Editor’s Note: This text forms the first subsection of Section IV of the surviving “Würzburg Manuscript,” occupying pp. 115–123 of the original manuscript pagination (pp. 63–66 in the 2014 Eastern School Press edition). It was first published by C. Jinarajadasa in The Theosophist, May 1933, pp. 138–142. The subsection was subsequently revised into the latter portion of Section XVII of the posthumous third volume of The Secret Doctrine (1897), “Apollonius of Tyana,” principally pp. 130–132. The opening of that later section, on pp. 129–130, derives instead from the concluding Apollonius material of the preceding Würzburg subsection; the two originally separate manuscript units were thus combined in the later arrangement.
A considerable portion of the latter half of the subsection is itself a selective reworking of material from Isis Unveiled, II, pp. 341–344. The Würzburg manuscript reshapes this earlier discussion of Apollonius, Simon Magus, Ammonius Saccas, the common mystical philosophy of ancient teachers, and the Ineffable Name; the 1897 text in turn follows this Würzburg recomposition rather than simply reproducing Isis independently. The chief structural alteration is the removal of the manuscript’s intervening discussion of Simon Magus, whose treatment had by then been expanded separately in Section XIV. In its place the later text emphasizes the comparison of Buddha, Jesus, and Apollonius. The subsection boundary itself, however, remains intact: the discussion of Apollonius and the “small voice” still closes the unit immediately before the material corresponding to the following Würzburg subsection.
1.—Who was the Adept of Tyana?
Like most of the historical heroes of hoary antiquity whose lives and “works” strongly differed from those of commonplace mortals, Apollonius is to this day a riddle that, so far, had found no Œdipus. His existence is surrounded with such a veil of mystery that he is often mistaken for a myth. But according to every law of logic and reason it is quite impossible that Apollonius should be ever regarded in such a light. If the Tyana theurgist can be put down as a fabulous character, then history has no right to her Caesars and Alexanders. It is quite true that this sage, who stands unrivalled to this day—on historically attested evidence—in his thaumaturgical powers came within, and disappeared from the arena of public life, no one seems to know whence or whither. But the reasons for it are evident. Every means were used—especially during the 4th and 5th centuries of our era—to sweep out from people’s minds the remembrance of this great and holy man. The circulation of his biographies—which were many and enthusiastic—was prevented by the Christians and for a very good reason, as we shall see. Damis’ Diary survived most miraculously and remained alone to tell the tale. Justin Martyr spoke the truth according to his light, and had good cause to wonder and feel bewildered—but not one of the Christian fathers of the first six centuries of our era who have allowed Apollonius to remain unnoticed, have followed his example, but according to Christian custom of charity, as always their pens were dipped in the blackest ink of the odium theologium. St. Jerome (or Hieronymous) even gave the narrative of St. John’s alleged contest with the Tyana Sage—a competition of miracles—in which, of course, the truthful Saint1 describes in glowing colours the defeat of the latter (See Preface to St. Matthew’s Gospel, Baronius, vol. I, p. 752); and seeks corroboration in St. John’s Apocrypha proclaimed doubtful even by the Church.2
Therefore, it is, that nobody can say where or when Apollonius was born and every one is as ignorant of the date and place where he died. Some think he was 80 or 90, others a 100 and even 117 years old at the time of his death. But, whether he ended his days at Ephesus in the year 96 A.D., as some have it; or whether the event took place at Lindus in the Temple of Pallas-Athene, or whether, again he disappeared from the Temple of Diktymia, or, as others maintain, he did not die at all, but when 100 years old renewed his life by magic and went working on for the benefit of humanity—no one can tell. Alone the Secret Records have noted his birth and subsequent career. But then—“who hath believed in that report!”
