Key To Theosophy, Wisdom Ancient

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The Key To Theosophy - HP Blavatsky.txt
The Key to Theosophy
Dedicated by "H.P.B." To all her Pupils,
That They may Learn and Teach in their turn.
The Key to Theosophy
A Clear Exposition
in the Form of Question and Answer
of the Ethics, Science, and Philosophy
for the Study of Which
The Theosophical Society has been Founded.
H.P. Blavatsky
Preface
The purpose of this book is exactly expressed in its title, The Key to
Theosophy, and needs but few words of explanation. It is not a complete or
exhaustive textbook of Theosophy, but only a key to unlock the door that
leads to the deeper study. It traces the broad outlines of the
Wisdom-Religion, and explains its fundamental principles; meeting, at the
same time, the various objections raised by the average Western inquirer,
and endeavoring to present unfamiliar concepts in a form as simple and in
language as clear as possible. That it should succeed in making Theosophy
intelligible without mental effort on the part of the reader, would be too
much to expect; but it is hoped that the obscurity still left is of the
thought and not of the language, is due to depth and not to confusion. To
the mentally lazy or obtuse, Theosophy must remain a riddle; for in the
world mental as in the world spiritual each man must progress by his own
efforts. The writer cannot do the reader's thinking for him, nor would the
latter be any the better off if such vicarious thought were possible. The
need for such an exposition as the present has long been felt among those
interested in the Theosophical Society and its work, and it is hoped that it
will supply information, as free as possible from technicalities, to many
whose attention has been awakened, but who, as yet, are merely puzzled and
not convinced.
Some care has been taken in disentangling some part of what is true from
what is false in Spiritualistic teachings as to the postmortem life, and to
showing the true nature of Spiritualistic phenomena. Previous explanations
of a similar kind have drawn much wrath upon the writer's devoted head; the
Spiritualists, like too many others, preferring to believe what is pleasant
rather than what is true, and becoming very angry with anyone who destroys
an agreeable delusion. For the past year Theosophy has been the target for
every poisoned arrow of Spiritualism, as though the possessors of a half
truth felt more antagonism to the possessors of the whole truth than those
who had no share to boast of.
Very hearty thanks are due from the author to many Theosophists who have
sent suggestions and questions, or have otherwise contributed help during
the writing of this book. The work will be the more useful for their aid,
and that will be their best reward.
-H.P. Blavatsky
1889
Contents
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The Key To Theosophy - HP Blavatsky.txt
Preface
Theosophy and The Theosophical Society 1
The Meaning of the Name 1
The Policy of the Theosophical Society 4
The Wisdom-Religion, Esoteric in All Ages 7
Theosophy is Not Buddhism 12
Exoteric and Esoteric Theosophy 15
What the Modern Theosophical Society is Not 15
Theosophists and Members of the T.S. 18
The Difference Between Theosophy and Occultism 23
The Difference Between Theosophy and Spiritualism 25
Why is Theosophy Accepted? 32
The Working System of the T.S. 37
The Objects of the Society 37
The Common Origin of Man 38
Our Other Objects 44
On the Sacredness of the Pledge 45
The Relations of the T.S. to Theosophy 49
On Self-Improvement 49
The Abstract and the Concrete 52
The Fundamental Teachings of Theosophy 57
On God and Prayer 57
Is it Necessary to Pray? 61
Prayer Kills Self-Reliance 66
On the Source of the Human Soul 69
The Buddhist Teachings on the Above 71
Theosophical Teachings as to Nature and Man 77
The Unity of All in All 77
Evolution and Illusion 78
On The Septenary Constitution of Our Planet 81
The Septenary Nature of Man 83
The Distinction Between Soul and Spirit 86
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The Key To Theosophy - HP Blavatsky.txt
The Greek Teachings 89
On the Various Postmortem States 95
The Physical and the Spiritual Man 95
On Eternal Reward and Punishment, and on Nirvana 102
On the Various Principles in Man 109
On Reincarnation or Rebirth 115
What is Memory According to Theosophical Teaching? 115
Why Do We Not Remember Our Past Lives? 119
On Individuality and Personality 124
On the Reward and Punishment of the Ego 128
On the Kamaloka and Devachan 133
On the Fate of the Lower Principles 133
Why Theosophists Do Not Believe in the Return of Pure "Spirits" 135
A Few Words About the Skandhas 142
On Postmortem and Postnatal Consciousness 145
What is Really Meant by Annihilation 150
Definite Words for Definite Things 158
On the Nature of Our Thinking Principle 165
The Mystery of the Ego 165
The Complex Nature of Manas 170
The Doctrine is Taught in St. John's Gospel 172
On the Mysteries of Reincarnation 183
Periodical Rebirths 183
What is Karma? 186
Who Are Those Who Know? 199
The Difference Between Faith and Knowledge, Or Blind and Reasoned Faith 201
Has God the Right to Forgive? 205
What is Practical Theosophy? 209
Duty 209
The Relations of the T.S. to Political Reforms 213
On Self-Sacrifice 217
On Charity 222
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The Key To Theosophy - HP Blavatsky.txt
Theosophy for the Masses 224
How Members Can Help the Society 227
What a Theosophist Ought Not to Do 228
On the Misconceptions About the T.S. 237
Theosophy and Asceticism 237
Theosophy and Marriage 240
Theosophy and Education 241
Why Then is There So Much Prejudice Against the T.S.? 248
Is the Theosophical Society A Money-Making Concern? 256
The Working Staff of the T.S. 260
The "Theosophical Mahatmas" 263
Are They "Spirits of Light" or "Goblins Damned"? 263
The Abuse of Sacred Names and Terms 273
Conclusion 277
The Future of the Theosophical Society 277
Glossary 281
Appendix 345
The Theosophical Society: Information for Inquirers 345
The Legal Status of the Theosophical Society 347
Note by the editor: the page numbers refer to the book edition and
have no meaning in this file. Despite careful checking for typos there
may still be a few left.
