visible or invisible, was, is And always will be forever one absolute essence from which everything comes and to which everything returns. This is an Aryan philosophy, fully represented only in the systems of Vedantists and Buddhists. Taking into account our first goal, it is the duty of all Theosophists to promote the spread of non-sectarian education.

Asking. But Theosophy, as you say, is not a religion?

Theosophist. Of course not, for it is the essence of all religions and absolute truth, one drop of which is the basis of every creed. If we once again resort to a metaphor, then on earth theosophy is like a ray of white light, and each religion is only one of the seven colors of the spectrum. Ignoring all the others, condemning them as false, each individual color ray thus proclaims not only its primacy, but also claims to be what it is. that same white ray, anathematizing even their own shades, from light to dark, as heretical. Yet, as the sun of truth rises higher and higher above the horizon of human perception, each ray of color gradually fades until it is again completely absorbed; humanity will be freed from the curse of falling into extremes and will finally find itself basking in the pure, uncolored sunlight of eternal truth. This is what will happen theosophy.

Asking. So you claim that all great religions have their origins in Theosophy, and that it is by assimilating them that the world will finally be saved from the curse of its great illusions and errors?

Theosophist. Exactly. And we will add that the Theosophical Society is but a humble seed, which, if watered and allowed to live, will eventually produce the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is grafted onto the Tree of Eternal Life. After all, only by studying the various great religions and philosophies of mankind, impartially comparing them with an unprejudiced mind, can a person hope to achieve the truth. This is especially achieved by searching and identifying points of coincidence. And no sooner than we have reached, either by study or by being taught by someone who knows, their inner meaning, we will almost always find that such a point expresses some of the great truths of Nature.

Asking. But on what basis do you claim this?

Theosophist. Based on what science as a whole will never accept as evidence - the body of evidence accumulated by an endless series of seers who confirmed this fact. Their spiritual visions, the most real investigations, carried out both with the help of physical and spiritual perception, which was not hindered by the sightless flesh, were systematically checked and carefully compared, and by sifting their nature was revealed. Everything that did not find confirmation in a single collective experience was rejected, and only that which in different eras and in different countries, after countless observations, was recognized as true and constantly received further confirmation was recorded as established truth. The methods used by our scientists and researchers of the spiritual and psychic sciences, as you see, do not differ from the methods of those who study the natural and physical sciences. Only the areas of their research are on two different planes, and our instruments are not created by human hands - and for this reason they may be even more hopeful. The retorts, batteries, and microscopes of the chemist and naturalist may fail; the astronomer's telescope and chronometers may be damaged; Our research instruments are not influenced by either weather or elements.

Asking. And that’s why you believe them unconditionally?

Theosophist. Faith is a word that cannot be found in theosophical dictionaries: we are talking about knowledge based on observation and experience. However, there is also a difference here - while observation and experience in physical science lead scientists to the fact that the number of “working” hypotheses they have is equal to the number of minds capable of creating them, our knowledge accepts into its storeroom only those facts that have become irrefutable and have received complete and unconditional confirmation. We do not have two different beliefs or hypotheses on the same issue.

Asking. Before we change the subject, we need to know the whole truth about this. Now some are writing that your teaching is “immoral and pernicious”, and others, relying on the so-called “authorities” and orientalists, who see nothing in Indian religions other than the cult of sex in various forms, accuse you of teaching a phallic cult . They say that since modern Theosophy is closely connected with Eastern and especially Indian thought, it cannot be free from this taint. Sometimes they even go so far as to accuse European Theosophists of resurrecting practices associated with this cult. How about this?

Theosophist. I have heard and read about this before, and I will answer you that more baseless and false slander has never been invented or spread. “A fool has bad dreams,” says a Russian proverb. Your blood boils when you hear such a base accusation made without the slightest foundation, based on mere assumptions. Ask hundreds of respected English men and women who have been members of the Theosophical Society for years whether we have ever preached to them immoral commandments and harmful doctrines. Open the "Secret Doctrine" and you will find that page after page the Jews and other peoples are condemned precisely for their adherence to phallic rituals because of the literal interpretation of natural symbolism and a grossly materialistic understanding of the dualism of nature in all exoteric creeds. This constant and malicious distortion of our teachings and views is truly shameful.

In conclusion, I can say that the very soul of Theosophy is against the phallic cult; and its occult or esoteric part is even more than the exoteric teachings. There was no more false statement than the above.

Asking. But if your Society is led by such kind and wise people, then why are so many mistakes made?

Theosophist. Teachers Not governed neither by the Society nor even by its Founders. Yes, no one has ever claimed that they are doing this - they are just watching him and protecting him. This is confirmed by the fact that no mistakes undermined the viability of the Society, and that neither internal strife nor the most dangerous attacks could overturn it. Teachers look to the future, not the present, and every mistake is only a new accumulation of wisdom for the future. Another "teacher" who sent a man with five talents did not tell him how to double them; He also did not warn the foolish servant who buried his talent in the ground. Everyone must acquire wisdom through their own experience and merit. Christian churches, which claim to have a much higher Teacher - the Holy Spirit himself - were, and still are, guilty not only of “mistakes”, but also of a whole series of bloody crimes committed over the centuries. And yet, I believe, no Christian, despite all this, will deny that he believes this Teachers? And this despite the fact that his existence is much more hypothetically than the existence of mahatmas, since no one has ever seen the Holy Spirit, and all church history testifies against the fact that he exercised leadership over the church. Humans tend to make mistakes.

Asking. Tell me, what do you think the future of Theosophy will be?

Theosophist. If you mean Theosophy, then I answer that, just as it has existed forever throughout the endless cycles of the past, so it will always exist in the infinity of the future, since Theosophy is a synonym for ETERNAL TRUTH.

Articles

According to lexicographers, the term theosophy consists of two Greek words: theos - “god” and sophia - “wisdom”. Up to this point everything is correct. But the following explanation falls very far short of clarifying the idea of ​​Theosophy. Webster quite originally defines it this way:

“Maintaining communion with God and higher spirits and consciously achieving superhuman knowledge through physical processes, as some ancient Platonists achieved through theurgic actions or the German fire philosophers through chemical processes.”

This is a rather frivolous and, to put it mildly, disrespectful explanation. That Mr. Webster associates such names as Ammonius Sax, Plotinus, Iamblichus, Porphyry, Proclus, with such an idea, shows either a deliberate distortion or ignorance of the philosophy and motives of the great geniuses of the Alexandrian School. To attribute the intention to develop one’s psychological, spiritual feelings through “physical processes” to those whom both contemporaries and descendants called “Theodidactoi” - scientists of God - means to speak of them as materialists. As for the last stone thrown at the philosophers of fire, it bounces off them and hits our most famous modern scientists, into whose mouth the Review James Martineau puts the following boast: "Matter is all we need; give us atoms, and we will explain the whole universe."

Vaughan offers a much better, more philosophical definition. He says:

A Theosophist is one who gives you a theory of God or the actions of God, who did not give revelations, but breathed into himself his principles.

Thus, every thinker and philosopher, especially every founder of a new religion, philosophical school or sect, was already a theosophist. Consequently, Theosophy and Theosophists have existed since the very time when the first glimmer of nascent thought forced man to seek a means of expressing his own independent opinion.

