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The Theosophical Society

Editorial/ by W. Q. Judge, The Path, May, 1895

INSIDE FACTS AS TO ITS ORGANIZATION.—A DE FACTO BODY.—THE REAL T.S. IN NEW YORK.—THE PRESIDENT STILL A DELEGATE TO FOREIGN… Read More »The Theosophical Society

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

The Theosophical Movement

Article/Lecture/ by Charles Johnston, Theosophical Quarterly, July, 1907

It will be best to treat my theme historically; and I may be pardoned, perhaps, if I speak of my… Read More »The Theosophical Movement

The Criterion of Theosophy

Q & A/ by W. Q. Judge, Theosophical Forum (2nd Series), December, 1895

Question—The fundamental question, “What is the criterion of Theosophy?” calls for an answer. Has Theosophy the power of growth, progress… Read More »The Criterion of Theosophy

[Letter From H. P. Blavatsky to the Editor of Rebus]

LTTE/ by H. P. Blavatsky, Ребус (Rebus), September, 1885

Dear Sir: In No. 30 of your interesting journal, on page 276, under “Brief Notes,” I find the following, regarding… Read More »[Letter From H. P. Blavatsky to the Editor of Rebus]

Sakya Muni’s Place in History

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

7. Buddha’s birth is placed (on p. 141) in the year 643 B.C.. Is this date given by the Adepts as… Read More »Sakya Muni’s Place in History

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

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)

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

From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan

Story/ by H. P. Blavatsky, Моско́вские ве́домости (Moscow News), Ру́сский ве́стник (Russian Messenger), 1879-1885 [Serialized] [Translated from the Russian by Vera Johnston and Published Posthumously, 1892]

Translator’s Preface “You must remember,” said Mme. Blavatsky, “that I never meant this for a scientific work. My letters to… Read More »From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan

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

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

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

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]

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

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

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]

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)

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

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

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

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

[Review: The Theosophist]

Review/ by H. P. Blavatsky, Lucifer Magazine, October, 1887

The Theosophist: a magazine of Oriental Philosophy, Art, Literature, and Occultism, conducted by H. P. Blavatsky, and H. S. Olcott,… Read More »[Review: The Theosophist]

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

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”

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

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

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)

The Works of Plato

Book/Translation/ by Thomas Taylor with Floyer Sydenham, , 1804 [Single PDF (All 5 Volumes: scanned original)]

Full Title: THE WORKS OF PLATO VIZ. HIS FIFTY-FIVE DIALOGUES, AND TWELVE EPISTLES TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK; NINE OF THE… Read More »The Works of Plato

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

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

The Chaldean Oracles [Rearranged]

Translation/ by Thomas Taylor with Jon W. Fergus, , January, 2016 [originally published in The Classical Journal, December, 1817; March & June, 1818]

Here the Chaldean Oracles—compiled and translated by Thomas Taylor—have been arranged with the hope of demonstrating the essence of the… Read More »The Chaldean Oracles [Rearranged]

Dialogue on the Mysteries of the After Life

Article/Q & A/ by H. P. Blavatsky, Lucifer Magazine, January, 1889

M. Of course it is most difficult, and, as you say, puzzling to understand correctly and distinguish between the various aspects,… Read More »Dialogue on the Mysteries of the After Life

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

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

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

Research: On the Etymology of Fohat

Research Paper/ by Jon W. Fergus, Universal Theosophy, February, 2020 [Last Updated: February 6, 2025]

Introduction “Fohat” is one of the more mysterious terms in modern theosophical literature. It was introduced by H. P. Blavatsky… Read More »Research: On the Etymology of Fohat

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

H. P. Blavatsky and the Theosophical Movement

Book/ by Charles J. Ryan, 1937

Prefatory Note Foreword Chapter 1: Introductory Chapter 2: Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Chapter 3: Training in Chelaship Chapter 4: From Apprenticeship… Read More »H. P. Blavatsky and the Theosophical Movement

Tetragrammaton

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

“I would advise all in general that they would take into serious consideration the true and genuine ends of knowledge;… Read More »Tetragrammaton

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

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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