“Attention, Theosophists!”
“Heat not a furnace for your foe so hotThat it do singe yourself.”—Shakespeare. “He who tells a lie is not… Read More »“Attention, Theosophists!”
[On Olcott and Buddhism]
Esoteric Buddhism is decidedly on the brain of our journalists. This is what we read in the Times of the… Read More »[On Olcott and Buddhism]
[On William Oxley]
Selections from correspondence by A. D. Bathell | Notes by H.P.B. To the Editor of Lucifer.1 No doubt many of… Read More »[On William Oxley]
[On Lokas and Globes]
Article selection by “Sepharial” | Note by H.P.B. . . . The Seven Rishis are the Divine Sages, Prajapatis, or… Read More »[On Lokas and Globes]
A Puzzle From Adyar
When the cat is abroad the mice dance in the house it seems. Since Colonel Olcott sailed for Japan, the… Read More »A Puzzle From Adyar
“Going to and fro in the Earth.” (Our Monthly Report.)
In the days when Satan was the great Angel of Judgment, one of the Sons of God, ere yet he… Read More »“Going to and fro in the Earth.” (Our Monthly Report.)
Philosophers and Philosocules
“We shall in vain interpret their words by the notions of our philosophy and the doctrines in our schools.”—Locke “Knowledge… Read More »Philosophers and Philosocules
Man Know Thyself
The above words are familiar to most men, and to most have but little meaning. Centuries of dogmatic theology, with… Read More »Man Know Thyself
“A Voice from Over the Seas.”
A question has reached the Head of the Esoteric Section of the Theosophical Society, regarding the alleged representation of that… Read More »“A Voice from Over the Seas.”
[A Reply to False Statements]
To the Editor of “Light.” Sir,—If my humble signature appears in your journal more often of late than may seem… Read More »[A Reply to False Statements]
[On the “Accursed”]
Kindly condescending to notice, and even to review (!!), our December number of Lucifer, the Saturday Review, in its issue… Read More »[On the “Accursed”]
[Review:] Lays of Romance and Chivalry
“LAYS OF ROMANCE AND CHIVALRY,” by Mr. W. Stewart Ross. (Stewart and Co., Farringdon Street.) In this neat little volume… Read More »[Review:] Lays of Romance and Chivalry
Letter No. 9 to A. P. Sinnett
{November} 14th. {1881} Meerut, Your telegram just received. Now what does that mean? I knew it was coming for M.… Read More »Letter No. 9 to A. P. Sinnett
Letter No. 10d (Blavatsky to Damodar)
{See Hints on Esoteric Theosophy, 2nd ed. pp. 108 et seq.} To Malabar Hill From Madras St. Thome To Damodar… Read More »Letter No. 10d (Blavatsky to Damodar)
Letter No. 12 to A. P. Sinnett
{Adyar, Dec. 16+, 1883} There’s a love chit for you just received. I guess my Boss splits himself owing to… Read More »Letter No. 12 to A. P. Sinnett
[On Absolute Motion]
Article selection by “E. E. Θ” | Note by H.P.B. . . . Since, therefore, it is evident that that… Read More »[On Absolute Motion]
Letter No. 3 to A. P. Sinnett
Postcard addressed to A. P. Sinnett Esq. Tendril, Simla, Aug. 9. {1882} Savez-vous quel jour votre article Indo–British India a… Read More »Letter No. 3 to A. P. Sinnett
Letter No. 10e (A. P. Sinnett to A. O. Hume)
{To A. O Hume. Recd Simla, mid-June 1882.} Poor Old Lady! I shall come up and see you to-morrow afternoon.… Read More »Letter No. 10e (A. P. Sinnett to A. O. Hume)
“Going to and fro in the Earth.” (Our Monthly Report.)
Theosophists cannot complain, just now, that they are suffering from a conspiracy of silence on the part of the press.… Read More »“Going to and fro in the Earth.” (Our Monthly Report.)
What Shall We Do For Our Fellow Men?
Correspondence between H. P. Blavatsky and Dr. Hübbe Schleiden “You have obliged my friends and myself by answering or annotating… Read More »What Shall We Do For Our Fellow Men?