Although Christian writers date the development of the eclectic theosophical system from the beginning of the third century of the Christian era, Theosophists existed before it. Diogenes Laertius traces the existence of theosophy from the era of the Ptolemaic dynasty and names it as the founder of the Egyptian hierophant Pot-Amun. This is a Coptic name, and it means the priest of the God Amun - the God of Wisdom. History shows its revival by Ammonius Sax, the founder of the Neoplatonic school. He and his disciples called themselves “philaletes” - worshipers of truth. Popularly, for their method of interpreting all sacred legends, symbolic myths and mysteries by means of analogy or correspondence, so that events occurring in the outer world were perceived as expressing the actions and impressions of the human soul, they were called "apologist". The goal of Ammonius Sax was the reconciliation of all sects, people and nations under one faith - faith in the Supreme Eternal, Unknowable and Ineffable Power, ruling the universe by immutable eternal laws. He wanted to show that the basic system of Theosophy was initially uniform in all countries in its fundamental provisions; he wanted to persuade humanity to put aside disputes and strife and unite in thoughts and intentions, like the children of a common mother; wanted to cleanse the ancient religions of the dross of the subjective element, unifying and explaining them on the basis of purely philosophical principles. Consequently, along with all the philosophers of Greece, Buddhism, Vedanta, and Magism or Zoroastrianism were also studied in the Eclectic Theosophical School. Hence the manifestation among the Alexandrian theosophists of such features, characteristic mainly of Buddhists and Hindus, as reverence for parents and the elderly, brotherly love for all humanity, compassion even for dumb animals. He tried all the time to establish a system of moral discipline; which would arouse in people the desire to live according to the laws of their countries, to elevate and awaken their minds through contemplation and study of the Absolute Truth; His main goal, in order to reach the hearts of all people, was, as he believed, to extract from various teachings, as from a many-stringed instrument, one comprehensive melody that would find a response in all hearts devoted to the truth. This means that Theosophy is an ancient Wisdom-Religion, an esoteric doctrine that was once known in all countries that claim to be civilized. All the writers of those times depict this "Wisdom" as an emanation of the divine Principle, and a clear understanding of this is reflected in such names as the Indian Budh, the Babylonian Nabu, the Thoth of Memphis and Hercules of Greece, as well as in the names of the goddesses - Metis, Neith, Athena, Gnostic Sophia and, moreover, the Vedas, whose name comes from the word “to know.” The same definition applies to all the ancient philosophers of the East and West, the hierophants of ancient Egypt, the Aryavarta rishis, the theodiactoi of Greece who received knowledge of the occult and divine secrets. Thus, the Merkavah of the European rabbis, a popular secular series, is the means of achievement, the outer shell containing the highest esoteric knowledge. Zoroaster's magicians received instructions and initiations in the caves and secret lodges of Bactria; Egyptian and Greek hierophants pronounced their aporheta, or secret formulas, and the Mystes became epopts - prophets.

The central idea of ​​eclectic theosophy was the one Supreme Being, Unknown and Unknowable, for, as the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad asks: “How can one know the one who creates knowledge?” Her system is characterized by three distinct sections: the theory of the aforementioned Entity, and its theurgy. It was this latter science that caused such distorted ideas about the Neoplatonists in our age of materialistic science. Essentially, theurgy is the art of using the divine powers of man to subjugate the blind forces of nature; At first, representatives of this science were called magicians - which is a corruption of the word "magician", meaning a wise or learned person - and then ridiculed. The skeptics of yesteryear would have made an incredible mistake when they scoffed at the idea of ​​the phonograph and telegraph. Those who were ridiculed and called "infidels" by one generation were generally revered as sages and saints by the next.

Modern Theosophists believe in the Divine Essence and the nature of the soul and spirit as well as the ancients. Diu of the Aryans is identical with Iao of the Chaldeans and even with Jupiter of the less educated and philosophical part of the Romans; and likewise he is identical with the Yahweh of the Samaritans, the Tiu or "Tiusko" of the Normans, the Duv of the Britons, and the Zeus of the Thracians. As for the Absolute Essence, the One and Omnipresent, whether we take to consider this concept the teachings of the Pythagorean Greeks, the Chaldean Kabbalah or the philosophy of the Aryans, the result will be the same. The Primary Monad in the Pythagorean system, which dissolves in darkness and which is Darkness itself (for human consciousness), was the basis of all things; and this idea, in its entirety, we can find in the philosophical systems of Leibniz and Spinoza. Therefore, does the theosophist agree with the Kabbalah, which, speaking of Ein Sophia, asks: “who then can realize Him if He is Formless and Non-Existent?”; does he repeat the majestic hymn from the Rig Veda:

Does he accept the Vedantic concept of Brahma, who is presented in the Upanishads as “lifeless, mindless, pure, unconscious, for Brahma is the “Absolute Consciousness”; or, ultimately, sharing the faith of the Swabhavikas of Nepal, he claims that there is nothing except "svabhava" (the substance of nature), which exists in itself and has no Creator - any of these concepts can only lead him to pure absolute theosophy, which prompted people like Hegel, Fichte, Spinoza to continue the work of the Greek philosophers and to explain the One Substance, the Deity, the All-Divine, descended from the Divine Wisdom, unknown, unknowable and inexpressible, on the basis of all ancient and modern religions, except Christianity, and Mohammedanism. Every theosophist who adheres to the theory of the Deity, "who has not given revelations, but breathed into himself its foundations,” can accept any of the above definitions or belong to any of these religions and, nevertheless, remain within the limits of Theosophy, for it is the belief in the Divinity, which is ALL, which is the source of existence, infinity, which cannot be understood and realized, the universe which alone represents IT or HIM, as some prefer to say, thereby giving it a gender, anthropomorphizing it, which is blasphemy. True Theosophists shun gross materializations; they prefer the belief that, remaining eternally within itself, the Spirit of God did not desire anything and did not create anything. But that which is infinite, illuminating everything, emanates from the Great Center; that which creates everything visible and invisible is the Ray, which carries within itself the creative and generating forces; the ray which in turn created what the Greeks called the Macrocosmos, the Kabbalistic Tikkun, or Adam Kadmon - the primal man, the Aryan Purusha, the manifested Brahma, or Divine Husband. Theosophists also believe in anastasis, or continuation of existence, and in transmigration (evolution), a series of changes of the soul, which can be defended from attack and explained on strict philosophical principles, but only the distinction between the Vedantic paraatma (transcendental, supreme soul) and jivatma must be established (animal, conscious soul).To fully define Theosophy we must consider it in all its aspects. The inner world is not hidden from us by impenetrable darkness. In all centuries and in all countries there have existed people who, with the help of the highest intuition given by theosophy, or the knowledge of God, sensed the things of the inner, invisible world. Hence the "samadhi", or Dhyan Yog Samadhi, of Indian ascetics; "diamonionphotism", or spiritual enlightenment, of the Neoplatonists; "star conversations of the soul" of the Rosicrucians, or philosophers of fire; and even the ecstatic trance of mystics and modern hypnotists and spiritualists - although different in expression, are one in essence. The search for the human divine self, so often interpreted as personal communication with a personal God, has occupied all mystics, and the belief in its existence seems to be coeval with humanity. But each person calls it differently. Thus, what Plato and Plotinus called “mental work”, Yogin and Shrotriya call Vidya.

“By reflection, self-knowledge and discipline of thought, the soul can be raised to the vision of eternal truth, goodness and beauty - the vision of God - this is epoptia,” say the Greeks. Porfiry adds the following to this:

To unite the soul with the Universal Soul, a completely pure mind is required. Through self-contemplation, chastity and purification of the body, we can approach Her and receive, even in this state, knowledge and excellent insight.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati, who did not read Porphyry or other Greek writers, but who studied the Vedas perfectly, writes in his Veda Bhashya:

To achieve diksha (highest initiation) and yoga, one must be guided by the rules... By cognizing the Universal Spirit (or God), all the diversity of the universe and the qualities (occult) of things, the soul in the human body can create the greatest miracles. Such a person (dikshita, or initiate) can achieve the ability to hear and see at a great distance.

