Theosophy
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Theosophy. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
An Encyclopaedia of Occultism (1920)
From the Greek theos, god, and sophia, wisdom; a philosophical-religious system which claims absolute knowledge of the existence and nature of the deity, and is not to be confounded with the later system evolved by the founders of the Theosophical Society. This knowledge, it is claimed, may be obtained by special individual revelation, or through the operation of some higher faculty. It is the transcendent character of the godhead of theosophical systems which differentiates them from the philosophical systems of the speculative or absolute type, which usually proceed deductively from the idea of God. God is conceived in theosophical systems as the transcendant source of being, from whom man in his natural state is far removed. Theosophy is practically another name for speculative mysticism. Thus the Kabalistic and Neoplatonic conceptions of the divine emanations are in reality theosophical, as are the mystical systems of Boehme and Baader. Theosophy has also come to signify the tenets and teachings of the founders of the Theosophical Society. This Society was founded in the United States in 1875 by Madame H. P. Blavatsky (q.v.), Col. H. S. Olcott (q.v.) 66 and others. Its objects were to establish a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, to promote the study of comparative religion and philosophy and to investigate the mystic powers of life and matter. The conception of the Universal Brotherhood was based upon the oriental idea of One Life—that ultimate oneness which underlies all diversity, whether inward or outward. The study of comparative religion was materialised into a definite system of belief, the bounds of which were dogmatically fixed. It is set forth in the Theosophical system that all the great religions of the world originated from one supreme source and that they are merely expressions of a central Wisdom Religion" vouchsafed to various races of the earth in such a manner as was best suited to time and geographical circumstances. Underlying these was a secret doctrine or esoteric teaching which it was stated, had been the possession for ages of certain Mahatmas, or adepts in mysticism and occultism. With these Madame Blavatsky claimed to be in direct communication, and she herself manifested occult phenomena, producing the ringing of astral bells, and so forth. On several occasions these efforts were unmasked as fraudulent, but that is no justification for believing that Madame Blavatsky was entirely a person of deceitful character. There can be very little doubt that she was one of those rare personalities who possess great natural psychic powers, which at times failing her, she was driven in self-protection to adopt fraudulent methods. The evidence for the existence of the "Great White Brotherhood" of Mahatmas, the existence of which she asserted, is unfortunately somewhat feeble. It rests, for the most part, on the statements of Madame Blavatsky, Col. Olcott, Mr. Sinnet, Mr. Leadbeater, and others, who claimed to have seen or communicated with them. With every desire to do justice to these upholders of the Theosophical argument, it is necessary to point out that it has been amply proved that in occult, or pseudo-occult experiences, the question of self-hallucination enters very largely (See Witchcraft ), and the ecstatic condition may be answerable for subjective appearances which seem real enough to the visionary. Again the written communications of the Mahatmas give rise to some doubt. It is pointed out for instance that one of them employed the American system of spelling, and this was accounted for by the circumstance that his English had been sophisticated by reading American books. The revelations of Madame Blavatsky were in reality no more than a mélange of Buddhistic, Brahministic and Kabalistic matter; but the Theosophical Society has numbered within its members several persons of very high ability, whose statement and exegesis of their faith has placed it upon a much higher level and more definite foundation. If the system is intensely dogmatic, it is also constructed in a manner akin to genius, and evolved on most highly intricate lines. This system was to a great extent pieced together after the death of the original founder of the society, on which event a schism occurred in the Brotherhood through the claims to leadership of William Q. Judge, of New York , who died in 1896, and who was followed by Mrs. Katherine Tingley, the founder of the great theosophical community at Point Loma, California. Col. Olcott became the leader of the remaining part of the original Theosophical Society in America and India , being assisted in his work by Mrs. Annie Besant, but a more or less independent organisation was founded in England . A brief outline of the tenets of Theosophy may be attempted. It posits absolute belief in its views instead of blind faith. It professes to be the religion which holds the germs of all others. It has also its aspect as a sciencea science of life and of the soul. The facts which it was to lay before humanity are as follow:-" There are three Theosophy extruths which are absolute, and which cannot be lost, but yet may remain silent for lack of speech. The soul of man is immortal and its future is the future of the thing, whose growth and splendour has no limit. The principle which gives life dwells in us and without us, is undying and eternally beneficent, is not heard, or seen, or smelt, but is perceived by the man who desires perception. Each man is his own absolute law-giver, the dispenser of glory or gloom to himself, decreer of his life, his reward, his punishment." Although Theosophy posits the existence of an Absolute, it does not pretend to knowledge of its attributes. In the Absolute are innumerable universes, and in each universe countless solar systems. Each solar system is the pression of a being called the Logos, the Word of God, or Solar Deity, who permeates it and exists above it and outside