That which history knows is that Apollonius was an enthusiastic founder of a new school of contemplation. Perhaps less metaphorical and more practical than Jesus, he nevertheless inculcated the same quintessence of Spirituality, the same high moral truths. He is accused of having confined them to the higher classes of society instead of doing what Buddha and Jesus did—to preach them to the poor and the afflicted. Of his reasons for acting in such an exclusive way it is impossible to judge at so late a date. But born, as we are told, among the aristocracy it is very likely that he desired to finish the work undone in this particular direction by his predecessor and sought to offer “peace on earth and good will to all men,” not alone to the outcaste and the criminal. Therefore, he congregated with the Kings and the mighty ones of the age. Nevertheless the two “miracle workers” exhibited striking similarity of purpose. Still earlier than Apollonius had appeared Simon Magus called “The Great Power of God.” His “miracles” are both more wonderful, more varied, and better attested than those either of the apostles or of the Galilean Initiate himself.3 (Materialism denies the fact in both cases, but HISTORY affirms.) Apollonius followed both; and how great and renowned were his miraculous works in comparison with all others as the Kabalists claim, we have history again and Justin Martyr to corroborate us.
The calumnies set afloat against him were as numerous as they were false. So late as eighteen centuries after his death he was defamed by Bishop Douglas in his work against miracles. In this the Right Reverend bishop crushed himself against historical facts. But it is not in miracles but in the identity of doctrines preached that we have to look for a similarity between Buddha, Jesus and Apollonius. If we study the question with a dispassionate mind, we will soon perceive that the ethics of Gautama, Plato, Apollonius, Jesus, Ammonius Sakkas, and his disciples, were all based on the same mystic philosophy. That all worshipped one Deity (God) whom they considered as the “Father” of Humanity, who lives in man as man lives in Him, or as the Incomprehensible Creative Principle; all led God-like lives. Ammonius speaking of his philosophy taught that their school dated from the days of Hermes who brought his wisdom from India. It was the same mystical contemplation throughout as that of the Yogin: the communion of the Brahman with his own luminous Self—the “Atman.”
The ground work of the Eclectic School was thus identical with the doctrines of the Yogis, and the Hindu Mystics and proves a common source with the earlier Buddhism of the disciples of Gautama.
The Ineffable Name, in the search for which so many Kabalists—unacquainted with any Oriental or even European Adept—vainly consume their knowledge and lives, dwells latent in the heart of every man. This mirific name which according to the most ancient oracles, “rushes into the infinite worlds ἀχοιμήτω σροφάλιγγ,” can be obtained in a twofold way: by regular initiation, and through the “small voice” which Elijah heard in the Cave of Horeb, the mount of God. And “when Elijah heard it he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood in the entering of the cave. And behold there came the voice.[”]
When Apollonius of Tyana desired to hear the “small voice,” he used to wrap himself up entirely in a mantle of fine wool, on which he placed both his feet, after having performed certain magnetic passes, and pronounced not the “name” but an invocation well known to every adept. Then he drew the mantle over his head and face, and his translucid or astral spirit was free. On ordinary occasions he wore wool no more than the priests of the temples. The possession of the secret combination of the “name” gave the hierophant supreme power over every being, human or otherwise, inferior to himself in soul strength.
1. Jerome is the Father who having found the authentic and original Evangel (the Hebrew text) by Matthew the apostle-publican, in the library of Caesarea, “written by the hand of Matthew” (Hieronymus: “De Virus,” illust. Cap 3)—as he himself admits it—set it down as heretical and substituted his own Greek text for it. And it is also he who perverted the text in the Book of Job to enforce belief in the resurrection in flesh. (See Isis Unveiled, Vol. II pp. 181 and 182 et seq.)
2. De Mirville gives the following thrilling account of the “contest.” John, pressed, as St. Jerome tells us, by all the Churches of Asia to proclaim more solemnly (in the face of the miracles of Apollonius) the divinity of Jesus Christ, after a long prayer with the disciples on the Mount of Patmos and having inebriated himself with divine Spirit, made heard amid thunder and lightning his famous in principis erat Verbum. When that sublime extaces [extasy] that caused him to be named the “Son of Thunder”—had passed, Apollonius was compelled to retire and disappear. Such was his defeat, less bloody, but as hard as that of Simon—the magician. (“The Magician Theurgist” p. 63, Vol. 6 of Pneumatologie.) For our part who have never heard of extasies producing thunder and lightning—we are at a loss to understand the meaning.
3. Events change; human nature never does. Therefore knowing by personal experience what fanaticism, and odium theologium can do, to what an extent of falsehood and calumny, of malice and invention it can and does go in our modern day, we reject a priori the cock and bull story of St. Peter having caused the fall of Simon Magus in their contest for miraculous flying. (See Section V.)