To conclude this we will quote the words of Alfred R. Wallace, Fellow of the Royal Society, Spiritualist and acknowledged naturalist, who boldly and frankly declares the following:

Only the spirit feels, perceives, thinks - it is he who achieves knowledge, reflects and strives... Very rarely do we encounter people with such an organization that their spirit can feel independently of the bodily senses or can, partially or completely, leave their body for a while and return to it again... spirit... communicates with spirit more easily than with matter.

Now we can see how, passing thousands of years, the era of the gymnosophists intervened in our highly civilized age, despite the enlightenment, or perhaps precisely because of the enlightenment, which shed its radiant light on both the physical and psychological areas of nature.

Plotinus, a student of the “god-learned” Ammonius, says that secret gnosis, or knowledge of theosophy, has three degrees - conviction, study and enlightenment.

"The means or instruments of the first are feelings or sensations; the second - dialectics; the third - intuition. At the last stage, reason is in a subordinate position; this is absolute knowledge, based on the merging of consciousness with the object of study."

Theosophy is, so to speak, the exact science of psychology; it stands in the same relation to natural, uncultivated mediumship as the knowledge of physics of Tyndall and the schoolboy.

It develops direct contemplation in a person - what Schelling called “the realization of the identification of object and subject in the individual”; under the influence of the knowledge of hiponoi, man perceives divine thoughts and things as they really are and, in conclusion, “becomes the receptacle of the Soul of the World,” as Emerson so beautifully put it. “I, imperfection, worship my own perfection,” he says in his beautiful essay on the Supreme Soul. In addition to this psychological, spiritual factor, Theosophy cultivates all branches of science and art. She is very familiar with what is commonly known as hypnosis.

Alchemy, perceived by many as a spiritual philosophy, as well as physical science, belongs to the teachings of the Theosophical school.

It should be noted that neither Zoroaster, nor Buddha, nor Orpheus, nor Pythagoras, nor Confucius, nor Socrates, nor Ammonius Sax wrote anything down. The reason for this is clear. Theosophy is a weapon, sharpened at both ends and unsuitable for egoists and ignoramuses. Like all ancient philosophies, it has priests even today; but from the most ancient times to the present day its followers are few in number, and they belong to the most diverse sects and views.

The Russian traveler and occultist claimed to have learned the secrets of lost civilizations and secret societies. Helena Blavatsky was one of the most enigmatic figures of the 19th century, and her views on the subjects of beings who control the fate of the Earth, forgotten history and the errors of faith in God are controversial to this day.

Many people share the views expressed by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky without even knowing it. This Russian occultist, writer, thinker and founder of the Theosophical movement was one of the most controversial personalities of the second half of the 19th century.

She was born into a wealthy family with esoteric traditions. Since childhood, she had been in contact with secret knowledge and had innate psychic abilities.

After escaping from her much older husband, she traveled the world, trying to penetrate the secrets of disappeared civilizations and secret societies.

She shared her knowledge with anyone who wanted to know, claiming that it came to her from the great masters who controlled the development of mankind. For some, a guru, for others, a charlatan, but, nevertheless, she became an icon and a legend. Who was she really?

Helena Blavatsky: from birth to secret teachings

Describing her biography briefly is like trying to retell “War and Peace” in a few sentences.

She was born in 1831 into an aristocratic family. Her mother, Elena Andreevna Fadeeva, was the daughter of Princess Elena Dolgorukova.

Blavatsky's birthplace was Dnepropetrovsk, which housed the unit of her father, Captain Peter Alekseevich von Hahn, born into a Russified German family. He was not present at the birth of his daughter because he was sent to Poland to suppress the November uprising.

Blavatsky's mother, a famous writer and translator of her time, died of tuberculosis at the age of 28. Elena's guardians were the Fadeevs, who lived in Saratov, where her grandfather was the governor.

As a child, Helena Blavatsky was spoiled and naughty. She also loved to read and make up stories. Just like her mother and grandmother, she received a good education at home.

Her desire to study the secret teachings and philosophies of the East had several sources. One of them was a library with a collection of esoteric books that belonged to her great-grandfather, a high-ranking Mason.

She was encouraged to pursue further spiritual quests, according to Professor Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, author of Blavatsky's biography, by Alexander Golitsyn, a friend of her family and a member of an influential princely family.

The beginning of changes in the life of Helena von Hahn was a bad relationship with Nikifor Blavatsky, 22 years older, the vice-governor of Yerevan in 1849. The young wife ran away and began a journey that would fill the rest of her life.

A description of her voyages would take up too much space, but it is worth emphasizing that their goal was to study the occult at its origins, including the study of ancient texts and Kabbalah. Initially, she was oriented towards Western Europe and the Middle East and always traveled in company (for example, prospective lovers).

As one story goes, in Egypt she met a Coptic man who told her about the books that were kept in Tibet and advised her on how to expand her knowledge and skills. Even more important was a meeting in London, where she met a Hindu Mahatma (spiritual teacher) named Morya. He said that Blavatsky has an extremely important mission to fulfill.

Moriah, she later wrote, was the man she saw in her dreams as a child. He lived in a monastery near Tashilhunpo Shigatse (Tibet), where he had a school for adepts together with another master Kut Hoomi. Both were West Indians and had traveled to Europe.

These were, however, not ordinary monks, but "more knowledgeable individuals" - representatives of the upper class of people known as the "Great White Brotherhood" who control the development of mankind.

Helena Blavatsky was chosen by these masters of ancient knowledge to impart certain transcendental truths to the people of the West.

After several trips, in particular to India and the USA, in 1868 Helena Blavatsky ended up in Tibet for two years and, most likely, was there secretly, since the country was practically inaccessible to white “aliens”.

Gary Lanchman, another Blavatsky biographer, says this achievement makes her one of the greatest travelers of the 19th century. Although he is not ready to give a 100% guarantee that she actually visited the Himalayas. But perhaps she got there disguised as a merchant or pilgrim. It is worth noting that this is not the first such incident in her life. Blavatsky claimed that she had previously fought as a man dressed as Garibaldi's soldier.

What happened in Tibet is a legend that could have been created by Blavatsky herself. In addition to studying Buddhism, which became the core of her philosophy, there she learned about ancient secrets and trained psychic abilities in practice under the guidance of the monks mentioned above.

This included a "course" in telepathy, clairvoyance and even the materialization of objects. In later life, Elena demonstrated these capabilities, but opinions regarding them always differed.

In the Himalayas, Blavatsky also learned the Senzar language, which - as she wrote - is “unknown to philology” and is the speech of all “high adepts”. She did not specify what language she was talking about, although there are suspicions that it could be Sanskrit. She needed it for research on Dzyan, the contents of which were strictly protected. It consisted of rhyming stanzas, and its origin has been rejected by science.

Helena Blavatsky published comments on the book in her opus “The Secret Doctrine” (published in 1888 under the title “The Secret Science”). In turn, “Isis Revealed,” published a year earlier, presented Elena’s views on many controversial issues: from the nature of consciousness, thinking and reality (which she considered an illusion) to a description of secret societies and intelligent races that previously inhabited the planet.