it. Below this Solar Deity are his seven ministers, called Planetary Spirits, whose relation to him is like that of the nerve centres to the brain, so that all his voluntary acts come through him to them. (See Kabala.) Under them are vast hosts or orders of spiritual beings called devas, or angels, who assist in many ways. This world is ruled by a great official who represents the Solar Deity, which is in absolute control of all the evolution that takes place upon this planet. When a new religion is to be founded, this being either comes himself or sends one of his pupils to institute it. In the earlier stages of the development of humanity, the great officials of the hierarchy are provided from more highly evolved parts of the system, but whenever men can be trained to the necessary level of power and wisdom these offices are held by them. They can only be filled by adepts, who in goodness, power and wisdom are immeasurably greater than ordinary men, and have attained the summit of human evolution. These advance until they themselves become of the nature of deities. There are many degrees and many lines of activity among these, but some of them always remain within touch of the earth and assist in the spiritual evolution of humanity. This body it is which is called the Great White Brotherhood." Its members do not dwell together, but live separately apart from the world and are in constant communication with one another and with their head. Their knowledge of higher forces is so great that they have no necessity for meeting in the physical world, but each dwells in his own country, and their power remains unsuspected among those who live near them. These. adepts are willing to take as apprentices those who have resolved to devote themselves utterly to the service of mankind, and anyone who will may attract their attention by showing himself worthy of their notice. Such an apprentice was Madame Blavatsky. One of these masters has said: In order to succeed the pupil must leave his own world and come into ours." 66 66 The formation of a solar system and the cosmogonic operation of the theosophical conception has been treated in several separate articles; as have the various planes on which the personality of a man dwells in its long journey from earth to the final goal of Nirvana. The theosophical conception of the constitution of man is that he is in essence a spark of the divine fire belonging to the Monadic world (q.v.). For the purposes of human evolution this monad manifests itself in lower worlds. Entering the Spiritual World it manifests itself there as the triple spirit having its three aspects, one of which always remains in the Spiritual Sphere. The second aspect manifests itself in the Intuitional World; and the third in the Higher Mental World; and these two are collated with intuition and intelligence. These three aspects combined make up the ego which is man during the human stage of evolution. The way or path towards enlightenment and emancipation is known as karma. The human personality is composed of a complex organisation consisting of seven principles which are united and interdependent, yet divided into certain groups, each capable of maintaining a kind of personality. Each of these principles is composed of its own form of matter and possesses its own laws of time, space and motion. The most gross of those, the physical body, is known as rûpa, which becomes more and more refined until we reach the universal self atma; but the circumstance which determines the individual's powers, tests and advantages, or in short his character, is his karma, which is the sum of his bodily, mental and spiritual growth and is spread over many lives past and future; in short, as man soweth, so must he reap; and if in one existence he is handicapped by any defect, mental or physical, it may be regarded as the outcome of past delinquencies. This doctrine is practically common to both Buddhism and Brahminism. After this digression, which was entered into for the purpose of affording a fuller view of the theosophic conception of human personality, we return to the constitution of man. The ego existing in the Higher Mental World cannot enter the Physical World until it has drawn around itself a veil composed of the matter of these spheres: nor can it think in any but an abstract manner without themits concrete ideas being due to them. Having assumed the astral and physical bodies, it is born as a human being; and having lived out its earth-life sojourns for a time in the Astral World, until it can succeed in throwing off the shackles of the astral body. When that is achieved man finds himself living in his mental body. The stay in this sphere is usually a long one-the strength of the mental constitution depending upon the nature of the thoughts to which he has habituated himself. But he is not yet sufficiently developed to proceed to higher planes, and once more he descends into the denser physical sphere to again go through the same round. Although he come from on high into these lower worlds, it is only through that descent that a full recognition of the higher worlds is developed in him. In the Higher Mental World, the permanent vehicle is a causal body, which consists of matter of the first, second and third sub-divisions of that world. As the ego unfolds his latent possibilities in the course of his evolution, this matter is greatly brought into action; but it is only in the perfect man, or adept, that it is developed to its fullest extent. In the causal body none of the possibilities of the grosser bodies can manifest themselves. The mental body is built up of matter of the four lower sub-divisions of the Mental World, and expresses man's concrete thoughts. Its size and shape are determined by those of the causal vehicle. While on earth the personality wears the physical, mental, and astral bodies all at once. It is the astral which connects him with the Astral World during sleep or trance (See Astral Plane.) It is easy to see how the doctrine of reincarnation arose from this idea. The ego must travel from existence to