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PURE THEOSOPHY
Issue 1
17th May 2015
BlavatskyTheosophy.com
"Although Theosophical ideas have entered into every development or form which awakening
spirituality has assumed, yet Theosophy pure and simple has still a severe battle to fight for
recognition." - H.P. Blavatsky, Five Messages to the American Theosophists
WHITE LOTUS DAY
2015
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky departed from this
physical plane on 8th May 1891, which was
124 years ago. Since that time, this date has
been commemorated annually amongst
Theosophists (or at least amongst the earnest
ones) as "White Lotus Day," so named
because of the unusually abundant profusion
of white lotuses that bloomed at the Adyar,
India headquarters of The Theosophical
Society upon the first anniversary of her
passing.
It is treated as an opportunity to
commemorate and celebrate her life and
work, to focus upon her teachings - the
Eastern Esoteric Philosophy of the Masters, to
which she gave the age-old name
"Theosophy" - and to re-dedicate and reconsecrate oneself to the work of the great
Theosophical Cause, which can only be
effective in this world if there are those who
understand it and labour incessantly on its
behalf.
PURE THEOSOPHY and PSEUDO-THEOSOPHY
Both of these terms were coined and used by H.P. Blavatsky, founder of
the Theosophical Movement, particularly in her "Five Messages to the
American Theosophists" and her article titled "On Pseudo-Theosophy."
In her phrase "Theosophy pure and simple" the word "simple" does not
mean simplistic but rather is used in its more philosophical sense of a
pure, undefiled, uncorrupted unity. Theosophy - as given to the world by
the Masters of the Wisdom, through the only one they ever called their
"Direct Agent" HPB - is exactly this. It is a very definite Body of
Knowledge, a specific System of Teaching, in which can be found the
answer to every question and solution to every problem. Why settle for
substitutes or anything less than the real deal? The world has a right to
know to what Theosophy actually is and what Theosophy actually teaches
alongside the actual facts of history about the Theosophical Movement.
It is hoped that this publication will serve that purpose.
In 1892, her closest colleague, co-worker, and
co-founder of the Theosophical Movement,
William Quan Judge, wrote an article titled
"The Esoteric She" for an American
newspaper, which he concluded by saying:
"The aim and object of her life were to strike
off the shackles forged by priestcraft for the
mind of man. She wished all men to know
that they are God in fact, and that as men
they must bear the burden of their own sins,
for no one else can do it. Hence she brought
forward to the West the old Eastern doctrines
of karma and reincarnation.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 2)
- 2CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 - WILLIAM Q. JUDGE ON "THE ESOTERIC SHE"
"Under the first, the law of justice, she said each must answer for himself, and under the second, make answer on
the earth where all his acts were done. She also desired that science should be brought back to the true ground
where life and intelligence are admitted to be within and acting on and through every atom in the universe.
Hence her object was to make religion scientific and science religious, so that the dogmatism of each might
disappear.
"Her life since 1875 was spent in the unremitting endeavor to draw within the Theosophical Society those who
could work unselfishly to propagate an ethics and philosophy tending to realize the brotherhood of man by
showing the real unity and essential non-separateness of every being. And her books were written with the
declared object of furnishing the material for intellectual and scientific progress on those lines. The theory of
man's origin, powers, and destiny brought forward by her, drawn from ancient Indian sources, places us upon a
higher pedestal than that given by either religion or science, for it gives to each the possibility of developing the
godlike powers within, and of at last becoming a co-worker with nature.
"As everyone must die at last, we will not say that her demise was a loss; but if she had not lived and done what
she did humanity would not have had the impulse and the ideas toward the good which it was her mission to give
and to proclaim. And there are today scores, nay, hundreds, of devout, earnest men and women intent on
purifying their own lives and sweetening the lives of others, who trace their hopes and aspirations to the wisdomreligion revived in the West through her efforts, and who gratefully avow that their dearest possessions are the
result of her toilsome and self-sacrificing life. If they, in turn, live aright and do good, they will be but illustrating
the doctrine which she daily taught and hourly practiced."