Forgotten Civilizations and the Evil God

Blavatsky's views, like her life, are difficult to convey concisely (the two books mentioned together have about 2000 pages).

The axis of her concept was the belief in the existence of universal principles that formed the basis of the world's religions. They compete with each other, that's why they are bad, but they all come from the same "trunk".

Ultimately, all the great will fall, and there will be a return to the original truth. The closest thing to it is Hermeticism - an ancient religion based on the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus and which provided a theoretical basis for the philosophy of magicians and occultists.

Helena Blavatsky speaks of the brotherhood of all people, regardless of skin color, race or religion. This postulate is justified by the statement that we all carry within us the “core of divinity” and we are all connected to each other.

It is worth noting that one of the characteristic elements of Elena’s beliefs was the “Akashic Chronicles” - a non-physical collection of all information in the cosmos, access to which can only be obtained by a highly spiritual person.

In her system, everything in the Universe develops cyclically, as the Book of Dzyan teaches. If something was a stone, then in some next cycle it will become a person. The purpose of incarnations is to improve oneself. Over time, the soul begins to understand the principles that govern the Universe and becomes a being like the angels who live in a completely different dimension.

According to Blavatsky, there are seven levels of existence: from the lowest physical to the abstract Atma. Interestingly, she recognized that after achieving a certain level of self-awareness, a person can unlock the memory of past lives.

As for the personal Christian God, Blavatsky directly stated that such a thing does not exist, calling this concept “a collection of contradictions and impossibilities.”

She once even caused a significant scandal by exposing herself to the wrath of believers by saying that God was angry because he created man “impulsively,” as a being completely and blindly subject to him. And only Lucifer opened the eyes of people, so honor must be given to him. The reaction to these words was expected, and Blavatsky had to get used to all sorts of insults directed at her.

The Forgotten History of Humanity

The most original group of her views was associated with the “forgotten history” of humanity. “The discoveries of modern science do not contradict the oldest traditions, which indicate that our race is extremely mature,” she said, adding that before man on Earth there were many other intelligent species, often more advanced.

These were the so-called indigenous races, of which we are the fifth. There should be a total of seven, each with seven subclasses. The sixth should appear in the 28th century. It is interesting that on Earth - according to Blavatsky - it is still possible to find living “representatives” of older races.

According to what she learned from strictly kept records, the most ancient inhabitants of the planet were ethereal beings, reproducing by fission.

In the next eon after their disappearance, the Hyperboreans appeared - a yellow-skinned race living in the tropics, which were located where the Arctic and circumpolar regions are now located.

When they became extinct, the Lemurians appeared, inhabiting a now-defunct continent in the Indian Ocean, which disintegrated millions of years ago as a result of volcanic activity (their descendants are the Bigfoot).

The next race appeared 4.5 million years ago in Africa. These were dark-skinned people who later colonized Atlantis, developing advanced technologies. Some representatives of this race had psychic abilities. There were also .

When their civilization collapsed as a result of the war, these people moved to the territory of modern America, and their descendants are the Incas, Indians and peoples of the Mongoloid race. Refugees from Atlantis founded several ancient civilizations, including Egypt.

Indians

According to Blavatsky, the predecessor of the fifth root race was a man whom the Hindus call Manu. Over the millennia, different subgroups developed within its context, from Indians to Germans and Slavs.

According to Elena, a new group of people will appear in the near future and evolve in the United States.

Interestingly, in The Secret Doctrine she also writes about the “teacher of the fifth humanity.” She mentioned "the snakes that came down again and made peace with the fifths and were instructed." The memory of this is preserved in myths and legends.

Theosophical Society and death

After returning from Tibet with a baggage of esoteric knowledge, Blavatsky had to find a way to convey it to society. She was then a little-known person and, as Goodrick-Clark mentions, her big “debut” came around 1873, when she became close to the American spiritualists - supporters of contacts with other worlds through spiritualistic seances.

Elena’s main companion was lawyer and journalist Henry S. Alcott, with whom in 1875 they came up with a name for the direction of “spiritual knowledge” they promoted. It was theosophy (Greek: “divine knowledge”).

The fellowship founded by Blavatsky began to unite followers of the occult and parapsychology, including celebrities (for example, Thomas Edison and Jack London).

The traveler's character makes itself felt and soon Blavatsky went to India with Alscott, despite having previously received American citizenship. In 1882, the partnership acquired property in Adyar, where its headquarters were located, although the colonial authorities constantly monitored the occultists as a “suspicious element.”

Elena gradually lost her health and soon she was recommended to change the climate to a milder one. Meanwhile, the Theosophical movement and the work of its creator became more popular, although she herself was often criticized and condemned.

Blavatsky died suddenly in London in 1891 as a result of complications from influenza. Earlier in the city, she began publishing the scandalous magazine “Lucifer”.

There were many other scandals, schisms, accusations and supernatural phenomena in Blavatsky's life. The colorful nature is perhaps reflected in the eclectic nature of her views, in which hermetic, Hindu and Buddhist roots can be found, as well as inspiration from ancient philosophy, mythology and Kabbalah.

All this was put in the original order, but there was nothing new here. In addition, the French thinker and expert in esoteric traditions Rene Guenon said that it is difficult to find “something innovative” in her teachings. This is simply a synthesis of knowledge from many sources, which is not the effect of mystical illumination.

Today remains a somewhat forgotten figure, and her books, although readable, are already a little outdated. But several things, however, remained after it, and these are: the popularity of the idea of ​​reincarnation and cyclicity among Europeans, the renewal of the legend of Atlantis, the creation of the myth of Lemuria, as well as convincing people of the existence of a “forgotten history” and the need for scientific research into phenomena related to human consciousness. Theosophy, however, had a different fate.

It seems that her message was only partially understood and accepted by the generation living in the 21st century. The most important ideas of brotherhood, self-improvement, selfless service have not found recognition to such an extent as to become a tangible element of social life.

Blavatsky, it seems, foresaw this, emphasizing that the “eternal wisdom” to which Theosophy refers was able to survive all the cataclysms, which means that our civilization, focused on consumption, ego affirmation and materialism, is not completely lost. And we can only hope that it was a prophetic voice.

The theory of the origin of humanity according to the works of E. Blavatsky.