Theosophy and The Theosophical Society
The Meaning of the Name
Q. Theosophy and its doctrines are often referred to as a newfangled
religion. Is it a religion?
A. It is not. Theosophy is Divine Knowledge or Science.
Q. What is the real meaning of the term?
A. "Divine Wisdom," (Theosophia) or Wisdom of the gods, as (theogonia),
genealogy of the gods. The word 'theos' means a god in Greek, one of the
divine beings, certainly not "God" in the sense attached in our day to the
term. Therefore, it is not "Wisdom of God," as translated by some, but
Divine Wisdom such as that possessed by the gods. The term is many thousand
years old.
Q. What is the origin of the name?
A. It comes to us from the Alexandrian philosophers, called lovers of truth,
Philaletheians, from (phil) "loving," and (aletheia) "truth." The name
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The Key To Theosophy - HP Blavatsky.txt
Theosophy dates from the third century of our era, and began with Ammonius
Saccas and his disciples, also called Analogeticists, who started the
Eclectic Theosophical system.
As explained by Professor Wilder, they were called so because of their
practice of interpreting all sacred legends and narratives, myths and
mysteries, by a rule or principle of analogy and correspondence: so that
events which were related as having occurred in the external world were
regarded as expressing operations and experiences of the human soul. They
were also denominated Neo-Platonists. Though Theosophy, or the Eclectic
Theosophical system, is generally attributed to the third century, yet, if
Diogenes Laërtius is to be credited, its origin is much earlier, as he
attributed the system to an Egyptian priest, Pot-Amun, who lived in the
early days of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The same author tells us that the name
is Coptic, and signifies one consecrated to Amun, the God of Wisdom.
Theosophy is the equivalent of Brahma-Vidya , divine knowledge.
Q. What was the object of this system?
A. First of all to inculcate certain great moral truths upon its disciples,
and all those who were "lovers of the truth." Hence the motto adopted by the
Theosophical Society: "There is no religion higher than truth."
Eclectic Theosophy was divided under three heads:
1. Belief in one absolute, incomprehensible and supreme Deity, or infinite
essence, which is the root of all nature, and of all that is, visible and
invisible.
2. Belief in man's eternal immortal nature, because, being a radiation of
the Universal Soul, it is of an identical essence with it.
3. Theurgy, or "divine work," or producing a work of gods; from theoi,
"gods," and ergein, "to work."
The term is very old, but, as it belongs to the vocabulary of the mysteries,
was not in popular use. It was a mystic belief-practically proven by
initiated adepts and priests-that, by making oneself as pure as the
incorporeal beings-i.e., by returning to one's pristine purity of nature-man
could move the gods to impart to him Divine mysteries, and even cause them
to become occasionally visible, either subjectively or objectively. It was
the transcendental aspect of what is now called Spiritualism; but having
been abused and misconceived by the populace, it had come to be regarded by
some as necromancy, and was generally forbidden. A travestied practice of
the theurgy of Iamblichus lingers still in the ceremonial magic of some
modern Cabalists. Modern Theosophy avoids and rejects both these kinds of
magic and "necromancy" as being very dangerous. Real divine theurgy requires
an almost superhuman purity and holiness of life; otherwise it degenerates
into mediumship or black magic. The immediate disciples of Ammonius Saccas,
who was called Theodidaktos, "god-taught"-such as Plotinus and his follower
Porphyry-rejected theurgy at first, but were finally reconciled to it
through Iamblichus, who wrote a work to that effect entitled De Mysteriis,
under the name of his own master, a famous Egyptian priest called Abammon.
Ammonius Saccas was the son of Christian parents, and, having been repelled
by dogmatic Spiritualistic Christianity from his childhood, became a
Neo-Platonist, and like J. Boëhme and other great seers and mystics, is said
to have had divine wisdom revealed to him in dreams and visions. Hence his
name of Theodidaktos. He resolved to reconcile every system of religion, and
by demonstrating their identical origin to establish one universal creed
based on ethics. His life was so blameless and pure, his learning so
profound and vast, that several Church Fathers were his secret disciples.
Clemens Alexandrinus speaks very highly of him. Plotinus, the "St. John" of
Ammonius, was also a man universally respected and esteemed, and of the most
profound learning and integrity. When thirty-nine years of age he
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