"ETHICS ARE THE SOUL OF THE WISDOM-RELIGION"
(HPB, The Key to Theosophy p. 14)
"What I said last year remains true to-day, that is, that the Ethics of Theosophy are more important than any
divulgement of psychic laws and facts. The latter relate wholly to the material and evanescent part of the
septenary man, but the Ethics sink into and take hold of the real man - the reincarnating Ego. We are
outwardly creatures of but a day; within we are eternal. Learn, then, well the doctrines of Karma and
Reincarnation, and teach, practise, promulgate that system of life and thought which alone can save the
coming races." - HPB, Five Messages to the American Theosophists p. 26
"There is the Karma of merit and the Karma of demerit. Karma neither punishes nor rewards, it is simply the
one Universal LAW which guides unerringly, and, so to say, blindly, all other laws productive of certain
effects along the grooves of their respective causations. When Buddhism teaches that "Karma is that moral
kernel (of any being) which alone survives death and continues in transmigration" or reincarnation, it simply
means that there remains nought after each Personality but the causes produced by it; causes which are
undying, i.e., which cannot be eliminated from the Universe until replaced by their legitimate effects, and
wiped out by them, so to speak, and such causes – unless compensated during the life of the person who
produced them with adequate effects, will follow the reincarnated Ego, and reach it in its subsequent
reincarnation until a harmony between effects and causes is fully re-established." - HPB, The Theosophical
Glossary p. 174 (Entry for "Karma")
"He should remember the definition of Karma: an undeviating and unerring tendency in the Universe to
restore equilibrium, which operates incessantly. Karma is inherent law and its operation must therefore be
impersonal. Some might take this to be "merciless," but that would only be because they desire escape from
consequences that are unpleasant. … Karma simply means "action" and its consequent "re-action." There is
no Karma unless there is a being to make it or feel its effects; unpleasant effects predicate causes that send
forth unpleasantness in the world, affecting others, and finding the restoration of equilibrium at the point of
disturbance. There can be, then, but one consideration, and that is, Justice. Why should we desire anything
but Justice to be done?" - Robert Crosbie, The Friendly Philosopher p. 30-31
-3-
THE WELCOME INFLUENCE
OF WILLIAM Q. JUDGE
Many have found the teachings and writings of H.P.
Blavatsky too complex or difficult to begin with and
have wished for something simpler, clearer, and more
comprehensible, as their introduction to Theosophy.
Many students of HPB have wished that there was a
simpler, more basic, yet still perfectly reliable presentation
of her teachings that they could share with others in order
to spread the message and truths of Theosophy more
effectively and to a wider audience.
Many Theosophists have been kept ignorant of the life,
work, and writings of William Quan Judge and are thus
unaware that all this already exists and is readily available
to them.
More than that, they have been deliberately kept in the
dark (particularly by The Theosophical Society – Adyar)
about his vitally important role in the founding and development of the Theosophical Movement and his
extremely close link and spiritual connection with HPB.
As is shown in such articles as Who was William Quan Judge? (http://blavatskytheosophy.com/who-waswilliam-quan-judge/) and In Memory of William Q. Judge (http://blavatskytheosophy.com/in-memoryof-william-q-judge/), she held him in higher regard than she did any of her other colleagues or associates,
including Col. Olcott. Never did she speak of anyone in such consistently glowing and occultly significant
terms as she did of Mr Judge. As she repeated throughout the final years of her life, he was “my only friend.”
After Damodar went to live with the Masters in the mid 1880s, Mr Judge was seemingly the one who truly
understood HPB and who knew her in her inner self as a great Eastern Adept occupying and working
through a female European body.
An impartial examination of the true and undistorted history of the Theosophical Movement (such as the
book “The Theosophical Movement 1875-1950” available from Theosophy Company and the United Lodge
of Theosophists) will show that theirs was a joint work and a joint mission, with them both having the same
Guru, the Master Morya, who continued to communicate with Mr Judge both by letter and other means after
HPB’s departure from the physical plane. ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 4 )
A C C E P T A NC E O F J U D G E ?