This theory was finally formed by October 1888.
This theory was developed on the basis of Esoteric Buddhism, ancient Indian, ancient Chinese, ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek myths and legends, in addition, myths and legends from many countries were used. Christian and Jewish religious books were used. This is the largest esoteric work that connected all worldviews into one single one. At the same time, E. Blavatsyakaya completely denies Darwin’s theory that man descended from apes. And vice versa, for the first time he proclaimed that the first Drenia people participated in the creation (appearance) of monkeys and other animals.
In her book The Secret Doctrine, Blavatsky explains that all events in the Universe
They happen by the will of the Almighty (the Supreme Mind, its name is different in different legends).
The first people on Earth - the first race were the descendants of the “Lunar Ancestors” (intelligent beings sent to Earth from the Moon). She believes that the forms of life in the Universe are diverse; life exists not only on Earth, but also on the Moon, Sun, Venus, Mars, Mercury and other planets of the Universe. And all these life forms are connected with the Highest
Beings and the Supreme Mind. The first race of people was incorporeal (without physical bodies). The First Race gave birth to the second race (also incorporeal) by budding (separation from itself). The third race of people also arose from the second race by separating from it (budding, separating).
Gradually, the third race began to become denser, the etheric bodies of the people of the third race became denser (people began to develop physical bodies). People of the third race began to look a little like modern people, but they were very tall (up to 50 meters tall). This race was at first asexual, but by 18 million years ago people of this race were divided into men and women. By this time, people of this race (Blavatsky calls them Lemurians, although the name Asura is sometimes used). The Lemurians lived on the large continent of Lemuria. Lemurians
The Supreme Mind (Brahma), with the help of its assistants, created four categories of beings on Earth - gods, demons, ancestors and people. The gods (suras) are the first races of people on Earth (incorporeal races), demons (asuras) are the third race of people (also incorporeal), the progenitors are the third race (with physical bodies - Lemurians) and the fourth race (Atlanteans). Humans are the fifth race - the descendants of the Lemurians and Atlanteans who still live today. In addition, Blavatsky mentions various other forms of intelligent life on Earth - snakes, dragons, fallen angels, etc.
Blavatsky claims that the Lemurians, and especially the Atlanteans, had different skin colors - yellow, red, brown. The Lemurians received knowledge (intelligence) from the Sons of Wisdom (Sons of the Sun) and first lived together with them. The Sons of Wisdom became the first divine dynasties that led the lives of the Lemurians and Atlanteans.
Blavatsky’s book says that the Lemurians gravitated from the North Pole to the Hyperborean Continent, and the Atlanteans to the South Pole. The book says that Manu was not a man, but a representative of the first human races. The earliest representatives of the fourth race were not Atlanteans, just as they were not human Asuras and Rakshasas (these are different branches of the Lemurians). After the death of Lemuria from underground fires (Lemuria went under water), the Lemurians and Atlanteans began to continually decrease in stature. The largest flood, 850,000 years ago, drowned most of Atlantis and the remains of Lemuria. This flood was preserved in the memory of the Aryans (this is the name given to people of the fifth, modern race).
Our races testify to the same thing, that they originated from the Divine Races, no matter what name the latter were called. In addition to the Lemurians, other names were also used for the third race of people - Titans, Kabirs, Devas. Blavatsky's book says that our fifth race already existed about 1,000,000 years ago, based on the descendants of the Hyperboreans and Atlanteans.
According to her calculations, the Third Race already existed during the Triassic era, since several mammals already existed at that time. During the Eocene, Miocene, and Pliocene epochs the Third Race now almost completely disappeared, carried away by the terrifying cataclysm of the Secondary Age, leaving behind only a few mixed races.
The Fourth, born millions of years before the said catastrophe, died during the Miocene period when the Fifth (our Aryan Race) already had a million years of independent existence.

I have studied (and am studying the works of Blavatsky) for a long time and consider this theory to be the most correct (although there are some points and interpretations that I do not like). But on the basis of this theory, it is possible to quite clearly explain the presence of many facts that are incomprehensible to academic science (archaeological finds 500-200 million years old)
According to this theory, man did not descend from a monkey, but on the contrary - the appearance of monkeys on Earth is the result of activities during the existence of the most ancient human civilizations.

Andrey SOBOLEV, President of the Roerich Research Foundation,
Saint Petersburg

The 1870s for Helena Petrovna Blavatsky were “the beginning of her social activities” in America. She wrote: “I am sent to this country by my Lodge in the interest of the Truth about modern Spiritualism. It is my sacred duty to reveal this Truth and expose the lies. Perhaps I came here a hundred years too early. I’m afraid that this is so, given the current state of mind... Every day people care more and more about money and less and less about the truth.” 1 .

Her articles appeared in the press against the passion for spiritualism, warning about the dangers of mediumistic practice. In retaliation for this, spiritualist newspapers began to stir up her personal life, throwing mud at her name. On the pages of her diary, she laments: “The world is not yet ready to understand the philosophy of occult science - let people first get used to the idea of ​​beings of the invisible world, be they the “spirits” of the dead or elementals; and with the fact that there are hidden forces in a person that can make him God on the ground.

When I'm gone, people might appreciate my selfless motives. I gave my word to help, while I live, those who are on the path to Truth, and - I will keep my word. Let them scold and revile me. Let some call it a MEDIUM and a spiritualist, while others call a liar. The day will come when posterity will be able to understand me better.

Oh, poor, stupid, gullible, corrupt world!

M. tells me to found a Society - a secret society like the Rosicrucian Lodge. He promises to help" 2 .

On October 14, 1874, Elena Petrovna, at the Eddie brothers' farm in Chittenden (Vermont), met with Colonel Henry S. Olcott, a lawyer who gained fame during the Civil War thanks to his impeccable service. Soon another significant event occurs - they meet the young Irish lawyer William Judge, who, having read Olcott’s book “Men from the Other World,” wrote to the author and was invited to the house at 46 Irving Place in New York, where at that time lived E.P. Blavatsky.

In July 1875, Elena Petrovna writes in the margins of her album: “Instructions were received from India to found a philosophical and religious society and find a name for it—also elect Olcott.” 3 .

Later, in 1880, Teacher K.H. wrote: “The Elder Mahatmas desire that a beginning should be made for the “Brotherhood of Humanity,” a true “World Brotherhood” that should be manifested throughout the world and attract the attention of the highest minds.” 4 .

On September 7, 1875, sixteen or seventeen people gathered in Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's rooms on Irving Place. George G. Felt, engineer and architect, lectured on "The Lost Canon of Proportions of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans." They listened to him with enthusiasm. Olcott wrote on a piece of paper: “Wouldn’t it be nice to form a society for this kind of research?” - and through William Judge passed it on to Blavatsky. She read and nodded affirmatively, after which Judge nominated Olcott as chairman, and he, in turn, nominated Judge as secretary. We decided to continue the meeting the next evening.

At subsequent meetings, a charter was developed and board members were elected: Olcott - president of the society, Seth Pancoast and George Felt - vice-presidents. Elena Petrovna agreed to become a corresponding secretary, Soderan - a librarian, and Judge - a legal consultant.

It was not easy to find a name. Finally, while leafing through a dictionary, Soderan came across the word “theosophy,” and it was unanimously accepted. This word has a long history and dates back to the Neoplatonists. Later it was used by Christian mystics. It consists of two Greek words: theos- "god" and Sofia- “wisdom” - and means, according to Elena Petrovna’s definition, “Divine Wisdom, such as the gods possess.” Trying to give a more precise definition is clearly a thankless task. The question “what is Theosophy?” stood up throughout the history of the Theosophical Society, from the day of its inception. William Jad wrote: “The strength of Theosophy is that it defies definition. This means that in the process of the slow progress of evolution, more and more new truths and more and more new aspects of old truths are discovered, which serves as a protection against any dogma or “final definitions”.” 5 . That is, it is a system with many levels, limited only by our ability to perceive.

A resolution was adopted, from which the following three points can be distinguished.

1. The name of the society is “Theosophical Society”.

2. The main tasks of society are the collection and dissemination of knowledge about the laws governing the Universe.

3. The society must consist of active members, honorary members and corresponding members.

Soon, a message about the first meeting of the new society appeared in one of the New York newspapers.
It said: “A movement of the greatest importance has just begun in New York. Colonel Henry S. Olcott played a leading role in the establishment of the new society, called the Theosophical Society.”

The official date of birth of the Theosophical Society is considered to be November 17, 1875. On that day, the president of the society made a solemn speech dedicated to this event. This was seventy days after the idea of ​​creating a society arose. The words with which the President began his speech turned out to be prophetic: “In future times, when an impartial historian writes a work on the development of religious thought of our century, he will not be able to ignore the creation of our Theosophical Society, at the first meeting of which, dedicated to the official proclamation of its principles, we are present" 6 .