existence, physical, astral, mental, until it transcend the Mental World and enter the higher spheres. We have in this sketch attempted as far as possible to eschew the oriental verbiage of the older theosophical teachers, which it is understood is now replaced by more modern terms, but this we have retained in some of the lesser articles dealing with Theosophy. The theosophic path to the goal of Nirvana is practically derived from Buddhistic teaching, but there are also other elements in it, - Kabalistic and Greek. The path is the great work whereby the inner nature of the individual is consciously transformed and developed. A radical alteration must be made in the aims and motives of the ordinary mortal. The path is long and difficult, and as has been Thomas the Rhymer said extends over many existences. Morality alone is insufficient to the full awakening of the spiritual faculty, without which progress in the path is impossible. Something incomparably higher is necessary. The physical and spiritual exercises recommended by Theosophy are those formulated in the Hindu philosophical system known as Raja Yoga. The most strenuous efforts alone can impel the individual along the path, and thus to mount by the practice of Vidya, that higher wisdom which awakens the latent faculties and concentrates effort in the direction of union with the Absolute. The way is described as long and difficult, but as the disciple advances he becomes more convinced of his ultimate success, by the possession of transcendental faculties which greatly assist him to overcome difficulties. But these must not be sought for their own sake, as to gain knowledge of them for evil purposes is tantamount to the practice of Black Magic. It is not pretended that in this brief sketch the whole of the theosophical doctrine has been set forth, and the reader who desires further information regarding it is recommended to the many and excellent handbooks on the subject which now abound.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a name which since the time of Ammonius Saccas, in the 3d century after Christ, has been used in the West to cover various schools of religious philosophy, which all unite in the fundamental conception that man, in his innermost nature, is a spiritual being, one in his essence with the Universal Spirit manifested in and through the universe. In this general sense it includes mystics differing from one another in details. In the East the system now called Theosophy has been known for ages under the titles of Atma Vidya ("spirit science"), Brahma Vidya ("science of Brahma"), Gupta Vidya ("secret science"), and other similar names. All alike, in East and West, draw inspiration and their methods from the "Wisdom Religion," the ancient esotoric philosophy. This claims among its initiates the men who have given to the world fragments of the teaching as basis for world-religions, men like Buddha, Confucius, Zarathustra , Pythagoras, Plato, Jesus, and more ancient sages such as Manu, Narada, and other great Rishis. In the 16th century Paracelsus and Giordano Bruno are among its grandest exponents, and in our own day its messenger was a woman of Russian birth, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891). The Esoteric Philosophy, or Wisdom Religion, is a body of teaching , philosophical, scientific, and religious , which is bea brotherhood of initilieved to be preserved from generation to generation by a brot ates scattered over the world, but preserving close and intimate relations with one another . To a group of these stationed in Tibet the founding of the Theosophical Society in 1875 is ascribed, and they are constantly referred to in theosophical literature as Mahatmas , Arhats, Masters, Brothers , or Adepts. They are men who have evolved the spiritual nature till the physical body and brain consciousness have become ductile instruments for the spiritual intelligence. By have gained control over natural forces which enables them to bring about results that appear to be miraculous . virtue of this evolution they are said to This philosophy teaches as basic principles an eternal existence beyond human cognition, existence per se, absoluteness or "beness." A periodical aspect of this is life, consciousness, manifesting itself in and as the universe, pri- This marily emanating as the dual root substance, matter on its negative, and spirit , or energy , on its positive side. duality is the note of the manifested universe, manifestation being held to be impossible without the "pairs of opposites," positive-negative , active-passive, light-darkness, and the like, ultimating at one part of the chain of evolution in sex difference, malefemale. Spirit and matter are therefore not separable, but are merely the opposed poles of the one root substance, and are present in every particle, as the poles in each fragment of a broken magnet. Evolution consists in the gradual densifying of the root substance through seven stages or planes of differentiated existence, the matter aspect bect becoming more and more prominent as the evolution proceeds , and the spirit aspect becoming more and more hidden; thus matter reaches its fullest differentiation, evolving the whole of its capacities as a vehicle. From this point of completest materiality begins the running curve, during which matter becomes translucent to spirit, and spirit_becomes self-conscious on all planes. It manifests itself as brain intellect on the most material plane, and recovers all its superintellectual powers on the ascending arc, but always with the addition of selfconsciousness and individuality, till, at the completion of the cycle, matter has become a perfect objective presentment of spirit, a perfect vehicle of spiritual activity. The seven stages of cosmical evolution, aspects of the universal Divine consciousness, correspond with seven stages of human evolution, aspects of the human consciousness, by each of which man can cognize directly the correspondingly cosmic state. These in man are distinguished as ( 1) Atmâ, pure spirit, one with the versal spirit. ( 2) Buddhi, the vehicle of Atma