The Theosophical Library

What the Theosophical Society is Not

Article/Lecture/ by Charles Johnston, Theosophical Quarterly, July, 1908

We have been considering, during this period of reunion, that it is just a third of a century since the… Read More »What the Theosophical Society is Not

Re-Classification of Principles

Article/ by H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophist, August, 1887

[For background, see: Classification of “Principles”] In the May Theosophist (1887 [see “The Constitution of the Microcosm”]) I find the… Read More »Re-Classification of Principles

Bhagavad Gita (Songs of the Master)

Commentary/Translation/ by Charles Johnston, Theosophical Quarterly, January, April, July, October, 1906; January, April, July, October, 1907 [Serialized]

General Introduction The Bhagavad Gita is one of the noblest scriptures of India, one of the deepest scriptures of the… Read More »Bhagavad Gita (Songs of the Master)

Theosophy [A Definition]

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, Universal Cyclopedia, December, 1895

Theosophy [from Gr. θεόσοφία knowledge of divine things, deriv. of θεόσοφος wise about God; θεόσ God + σοφός, wise]: a… Read More »Theosophy [A Definition]

The Life and the Doctrines of Jacob Boehme, the God-Taught Philosopher

Book/Translation/ by Franz Hartmann, 1891 [Paperback Version]

Contents Preface The Life of Jacob Boehme Account of His Life and Labours, and of the Influence of his Writings… Read More »The Life and the Doctrines of Jacob Boehme, the God-Taught Philosopher

Echoes from the Orient

Book/ by W. Q. Judge, September, 1890

ECHOES FROM THE ORIENT A BROAD OUTLINE OF THEOSOPHICAL DOCTRINES BY W. Q. JUDGE dedicated to Helena Petrovna Blavatsky with… Read More »Echoes from the Orient

Culture of Concentration

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, July, 1888

The term most generally in use to express what is included under the above title is SELF CULTURE. Now it… Read More »Culture of Concentration

Apollonius of Tyana

Article/ by Jon W. Fergus, Universal Theosophy, October, 2012

Apollonius of Tyana is one of the most extraordinary exemplars in human history. What he shows us clearly is the… Read More »Apollonius of Tyana

The Bhagavad-Gita [Notes, Chapters 1-7]

Article/Commentary/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, April, November-December, 1887; January-March, May-June, August-December, 1888; September, November-December, 1895; February, 1896 [Serialized]

Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 [Chapter I] If the title… Read More »The Bhagavad-Gita [Notes, Chapters 1-7]

Theosophy as a Guide in Life

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, Booklet, 1887

This is a practical age, and every system or theory is challenged to give proofs of what it may accomplish… Read More »Theosophy as a Guide in Life

Le Phare de L’inconnu [The Beacon-Light of the Unknown]

Article/ by H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophist, July-September, 1889 [Serialized] [Translation from the original French]

[The [following] article is a rough translation from La Revue Theosophique. Better H.P.B. at second hand than not at all—Ed. [The… Read More »Le Phare de L’inconnu [The Beacon-Light of the Unknown]

Mahatmas and Chelas

Article/ by H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophist, July, 1884

A MAHATMA is a personage, who, by special training and education, has evolved those higher faculties and has attained that… Read More »Mahatmas and Chelas

Culture of Concentration II

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, February, 1890

It is now over one year since I sent in Part I to the Editor of the PATH. Since then… Read More »Culture of Concentration II

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus

Book/Translation/ by Thomas Taylor, 1824 [PDF Version (Scanned Original)]

Full Title: THE MYSTICAL HYMNS OF ORPHEUS TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK, AND DEMONSTRATED TO BE THE INVOCATIONS WHICH WERE USED… Read More »The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus

A Truth-Seeker Around the World

Review/ by H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophist, July, 1882

[Review: A Truth-Seeker Around the World: A Series of Letters written while making a Tour of the Globe, by D.… Read More »A Truth-Seeker Around the World

The Living Power of Theosophy

Article/ by B. P. Wadia, Theosophy Magazine, November, 1923 [Reprinted in The Theosophical Movement, April, 1932]

One of the difficulties under which students of Theosophy labor is the practical and therefore one-sided or distorted view they… Read More »The Living Power of Theosophy

Contemplation

Article/ by Damodar K. Mavalankar, The Theosophist, February, 1884 [Incl. Follow-up(s)]

A general misunderstanding of this term seems to prevail. The popular idea appears to be to confine oneself for half… Read More »Contemplation

Tao Te Ching (Book of the Way and of Righteousness)

Commentary/Translation/ by Charles Johnston, Theosophical Quarterly, January, April, July, October, 1921; January, April, July, October, 1922; January, 1923 [Serialized]

1. The way that can be told is not the eternal Way. The word that can be spoken is not… Read More »Tao Te Ching (Book of the Way and of Righteousness)

The Doctrine of the Bhagavad Gita

Book/Commentary/ by Bhavani Shankar, 1928 [1st Edition]

Contents The Doctrine of the Bhagavad-Gita Kshetra and Kshetrajna Mulaprakriti, Daiviprakriti and Ishwara Worship Me with All Bhavas Glossary The… Read More »The Doctrine of the Bhagavad Gita

Charles Johnston

Editorial/ by Henry Bedinger Mitchell, Theosophical Quarterly, January, 1932

Charles Johnston died on Friday, October 16th [1932], at about twenty minutes past three in the afternoon. His death was… Read More »Charles Johnston

Reincarnation in the Bible

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, December, 1892

An exhaustive paper on this subject is not contemplated in this article, but even a sketch will show that the… Read More »Reincarnation in the Bible

The Meaning of “Tao”

Article/ by Jon W. Fergus, Universal Theosophy, June, 2016

This will be an exploration of the Chinese term Tao through a breakdown of the traditional Chinese characters. Tao is… Read More »The Meaning of “Tao”