Olcott later recalled that the Theosophical Society “was to become a nucleus for the collection and dissemination of knowledge; occult research, study and implementation of ancient philosophical and theosophical ideas; First of all, it was necessary to assemble a library. Our original plans did not include the creation of a Universal Brotherhood. This idea arose spontaneously during the work process.”

“Eleven years later, H.P. B[lavatskaya] wrote about the “First Program of the Theosophical Society”: “In order to avoid ambiguity, it is necessary to remind the members of the Theosophical Society about the formation of the Society in 1875. Sent to the United States in 1873 to organize a group of employees researching psychic questions, the author two years later received instructions from her Mentor and Teacher to form the core of the current Society..." 8

The objectives were defined as follows.

1. Universal Brotherhood: to create a nucleus of universal Brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color.

In the same article, Elena Petrovna gave an explanation: “The founders had to use all their influence to counteract any kind of selfishness, insisting on sincere, brotherly feelings between members - at least outwardly; working on this, to achieve a spirit of unity and harmony, despite the great diversity of religions; expect and demand from members great mutual tolerance and mercy towards each other's shortcomings; mutual assistance in the search for truth in every area - moral or physical - and even in everyday life" 9 .

Acceptance of the first point was the only condition necessary for entry into the Theosophical Society; belief in karma, reincarnation, the existence of Masters, or any other position was not required.

2. No distinction between members by nationality, religion and social status, judging all members only on their personal merits.

3. Study of ancient and modern religions, Eastern philosophy, especially Indian, and gradually, in various printed works, try to acquaint the public with esoteric religions in the light of esoteric teachings and the need to study them.

4. Study of the unexplained laws of nature and psychic forces hidden in man.

“Oppose materialism and theological dogmatism by every possible means, demonstrating the existence in nature of occult forces unknown to science, and the presence of psychic and spiritual forces in man; to try, at the same time, to broaden the horizons of the Spiritualists, by showing them that there are other, many other phenomena besides the "Spirits" of the dead. Prejudice must be publicly exposed and destroyed. The occult forces, beneficial and harmful, which surround us and manifest themselves in all sorts of ways, will bring out our best abilities.” 10 .

In the article “On the initial program of the Theosophical Society,” Elena Petrovna wrote: “The two main Founders were not told what they should do to ensure and accelerate the growth of the Society and the desired results; they were not given any definite ideas regarding its external organization - all this was completely left to their own discretion. So, since the undersigned did not have the ability for such work as mechanical education and administration of the Society, the management of the latter was placed in the hands of Colonel G.S. Olcott, then chosen by the original founders and members president for life. But although the two Founders were not told, what should they do, they were clearly instructed that what they shouldn't do"What to avoid and what the Theosophical Society should never become" 11 .

Elena Petrovna pointed out in a letter to the annual Congress of American Theosophists in 1888: “Many people who have never heard of the Society are in fact Theosophists, without even knowing it; after all, the essence of theosophy is the achievement in man of perfect harmony of the divine and human, the strengthening of his god-like qualities and aspirations and their predominance over earthly, animal passions. Kindness, complete absence of unkind feelings or pride, mercy and goodwill towards all beings, and perfect justice towards others, as well as towards oneself, are its main features. He who teaches theosophy preaches the gospel of mercy; but the opposite is also true: he who preaches the gospel of mercy teaches theosophy.” 12 . Elsewhere she notes: “The Theosophist for us is the one who makes Theosophy a living force in his life,” i.e. “A theosophist is one who is a theosophist in practice” 13 .

Colonel Olcott wrote in 1882: “As regards the Theosophical Society, all circumstances indicate that it has been a gradual evolution, conditioned by circumstances, and as a result of the opposition of hostile forces, along the path sometimes smooth, sometimes rough, flourishing or evenly developing, with the wise or unwise management. The main line, the corresponding leading motive, was constantly maintained, but the program was modified, expanded, and improved as our knowledge and experience increased. Everything indicates that this movement was planned in advance by the observing Sages, but we were asked to work out all the details ourselves.” 14 .

Master M., writing to Mr. Sinnett in February 1882, wrote of the founding of the Theosophical Society: “One or two of us hoped that the world had so far advanced intellectually, if not intuitively, that Occult doctrine might gain intellectual recognition and impetus for new cycle of occult research. Others, wiser, as it now seems, had a different opinion, but consent to the test was given. It was stipulated, however, that the attempt should be made independently of our personal control; that there should be no supernormal interference on our part. While searching, we found in America a man fit to become a leader, a man of great moral courage, selfless and possessing other good qualities. He was by no means the best, but (as Mr. Hume says of HPB) he was the best that could be obtained. With him we have united a woman with the most exceptional and wonderful gifts. At the same time, she had great personal shortcomings; but even as she was, she remained unsurpassed, since there was no more suitable person in the world for this work. We sent her to America, brought them together, and the test began. From the very beginning, both she and he were given to understand that the outcome depended entirely on themselves. And both of them offered themselves for this test, for some reward in the distant future, as K.H. used to say, as soldiers who volunteered for a hopeless cause.” 15 .

In the first year after its formation, the members of the theosophical association, in which all classes of society were represented, as well as all beliefs and views - there were Christian priests, spiritualists, freethinkers, mystics, masons and materialists - lived and met according to these rules in peace and friendship. There were two or three cases of exclusion for slander And slander. The rules, however imperfect they may be, being tentative, were strictly followed and respected by the members. The initial entry fee of $5 was soon waived as incompatible with the spirit of association,” members enthusiastically promised to support the parent Society and pay expenses.

After only three months, the treasurer testified that no one had paid him or helped him with his operating expenses and that he had to bear the brunt of all these expenses alone. He soon resigned. All expenses were borne by Colonel G.S. Olcott. And, as the future showed, the founders worked almost single-handedly in the interests of the Society and the common good. Their entire journey was not strewn with roses. Everywhere they were accompanied by slander, slander and betrayal.

The Teachers’ letters give a very apt description of the state of people’s consciousness: “As for human nature in general, it is the same now as it was millions of years ago: prejudices based on selfishness, a general reluctance to abandon the established order of things for the sake of a new way of life and thoughts - and occult study requires all this and much more; pride and stubborn resistance to the Truth if it overthrows their previous concepts of things. This is the characteristic of your age...” 16

After the departure of E.P. Blavatsky from the earthly plane Teacher K.H. wrote Annie Besant about the reorganization of the Theosophical Society: “The rules should be few, simple and acceptable to everyone. No one has the right to proclaim his authority over the student or his conscience. Don't ask him what he believes. All who are sincere and whose mind is pure should be admitted. (...) Misleading secrecy has dealt a fatal blow to numerous organizations. Empty talk about “Teachers” should be quietly but steadily eliminated. Let there be worship and service only to the Supreme Spirit, of which everyone is a part.” 17 .