[On Tukaram Tatya]
[Tukaram Tatya Padval (1836–1896) is] the most active and indefatigable of all our Bombay Theosophists in the spread of Sanskrit… Read More »[On Tukaram Tatya]
Dates Again
To the Editor of “Light.” Sir,—It is perhaps hardly worth while to take up your space in exposing the careless… Read More »Dates Again
[Exposing T. H. Burgoyne]
Statement by T. H. Burgoyne | Note by H.P.B. To the American Members of the H. B. of L. …… Read More »[Exposing T. H. Burgoyne]
Apollonius, Sage of Tyana
During the first century A.D. the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea comprised the known Western world, where the Roman empire… Read More »Apollonius, Sage of Tyana
Thoth, Divine Scribe
Who is this Thoth, of whom so many explanations are made, and who remains, even so, mysterious, inscrutable? We find… Read More »Thoth, Divine Scribe
Dhammapada, Wisdom of the Buddha
Contents Illustration of Palm Leaf Manuscript Foreword Introduction Acknowledgments Canto I – The Twin Verses II – On Vigilance III –… Read More »Dhammapada, Wisdom of the Buddha
The Wisdom of Emptiness
Understanding “emptiness” is presented in Buddhism as the culmination of religious training. It is attained through the systematic practice of… Read More »The Wisdom of Emptiness
Egyptian Teachings in the Light of Theosophy
Verily there was some truth in the old saying, “The Wisdom of the Egyptians.” . . . — H. P.… Read More »Egyptian Teachings in the Light of Theosophy
[Review:] The Mayan Popol Vuh
Dennis Tedlock’s recent translation of the Quiche Mayan Popol Vuh* is one of the finest, and as such is attracting widespread attention.… Read More »[Review:] The Mayan Popol Vuh
A Svābhāvika School of Buddhism?
Part 1 As already discussed here, the alleged Svābhāvika school of Buddhism in Nepal that is spoken of in many… Read More »A Svābhāvika School of Buddhism?
God’s Arrival in India
Ancient India is considered to be the spiritual motherland of our planet. According to The Secret Doctrine, it was the… Read More »God’s Arrival in India
Book of Dzyan Research Report: Technical Terms in Stanza I
Serious students of The Secret Doctrine, and especially those who are Theosophical teachers and lecturers, will wish to know what… Read More »Book of Dzyan Research Report: Technical Terms in Stanza I
Book of Dzyan Research Report: Technical Terms in Stanza II
There are seven technical terms in stanza II of the “Book of Dzyan” as translated in H. P. Blavatsky’s The Secret… Read More »Book of Dzyan Research Report: Technical Terms in Stanza II
Book of Dzyan Research Report: Theosophy in Tibet: The Teachings of the Jonangpa School
Some seven centuries ago there arose in Tibet a school of teachings which has many parallels to Theosophy. This is… Read More »Book of Dzyan Research Report: Theosophy in Tibet: The Teachings of the Jonangpa School
Jainism
The mighty task of bringing together the various factions and of and revitalizing the great philosophy underlying the ancient Vedas… Read More »Jainism
The Fourteenfold Path of the Jains
Any one of you who has once felt the touch of the god within never is the same again. Never… Read More »The Fourteenfold Path of the Jains
Ahimsa
Ahimsa paramo dharma: Nonviolence is the highest religion Nonviolence, ahimsa, is the central doctrine of Jainism. It also plays an… Read More »Ahimsa
The Twenty-four “Buddhas” of Jainism
The barefoot beggar who wanders through India sweeping the dust from his path lest unintentionally he crush by his step… Read More »The Twenty-four “Buddhas” of Jainism
A Lamp of the True Light
Vast as is the legacy of the skilled and illustrious Jain scholars and artisans, equally extensive is the contribution of… Read More »A Lamp of the True Light
The Logic of Jain Mystical Doctrines
The teachings of Jainism are presented in their sutras and commentaries with such mathematical exactness and logic one can’t help… Read More »The Logic of Jain Mystical Doctrines
Unbroken Chain of Oral Tradition
Didactic ballads and folklore are the most precious remnants of a glorious culture that disappeared from the surface of our… Read More »Unbroken Chain of Oral Tradition
The Art of Writing in India
Part I Though the art of writing was known to the ancient Vedic sages, it was used extensively only in… Read More »The Art of Writing in India
The Vedic Schism
Somewhere in the third millennium BC a great conference was held on the slopes of the Himalayas to discuss a… Read More »The Vedic Schism
The Vedas: Soil of Buddhism
In ancient cultures, such as that of the Indo-Aryans or the Druids, literacy and education were not considered of general… Read More »The Vedas: Soil of Buddhism
A Wonder of Ancient India: The Mahabharata
Daunted by its size and a misconception that an intimate understanding of Hinduism was needed, I never considered taking the Mahabharata off… Read More »A Wonder of Ancient India: The Mahabharata
Evolution in the Vishnu Purana
In H. P. Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine we find over 100 direct references to the Vishnu Purana, largely in her discussions of cosmic and… Read More »Evolution in the Vishnu Purana
Creation Stories: The Cosmogony Account from the Purāṇas
Part 1. On the Original Purāṇa-saṃhitā The first place that one would look when seeking knowledge of cosmogony from Indian… Read More »Creation Stories: The Cosmogony Account from the Purāṇas
“The One Form of Existence”: prabhavāpyaya in the Original Purāṇa-saṃhitā
“Book of Dzyan,” stanza 1, verse 8, is given by H. P. Blavatsky in The Secret Doctrine (vol. 1, p. 46)… Read More »“The One Form of Existence”: prabhavāpyaya in the Original Purāṇa-saṃhitā