We j oin w ith t hose w h o a r e ple a se d to no te an e v e r w ide ning acce ptance of Wil lia m Q. J udge
amongs t A dy ar T he oso phist s a nd thus i ncr e as ing r e f e r e nce s to him and his w r iti ngs in the
T he osophica l w or ld a t la r ge . B ut w ha t doe s it re ally me an t o ac c e pt William Jud ge ? It me a ns
nothin g t o simp ly "a cc e pt" tha t he w a s inde e d one of the thr e e m ai n co - f ounde r s of the
T he osophica l Mov e me nt. T his is a s imple and e v ide nt f act of hi stor y , dist or te d and ob scur e d
f or many de cade s only by the de ce itf ul pol iti cal machina tio ns of A n nie B e sant and he r
f ollow e r s. T o tr uly a cc e pt WQJ me a ns to l ook upon him a s H PB look e d upon him and in t he
light of he r ow n r e cor de d sta te me nt s a bo ut him, many of w hich ar e e xtr e me ly signif icant a nd
impor tan t f r om a n occ ult pe r spe ctiv e . N o - on e w ho continue s to ac c e pt or r e v e re B e sant,
L e adbe ate r , de Pur uck e r , H odson, B a ile y , e tc., can be said to hav e t r uly acce pte d or
unde r stood W illi a m Qu a n J udge or his ce n tr al r ole and impor tan ce f or the T he osophi cal
Mov e me nt, past, pr e se nt, a nd f ut ur e .
-4CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 - THE WELCOME INFLUENCE OF WILLIAM Q. JUDGE
He was the only Theosophist who she ever permitted to enter the Esoteric Section of the Society without
taking the pledge, as she had so much trust and unshakeable confidence in him. In fact, he was in a sense the
co-founder of the Esoteric Section. Recognised by her and others to be inwardly an Indian initiate, he was –
in HPB’s words – the connecting link between the esoteric knowledge of the Trans-Himalayan Brotherhood
and America, where he lived and worked as the head of the American Section of the Theosophical Society
and the Vice-President of the Theosophical Society at large.
She was the perfect Teacher; he was the perfect Student. He laboured to render that great Teaching more
accessible to the world at large.
It can reasonably and justifiably be said that those who claim to respect and revere HPB do not actually do so
unless they also respect and revere WQJ and look upon him in the light of her many recorded statements
about him, affording to him his rightful position as her inseparable colleague and co-worker.
Some earnest students of HPB’s teachings look down on WQJ’s writings with a sort of intellectual pride or
haughtiness. They consider them to be “too simple” or “too basic” for them to bother with and thus dismiss
them as unnecessary or unimportant. They seem unable to recognise that the two are mutually
complementary and that – as Robert Crosbie wrote regarding Mr Judge’s book “The Ocean of Theosophy” –
“The simplicity of the terms used, however, should not mislead the reader into thinking that the work is an
elementary one, for behind and within every statement there is a depth of meaning that the careless and
superficial fail to perceive.”
Sadly, there are still some Theosophists today who hold to the opinion that Theosophy is only for the
“intellectual and well-educated classes” and that there is little point making it available or accessible to the
“average” or “ordinary” person. This is a distinctly un-Theosophical and anti-Theosophical point of view and
one against which Mr Judge always strongly protested. As he often said, “Theosophy is for those who want
it.”
His literary output consists of the following:
The Ocean of Theosophy
Its chapters are (1) Theosophy and The Masters (2) General Principles (3) The Earth Chain (4) Septenary Constitution of
Man (5) Body and Astral Body (6) Kama – Desire (7) Manas (8) Of
Reincarnation (9) Reincarnation Continued (10) Arguments supporting
Reincarnation (11) Karma (12) Kama Loka (13) Devachan (14) Cycles
(15) Differentiation of Species – Missing Links (16) Psychic Laws,
Forces, and Phenomena (17) Psychic Phenomena and Spiritualism.