On April 15, 1891, three weeks before her death, in her annual message to the Congress of American Theosophists, Elena Petrovna complained: “Recently, I have noticed with pain among you, as well as among Theosophists in Europe and India, a tendency to quarrel over trifles and justify disunity in devotion to the cause of Theosophy. Believe me that this natural inclination, due to the innate imperfection of human nature, will not fail to take advantage of the ever-waking enemies of your noblest qualities in order to betray and deceive you... Be alert and watch yourself, and above all in those moments when personal desire leadership and wounded vanity strive to clothe themselves in peacock feathers of loyalty to the cause and altruism; given the current crisis state of our Society, the lack of self-control and vigilance can turn out to be fatal at every step... If every member of the Society were content with the role of an impersonal force serving the good, and were indifferent to praise or blame, relying on their work to achieve the goals of the Brotherhood, then The Ark of the Theosophical Society would be out of danger, and with our achievements we would amaze the world...” 18

More than a hundred years have passed since then... Currently, the Theosophical Society, with its headquarters in Adyar (Madras, India), is an international organization with members in 70 countries. These are people of different races, professing different religions. What binds them is that they share the goals of the Theosophical Society and, to the best of their ability, sincerely strive to establish harmony and mutual understanding between people. They are united by a desire to study the truth and share knowledge with others. Of course, as in any organization, not everything is simple and smooth... But all this can be considered as a search for ways to the spiritual revival of humanity.

In his article “Practical Theosophy,” Henry Olcott wrote: “ Make people think- this is what our Society has achieved to date and which some consider it a great merit, while others consider it a terrible fault. A person who joins the Theosophical Society will soon begin to ask questions to myself» 19 .

Now, in the 21st century, these questions and tasks are no less, and perhaps even more relevant, than 140 years ago. And at the new stage of human development, the thoughts and ideas brought into the world by the founders of the Theosophical Society and the Teachers of Wisdom require comprehension and implementation.

1 Naf Mary K. Personal memoirs of E.P. Blavatsky. M.: Sfera, 1993. P. 203.

2 Cranston S. E.P. Blavatsky: The life and work of the founder of the modern theosophical movement. 2nd ed. Riga; Moscow: LIGATMA, 1999. pp. 164 - 165.

3 Right there. P. 176.

4 Letters of the Mahatmas. Samara, 1993. P. 57.

5 Cranston S.

6 Olcott G.S. Practical Theosophy: Sat. M.: Sfera, 2002. P. 25.

7 Cranston S. E.P. Blavatsky: Life and Work... P. 181.

8 Naf Mary K. Personal memoirs of E.P. Blavatsky. P. 256.

9 Helena Blavatsky: destinies and faces... Sat. St. Petersburg: Firma "Costa", 2006. P. 63.

10 Naf Mary K.

11 Helena Blavatsky: destinies and faces... P. 62 - 63.

12 Cranston S. E.P. Blavatsky: Life and Work... P. 179.

13 Right there.

14 Naf Mary K. Personal memoirs of E.P. Blavatsky. P. 257.

15 Letters of the Mahatmas. pp. 190 - 191.

16 Letters of the Mahatmas. P. 12.

17 Helena Blavatsky: destinies and faces... P. 109 - 110.

18 Right there. P. 111.

19 Olcott G.S. Practical Theosophy. P. 10.

So, the Secret Doctrine establishes three fundamental, basic provisions:

I. The Omnipresent, Eternal, Infinite and Immutable PRINCIPLE, about which no reasoning is possible, for it exceeds the power of human understanding and can only be diminished by human expressions and similes. He is beyond the level and attainment of thought and, according to the words of Mandukya - "Unthinkable and Unspeakable."

To present these ideas more clearly to the reader, let him begin with the assumption that there is only One Absolute Reality, which precedes all manifested and conventional Existence. This Infinite and Eternal Cause, vaguely formulated in the "Unconscious" and in the "Unknowable" by modern European philosophy, is the Rootless Root of "all that was, is, or ever will be." It is, of course, devoid of any attributes and essentially has no relation to the manifested finite Being. It is Beingness rather than Being - Cat in Sanskrit - and transcends thinking and reasoning.

This Beingness is symbolized in the Secret Doctrine under two aspects. On the one hand - Absolute Abstract Space, representing pure subjectivity, the only thing that no human mind can either remove from its worldview or imagine it as in itself; on the other hand, Absolute Abstract Movement, representing Unconditional Consciousness. Even our Western thinkers have come to the conclusion that consciousness is inconceivable for us apart from change, and therefore movement is the best symbol of this process of change and its main feature. This last aspect of the One Reality is also symbolized by the term "Great Breath", a symbol sufficiently pictorial and needing no further explanation. Thus, the first fundamental axiom of the Secret Doctrine is this metaphysical One Absolute - Beingness - symbolized by the finite mind as the theological Trinity.
.

It may be of some relief to the student if we give a few further explanations here. Herbert Spencer has recently considerably softened his agnosticism, namely, to the assertion that the nature of the "First Cause", which occultists more logically derive from the "Uncaused Cause", from the "Eternal" and "Unknowable", may be essentially the same as the nature of consciousness filling us. In short, the impersonal Reality, all-pervading Cosmos, is the pure noumen of thought. This shift on his part brings him very close to Vedanta and to the esoteric foundations.

Parabrahman, the One Reality, the Absolute, is the region of Absolute Consciousness, that is, that Essence that is beyond any relation to conditional existence; the conventional symbol of which is conscious existence. But as soon as we mentally move away from this (for us) Absolute Negation, we get duality in the opposition of Spirit (or Consciousness) and Matter, Subject and Object.
Spirit (or Consciousness) and Matter, however, must be considered not as independent realities, but as two symbols or aspects of the Absolute, Parabrahman, constituting the basis of conditioned Being, subjective or objective.

Considering this metaphysical triad as the Root from which all manifestation proceeds, the Great Breath assumes the character of a Precosmic Thought-Ground. It is the fons et origo of the Force, as well as of all individual Consciousness, and supplies the guiding intelligence in the vast task of cosmic Evolution. On the other hand, the Precosmic Root-Substance (Mulaprakriti) is that aspect of the Absolute that underlies all objective plans of Nature.

Just as the Precosmic Thought Base is the root of each individual Consciousness, so the Precosmic Substance is the substratum of Matter in various stages of its differentiation.

Hence it is obvious that the opposition of these two aspects of the Absolute is necessary for the existence of the Manifested Universe. Independently of the Cosmic Substance, the Cosmic Thought-Ground could not manifest itself as individual Consciousness, for consciousness develops as “I am I” only through the vehicle (upadhi) of matter; a physical foundation being necessary for the focus of the Ray of the Cosmic Mind upon reaching a certain complexity. In turn, separated from the Cosmic Thought Base, the Cosmic Substance would remain an empty abstraction and no emergence of Consciousness could occur. Therefore, the Manifested Universe is full of duality, which is, as it were, the very essence of its Manifested Existence. But just as the opposite poles of Subject and Object, Spirit and Matter, are only aspects of the Unity in which they are synthesized, so in the Manifested Universe there is “that” that connects Spirit with Matter, Subject with Object.

This something, still unknown to the speculation of the West, is called Fohat by the occultists. This is the “bridge” by which the Ideas existing in the Divine Thought are imprinted on the Cosmic Substance as the Laws of Nature. Fohat is thus the dynamic energy of the Cosmic Thought Ground. Considering him from the other side, he is a reasonable mediator, the guiding force of all manifestations, the Divine Thought, transmitted and manifested by the Dhyan-Khohans, the Builders of the visible World. Thus, from the Spirit, or the Cosmic Thought Ground, our Consciousness comes, from the Cosmic Substance - those several vehicles in which this consciousness is individualized and reaches self-awareness - or reflective consciousness. Yet Fohat, in its various manifestations, is the mysterious link between Mind and Matter, the life-giving principle electrifying every atom to life.

The following list will give the reader a clearer idea:

1. ABSOLUTEITY: Vedantin Parabrahman, or the One Reality, "Sat", which, according to Hegel, is Absolute Being and Non-Being at the same time.