and inseparable from it, sometimes spoken of as the spiritual soul. (3) Manas, the mind, the ego or individualizing principle, called the rational or human soul. These three are the immortal part of man, Manas striving for union with Buddhi, such union making the spiritual ego, the spiritual man perfected. The remaining principles form the quaternary, the perishable part of man. These are: ( 4) Kâma, the tions, passions, and appetites. ( Prâna, the vitality. (6) Linga Sharîra, the astral double. (7) Sthûla Sharîra, the physical body. (These principles are generally numbered in reversed order, starting from the physical, Sthûla Sharîra being taken as 1 and Atmâ as 7.) At death, it is taught, the physical body and the astral double disintegrate together; the vitality returns to the universal life; the passional nature, in its own ethereal envelope, exists for a longer or shorter period, according as it dominated, or was subservient to, the higher nature, but ultimately fades away. The higher triad has, during earth life, been joined to the lower nature of M Joined Manas, the into higher mind; this Manas is divided into h and lower, the higher striving upward, the lower entangled with Kama, and held by the desire for material life which is at the root of all manifestation. At death the higher triad gradually separates itself from the lower nature, the lower mind which is but a ray of the higher returning to its source, carrying with it the experiences gained during incarnation; the triad, with this added experience, the harvest of life, enters on a period of repose, the state of Devachan, a state of consciousness apart from the physical body, in which the intelligence is free from physical limitations. Devachan is a state of consciousness in which the experiences of the lately concluded earth life are assimilated, its best aspirations have their fruition, and the communion of the consciousness with other consciousnesses is freed from physical limitations, and is more complete and satisfying. This stage endures for a period proportionate to the stage of evolution reached on earth, and is concluded by the re-entry of the consciousness into the embodied condition. The method of evolution, according to theosophy, is reincarnation. The reincarnating ego, the agent in progress, is the Manas. In the past, when physical evolution, guided by the indwelling spirit, had produced man's physical form, Manas first became incarnate therein, : and has since reincarnated after each uni- devachanic interlude. Throughout each incarnation it labors to evolve in the body it inhabits the capacity to respond to its impulses, but it is through the molding of successive bodies that it accomplishes its task of human elevation. The thoughts produced by its activity are real things on the mental plane, made of subtle matter, "thought stuff," a form of ether. The thoughts of each life ultimate in a thought body, that expresses the result of that incarnation, and this emo- thought body serves as a mold into 5) which is built the physical body which forms the next dwelling to the ego. The "innate character" which the child brings into the world is the result of its own past and is physically expressed in its brain and nervous organization. The reincarnating ego is drawn by affinity to the nation and family fitted to supply the most suitable physical, material, and physical environment. The physical particles thence supplied are stamped with the racial and family characteristics, bodily and mental, but this arrangement is dominated by the thought body resulting as above stated. Mental and moral capacities gained by struggle in one of many incarnations become innate qualities, exercised "naturally," without effort, in a later incarnation, and thus progress is secured. This law, by which all causes work out their due effects, is called Karma (the Sanskrit word for action), and according to this all thoughts, good and bad, leave their traces on the thought body and reappear as tendencies in future lives. No escape from this sequence of cause and effect is possible; all our past must work itself out, but as the same agent that made the past is making the present it sets up fresh cause in meeting the effects of the past. Thus a trouble 1573, A. D. 171 generated by past action is inevitable; it is in our Karma. But met badly, it sets up fresh cause for bad Karma in the future; or met well it generates good Karma. We made our present destiny in our past, and we are making our future destiny in our present. Reincarnation crushes out all differences of race, sex, class; Karma so interweaves human lives that each can only find happiness and perfection as all find it. It is claimed by theosophy that these facts in nature yield a scientific basis for ethics, and make the practical recognition of human brotherhood a necessary condition of accelerated evolution. The chief agent in founding the Theosophical Society was Madame H. P. Blavatsky, who, with Col. H. S. Olcott, W. Q. Judge, and others, established it in New York in 1875. In 1879 the headquarters were transferred to Madras. In 1887 Madame Blavatsky visited London, from which epoch dates the great literary activity that has recently characterized it. There are now over 300 branches in Europe, India, American, and the colonies, and a large literature. The society has three declared objects, viz.: (1) To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color. (2) To encourage the study of of comparative religion, philosophy, and science. (3) To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in man. The No articles of society is unsectarian. faith need be subscribed to by an adherent, the only condition of membership being an assent to the first object. No dogmas are forced on members, as is the case with religions, and the teachings which are promulgated are merely propositions which can be verified by the student in the course of his progress in the study of occultism. Any individual member has a right to make any declaration of personal belief he pleases, on the understanding that the Society is not implicated.