Much Reading, Little Thought

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, June, 1890

The wise man sagely said that of making books there is no end. If true in his day, it is… Read More »Much Reading, Little Thought

Theosophy Generally Stated

Article/Lecture/ by W. Q. Judge, Lucifer Magazine, December, 1893

The claim is made that an impartial study of history, religion and literature will show the existence from ancient times… Read More »Theosophy Generally Stated

Sri Sankaracharya’s Date and Doctrine

Article/Q & A/ by T. Subba Row, The Theosophist, September, 1883

8. Sankaracharya’s date is variously given by Orientalists, but always after Christ. Barth, for instance, places him about 788 A.D.… Read More »Sri Sankaracharya’s Date and Doctrine

The Moral Law of Compensation

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Theosophist, October, 1881

“For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be… Read More »The Moral Law of Compensation

Iamblichus’s Life of Pythagoras, or Pythagoric Life

Translation/ by Thomas Taylor, 1818 [PDF Version (Scanned Original)]

Full title: IAMBLICHUS’ LIFE OF PYTHAGORAS OR PYTHAGORIC LIFE. ACCOMPANIED BY FRAGMENTS OF THE ETHICAL WRITINGS OF CERTAIN PYTHAGOREANS IN… Read More »Iamblichus’s Life of Pythagoras, or Pythagoric Life

Theosophical Symbols

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, April, 1892

The first article printed in the PATH on this subject was “Theosophical Symbolism” in Vol. I, May, 1886. The symbols… Read More »Theosophical Symbols

Mandukya Upanishad (The Measures of the Eternal)

Commentary/Translation/ by Charles Johnston, Theosophical Quarterly, October, 1923

Om: this syllable, this imperishable, is the All. Its expansion is what has been, what is, what shall be. All,… Read More »Mandukya Upanishad (The Measures of the Eternal)

Occultism: What is it?

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, May, 1890

Not only in the Theosophical Society, but out of it, are tyros in Occultism. They are dabblers in a fine… Read More »Occultism: What is it?

The Bhagavad-Gita [Notes, Chapters 8-18]

Article/Commentary/ by Robert Crosbie, Theosophy Magazine, July, 1915; May-December, 1916; January-February, 1917 [Serialized]

[Note: the following was meant by Mr. Crosbie to be a continuation of the Notes on Chapters 1-7 by W.… Read More »The Bhagavad-Gita [Notes, Chapters 8-18]

Universal Theosophy: Talks by Robert Crosbie

Book/ by Robert Crosbie, 1934/1945 [Compilation] [Posthumously Published]

The following is a collection of talks by Robert Crosbie which was compiled and published in book form posthumously. Contents… Read More »Universal Theosophy: Talks by Robert Crosbie

Pistis Sophia

Translation/ by G. R. S. Mead, 1896 [Revised 2nd Ed., 1921] [PDF Version 1 | PDF Version 2]

Contents Preface Introduction The First Book The Second Book A Third Book A Fourth Book A Fifth Book A Sixth… Read More »Pistis Sophia

Tenets of Theosophy

LTTE/ by W. Q. Judge, The Washington Post, March, 1891

EDITOR POST: In your issue of March 8, Prof. Merwin-Marie Snell, of the Catholic University of America, answers my short… Read More »Tenets of Theosophy

Apollonius Tyaneus and Simon Magus

Article/ by H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophist, June, 1881

In the “History of the Christian Religion to the year two hundred,” by Charles B. Waite, A.M., announced and reviewed… Read More »Apollonius Tyaneus and Simon Magus

The Mahatmas as Ideals and Facts

Article/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, March, 1893

A visitor from one of the other planets of the solar system who might learn the term Mahatma after arriving… Read More »The Mahatmas as Ideals and Facts

Theosophy in Daily Life

Article/Lecture/ by Robert Crosbie, Theosophy Magazine, May, 1921 [Posthumously Published]

Many people think that religion means a preparation for death or the states of the future. Religion really means a… Read More »Theosophy in Daily Life

Charles Johnston: A Biography

Article/ by Jon W. Fergus, 2014 [Originally printed in Hidden Wisdom: The Collected Writings of Charles Johnston, Vol. 1]

As one author notes, Charles Johnston “left us very little in the way of autobiography,—if biography still mean to us,… Read More »Charles Johnston: A Biography

Animated Statues

Article/ by H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophist, November, 1886

To whatsoever cause it may be due matters little, but the word fetich is given in the dictionaries the restricted… Read More »Animated Statues

The Heritage of the Brahmans

Article/ by Charles Johnston, Oriental Department Papers, January, 1894

It is said that long ago, in the childhood of the world, the senses were so fine that we could… Read More »The Heritage of the Brahmans

Hints on Esoteric Theosophy [1-2]

Book/Letter(s)/ by A. O. Hume with Alice Gordon, Bal Nilaji Pitale, Daji Raja Chandra Singhji, Damodar K. Mavalankar, Dorab H. Bharucha, G. Muthuswamy Chetty, G. Y., Godolphin Mitford, Gunputrow N. Land, Gwala K. Deb (Dharbagiri Nath), H. P. Blavatsky, H. R. Z., H. S. Olcott, John Smith, K. A. Iyengar, K. M. Shroff, Krishna Shastri Godbole, M. S. Mudaliar, Mahatma K. H., Martandrao Babaji Nagnath, Minnie J. B. Scott, R. S. Harisinghji Rupsinghji, Ross Scott, S. Ramaswamier, T. V. Mudaliar, , April & August, 1882

No. 1 Is Theosophy a Delusion? Do the Brothers Exist? These letters are published with the permission of the writers,… Read More »Hints on Esoteric Theosophy [1-2]

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