2. First Logos: Impersonal, and in philosophy - the Unmanifested Logos, the forerunner of the Manifested. This is the “First Cause”, the “Unconscious” of European pantheists.

3. Second Logos: Spirit-Matter, Life; "Universal Spirit", Purusha and Prakriti.

4. Third Logos: Cosmic Thought-Ground, Mahat, or Mind, Cosmic Universal Soul; The Cosmic Numen of Matter, the basis of the intelligent manifestations of Nature and in Nature, also called Maha-Buddhi.
ONE REALITY; its dual aspect in the conditioned Universe.

II. The eternity of the Universe as a whole as an infinite plan (projection); periodically - “a list of countless rays, constantly appearing and disappearing,” called “Manifesting Stars” and “Sparks of Eternity.” “The Eternity of the Wanderer is like a moment of the Eye of Self-Existence,” says the Book of Dzyan. "The appearance and disappearance of Worlds is like the regular return of the ebb and flow of the tide."
This second statement of the Secret Doctrine refers to the absolute universality of this law of periodicity, ebb and flow, increase and decrease, seen and recorded by physical science in all departments of Nature. The alternation of Day and Night, Life and Death, Sleep and Wakefulness is such a well-known, such an absolutely universal and without exception fact that it is easy to understand that in it we see one of the most absolute Laws of the Universe.

Moreover, the Secret Doctrine teaches:

III. The fundamental identity of all souls with the Universal Supreme Soul, the latter Itself being an aspect of the Unknown Root; and the obligatory journey for each ear - a spark of the Supreme Soul - through the Cycle of Incarnations, or Necessities, according to the Law of Cycles and Karma, throughout the entire period. In other words, no purely spiritual, divine soul (Buddhi) can have an independent conscious existence until a spark flying from the pure Essence of the Universal Sixth Principle - or SUPERIOR SOUL - (a) has passed through every initial form of the phenomenal World of this Manvantara and (b) will not acquire individuality; first by innate impulse, then by personal spontaneous efforts controlled by her Karma, thus rising through all degrees of intelligence, from the lowest to the highest Manas, from mineral and plant to the highest Archangel (Dhyani-Buddha). The Fundamental Doctrine of Esoteric Philosophy admits neither advantages nor special gifts in man, except those won by "It" itself through personal efforts and achievements during a long series of metempsychosis and incarnations. That is why the Hindus say that the Universe is Brahman and Brahma, for Brahman abides in every atom of the Universe; for the Six Principles in Nature proceed - as various differentiated aspects - from the Seventh and One, the One Reality in the Universe, both cosmic and microcosmic. Why is it also that all changes - mental, spiritual and physical - on the plane of manifestation and forms of the Sixth Principle (for Brahma is the bearer of Brahman) are considered by metaphysical antiphrasis as illusory and Mayaic. For although the root of every atom individually and of every form collectively is this Seventh Principle or One Reality, yet in its manifest and temporary form it is but a fleeting illusion of our senses.

In its absoluteness, the One Principle, in its two aspects Parabrahman and Mulaprakriti, is genderless, unconditional and eternal. His periodic manvantar manifestation, or primary radiation, is also One, bisexual and ultimate. When this radiation begins, in turn, to radiate, then all its radiations are also bi-primary, becoming in their lower aspects the male and female principles. After Pralaya, both Great and Small - the latter leaves all worlds “in statu quo” - the plastic Akasha, Father-Mother, Spirit and Soul of the Ether, or the Area of ​​the Circle, is the first to awaken to active life. Space is called Mother before its cosmic activity and Father-Mother during the first stage of awakening. In Kabbalah this is also Father-Mother-Son. But whereas in the Eastern Doctrine they are the Seventh Principle of the Manifested Universe or its Atma-Buddhi-Manas (Spirit-Soul-Mind), a Triad branching and dividing into seven cosmic and seven human Principles, in the Western Kabbalah of Christian mystics it is the Triad or Trinity, and among their occultists the bisexual Jehovah, Jah-Havah. This is the whole difference between the esoteric and Christian Trinity. Mystics and philosophers, Eastern and Western pantheists, synthesize their primordial Triad into a pure divine abstraction. The Orthodox humanize her. Hiranya-garbha, Hari and Shankara - the Three Hypostases of the manifested "Spirit of the Supreme Spirit", the title with which Prithivi-Earth greets Vishnu in the person of his first Avatar - are purely metaphysical, abstract properties of Formation, Preservation and Destruction, also divine Avastha (Hypostases) that which “is not destroyed along with created things”: Achyuta, title of Vishnu; whereas the orthodox Christian separates his Personal Creative Deity into the Three Faces of the Trinity and does not recognize another higher Deity. The latter in Occultism is an abstract Triangle, among the orthodox it is a perfect cube. The creative God, or the totality of the creative gods, is considered by the Eastern philosopher as Bhrantidarshanath, “false appearances,” something “represented by false appearances as a material form,” and is explained by them as arising due to the illusory concept of the egoistic, personal and human Soul (the lower Fifth Principle). This is beautifully expressed in Fitzedward Hall's note on Wilson's reviewed translation of the Vishnu Purana. “Brahma in its totality has first of all the aspect of Prakriti, both evolving and non-evolving (Mulaprakriti), and also the aspect of Spirit and the aspect of Time. Spirit, O Twice-Born One, is the main aspect of the Supreme Brahma. The next aspect is twofold - Prakriti, evolving and non-evolving, and the last is Time." In the Orphic Theogony, Kronos is also represented as the begotten god, or mediator.

At this stage of the awakening of the Universe, sacred symbolism represents it as a perfect Circle with a Point (Root) in the Center. This sign was universal, which is why we also find it in Kabbalah. However, Western Kabbalah, now in the hands of Christian mystics, does not recognize it at all, although it is very clearly indicated in the Zechariah. These sectarians start from the end and give E as a symbol of the pregenetic Cosmos, calling it the “Union of the Rose and the Cross,” the great secret of occult origin, whence the name Rosicrucian (Rose Cross)! As can be seen, one of their most significant and famous symbols has never yet been understood, even by modern mystics. It is the symbol of the Pelican tearing its breast to feed its seven chicks that symbolizes the true belief of the Rosicrucian Brothers, being a direct offspring of the Eastern Sacred Teachings.

Brahman (unmanifested), like Brahma the Creator, is called Kalahamsa, which means, as explained by Western Orientalists, the Eternal Swan (or Goose). Thus a big mistake is revealed. Brahman (unmanifest) should be considered as Hamsavahana (one who uses the Swan as his Vehicle) and not Brahma the Creator, who is the true Kalahamsa. Whereas Brahman (unmanifested) is Hamsa and A-hamsa, as will be explained in the Commentaries. It should be understood that the terms "Brahma" and "Parabrahman" are used here not because they belong to our esoteric nomenclature, but simply because they are more familiar to Western researchers. Both fully correspond to our terms - one-vowel, three-vowel and seven-vowel, denoting the ALL-ONE and the One “All in All”.

These are the basic concepts on which the Secret Doctrine rests.

E.P. Blavatsky. The Secret Doctrine. Volume 1. Minsk. 93, pp. 57-64.

E.P. Blavatsky about E.I. Roerich.

In the twentieth century a disciple, more knowledgeable and much better adapted, may be sent by the Masters of the Wisdom to give definitive and irrefutable proof that there is a science called Gupta Vidya, and that, like the once mysterious springs of the Nile, the source of all religions and philosophies now communicated to the world, was forgotten and lost for centuries, but it is finally found.