Real Brotherhood Is Better
Than Public Relations Exercise
The Theosophical Movement
The Theosophical Movement
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Editorial Note:
The following text was first published
at “The
Theosophical Movement”
magazine, Mumbai, India, in its March
2003 Edition. It also appeared at the July
2012 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”.
(CCA)
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Unity has to be sought in
matters of principle, and the external
particulars will take care of themselves.
There are some attempts being made today to reunite
“Theosophists”. This raises certain fundamental questions: What makes for
unity? Who are the Theosophists? What separated them?
Real unity is
impossible if its basis is sought in this world where forms limit. It is in the
world of ideas and ideals, of mind and of heart, that unity is to be sought.
So, let us look for unity of Ideal and unity of Teaching.
Ideals relate
to moral life, to our mind (thought, memory and anticipation), and emotions
(affections and dislikes, sensibilities and sentiments). No one except the
individual himself knows what these are. But there are certain great ideas
which reflect universal truths and which need to be made living realities:
1.Unity of our Spiritual Origin, arising from the concept of One Impersonal God [1], should produce tolerance and Brotherhood.
2.One Body of Wisdom (or Knowledge)
implies a common source of Truth from which all can derive help and guidance.
3.One Law of the Universe. “It knows not
wrath nor pardon; utter-true / Its measures mete, its faultless balance weighs;
/ Times are as nought, tomorrow it will judge, / Or after many days” [2] - ought to lead to
non-acquisitiveness, generosity, harmony and concord.
The concept
that the universe evolves as a whole, and that the progress of each depends on
the general progress of all, produces non-violence, contentment with one's lot
and a willingness to allow others their rightful place in the recognized scheme
of things. This leads to the perception that the perfectibility of man is a
possibility for each one of us and has become an actuality for some who have
worked for it in the past. The Lodge of Masters can be envisaged as an actual
fact.
Who is a
Theosophist? A person who appreciates the three objects of the Theosophical
Movement as formulated in 1875 cannot in reality devote himself to one and pay
scant attention to the other two.[3]
To the extent that he does so, he become lopsided. The designation “Theosophist”,
in fact, may be applied not merely to a member or associate of one group or
another, but to all practitioners of the Theosophical life, of divine Ethics,
of the one universal Philosophy, the one Wisdom-Religion. The true student of
Theosophy becomes, or is, an occultist.
What has separated
organizations of Theosophists? There are many reasons for this, and a
recapitulation or analysis of these should serve only one purpose - avoidance
of a repetition of errors. If unity on the physical plane is desired, then it
must be preceded by unity on the inner planes of mind and heart, and by the
redefinition of one’s own aims and objects, which should be in line with the
original Impulse.
Where to find
the Lines laid down by the great founders of the Theosophical Movement? In the writings and teachings of H.P.B., the
Masters’ Messenger for our era - where else? Do those so-called “Theosophists”
who have accepted others as their teachers and who disregard or underrate
H.P.B. and her teachings know Theosophy? How many accept the false
as the true without verifying things for themselves! This indifference leads to
biased attitudes and false claims, and gives rise to disunity.
Unity has to be
sought in matters of principle, and the external particulars will take care of
themselves. If each one pays attention to his own work, his own virtues, and
tries hard to reduce his real faults, unity will automatically result.
We do not need
large numbers of people who call themselves “Theosophists” and pretend
externally to be “united”. We need
an inner harmony and a unity of aim, purpose and
teaching, achieved through individual study, discernment, discipline
and sacrifice.
NOTES:
[1] “God”.
Letter 10 of “Mahatma Letters” defines the word “god” as a “misnomer”
which creates confusion. The word is
accepted in theosophy only as the universal law, or as Universal Nature, or
both; not as any sort of “individual being”.
(CCA)
[2] This is a quotation from the book eight of the
volume “The Light of Asia”, by Edwin Arnold, Theosophy Company, Los Angeles, 1977,
see pp. 218-219. This particular passage is also quoted by Robert Crosbie in
the book “The Friendly Philosopher”.
[3] The three objects of the
modern theosophical movement are: I. To form the nucleus of a
Universal Brotherhood of Humanity,
without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color. II. The study of ancient and modern religions, philosophies and
sciences, and the demonstration of the importance of such study; and III. The investigation of the
unexplained laws of Nature and the psychical powers latent in man.