An Epitome of Theosophy
Echoes from The Orient
Letters That Have Helped Me (Books I, II, & III in one
volume)
The Bhagavad Gita (translation/rendition)
The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (translation/rendition with
explanatory comments)
Notes on the Bhagavad Gita (Commentary on Chapters 1-7 by WQJ and Chapters 8-18 by Robert Crosbie)
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 5)
-5CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 - THE WELCOME INFLUENCE OF WILLIAM Q. JUDGE
A total of 13 spiritual stories or “occult tales” (10 of which are included in “Letters That Have Helped
Me,” Theosophy Company edition)
Their titles are “A Weird Tale,” “A Curious Tale,” “The Serpent’s Blood,” “The Magic Screen of Time,” “The Wandering
Eye,” “The Tell-Tale Picture Gallery,” “The Skin of the Earth,” “The Turn of the Wheel,” “Where The Rishis Were,” “The
Coming of the Serpent,” “The Persian Students’ Doctrine,” “Papyrus,” and “Papyrus – The Gem.”
Hidden Hints in “The Secret Doctrine”
Answers to over 200 questions on all aspects of Theosophical teachings, originally published in three
magazines – “The Vahan,” “The Theosophical Forum,” and “The Path.”
Over 300 articles on all aspects of Theosophy, ranging from “Aphorisms on Karma” to “The Synthesis of
Occult Science” to “Culture of Concentration” to “Theosophical Symbols” to “Remembering the
Experiences of the Ego” to “Practical Theosophy” to “A Commentary on the Gayatri” to “Imagination and
Occult Phenomena” to “Friends or Enemies in the Future” to “Moon’s Mystery and Fate” to “Points of
Agreement in All Religions” to “Our Sun and the True Sun” to “Devachan” to “Is Poverty Bad Karma?” to
“Suicide is Not Death” to “Theosophy Generally Stated” to “The Esoteric She” to “The Closing Cycle” to
“Authorship of The Secret Doctrine” to “The Truth about East and West” to “Reincarnation in the Bible” to
“The Adepts in America in 1776” to “H.S. Olcott versus H.P.B.” to “H.P.B. Was Not Deserted by the
Masters” to an excellent and invaluable series of “Conversations on Occultism” primarily between himself
and HPB and consisting of “The Kali Yuga – The Present Age,” “Elementals and Elementaries,”
“Elementals – Karma,” “Elementals – How They Act,” “Mantrams,” “Laws Governing Elementals,” “Forms
of Elementals,” “Conversations on Occultism with H.P.B.”, “Occult Vibrations”, “Occult Teachings,” “The
Power to Know,” “Mental Discipline,” and “Rules in Occultism” …to much more besides! The majority of
these articles were originally published in “The Path,” “The Theosophist,” and “Lucifer.”
In all of this, never once did he diverge in any way from the teachings of H.P. Blavatsky. On the contrary, his
writings always pointed to her and to her work as being the primary and most important exposition and
presentation of Theosophy.
When many other prominent Theosophists of the time – such as Col. Olcott and Annie Besant – began to
turn against HPB after her death and started endlessly criticising and belittling her and attempting to rewrite
the teachings whilst passing themselves off as being so much better and greater than she, Mr Judge firmly
stood his ground and never failed to defend and support his Teacher and Friend, who the Masters had called
their “Direct Agent” and their “Brother.” As the reward for his unswerving loyalty and faithfulness to both
HPB and genuine Theosophy itself, he was persecuted and attacked unceasingly by Besant, Olcott,
Chakravarti and others, until the day of his untimely death in March 1896.
He had warned his fellow Theosophists that the Theosophical Society would crumble and fade to a mere
shadow if HPB and her teachings were lost sight of. It is an indisputable matter of fact that this is exactly
what has happened to the Theosophical Society (the one with its international headquarters at Adyar) all
around the world.
Robert Crosbie was to William Judge what William Judge was to Madame Blavatsky. In 1909 he founded the
United Lodge of Theosophists (or ULT for short) which now has lodges and study groups in sixteen
countries around the world. Its expressed mission statement is “To spread broadcast the original teachings of
Theosophy as recorded in the writings of H.P. Blavatsky and William Q. Judge.”
Any of our readers in the UK who may be interested in obtaining any of WQJ’s writings and/or any of the
other original and authentic teachings of Theosophy can do so most inexpensively through the ULT in
London, England, whose website is at www.theosophy-ult.org.uk. In the USA and elsewhere, please
visit www.theosophycompany.org or contact your nearest ULT Lodge by using the information at the back
of this magazine
A study of Theosophy is not complete without the wise and guiding presence of William Quan Judge.
∙
-6-
SOME WORDS FROM AN EASTERN ADEPT
(Master Koot Hoomi, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom First Series, Letter 32, p. 75)
"The fundamental principle of occultism is that every idle word is recorded as well as one full of
earnest meaning. I can do nothing unless you help me by helping yourself. Try to realize that in
occultism one can neither go back nor stop. An abyss opens behind every step taken forward."
THE STATE OF NIRVANA
(H.P. Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled Vol. 1, p. 290-291)
"When the spiritual entity breaks loose for ever from every particle of matter, then only it enters
upon the eternal and unchangeable Nirvana. He exists in spirit, in nothing; as a form, a shape, a
semblance, he is completely annihilated, and thus will die no more, for spirit alone is no Maya, but
the only REALITY in an illusionary universe of ever-passing forms. …
"But what is that which has no body, no form; which is imponderable, invisible and indivisible; that
which exists and yet is not?" ask the Buddhists. "It is Nirvana," is the answer. It is NOTHING, not a
region, but rather a state. When once Nirvana is reached, man is exempt from the effects of the
"four truths"; for an effect can only be produced through a certain cause, and every cause is
annihilated in this state.
"These "four truths" are the foundation of the whole Buddhist doctrine of Nirvana. They are, says
the book of Pradjna Paramita, 1. The existence of pain. 2. The production of pain. 3. The
annihilation of pain. 4. The way to the annihilation of pain. What is the source of pain? - Existence.
Birth existing, decrepitude and death ensue; for wherever there is a form, there is a cause for pain
and suffering. Spirit alone has no form, and therefore cannot be said to exist. Whenever man (the
ethereal, inner man) reaches that point when he becomes utterly spiritual, hence, formless, he has
reached a state of perfect bliss. MAN as an objective being becomes annihilated, but the spiritual
entity with its subjective life, will live for ever, for spirit is incorruptible and immortal."
TO LEAD OUR NEIGHBOUR ON THE RIGHT PATH
(The Maha Chohan, The Great Master's Letter p. 1)
"For our doctrines to practically react on the so-called moral code, or the ideas of truthfulness,
purity, self-denial, charity, etc., we have to preach and popularize a knowledge of Theosophy. It is
not the individual and determined purpose of attaining Nirvana - the culmination of all knowledge
and absolute wisdom, which is after all only an exalted and glorious selfishness - but the selfsacrificing pursuit of the best means to lead on the right path our neighbour, to cause to benefit by
it as many of our fellow creatures as we possibly can, which constitutes the true Theosophist."
BY THE LIGHT OF THE SECRET DOCTRINE
(B.P. Wadia, Studies in The Secret Doctrine Book II, p. 14)
"The Esoteric Philosophy of Theosophy does not belong to any religion; every truth in all religions
belongs to it. Therefore the student should learn to examine the dogmas and beliefs of every creed
including the one into which he is born, in and by the light of THE SECRET DOCTRINE and its
exponent - the book of that name; and not reverse the process."
-7-
THE LAW OF KARMA
The following is an excerpt from p. 197-217 of "The Key to Theosophy" by H.P. Blavatsky. It comes from
the eleventh chapter or section, titled "ON THE MYSTERIES OF RE-INCARNATION." We have taken
the liberty of putting some of the most important phrases and statements in bold font.
Q. “You mean, then, that we have all lived on earth before, in many past incarnations, and shall
go on so living?”
A. “I do. The life-cycle, or rather the cycle of conscious life, begins with the separation of the
mortal animal-man into sexes, and will end with the close of the last generation of men, in the
seventh round and seventh race of mankind. Considering we are only in the fourth round and
fifth race, its duration is more easily imagined than expressed.”
Q. “And we keep on incarnating in new personalities all the time?”
A. “Most assuredly so; because this life-cycle or period of incarnation may be best compared to
human life. As each such life is composed of days of activity separated by nights of sleep or
inaction, so, in the incarnation-cycle, an active life is followed by a Devachanic rest.”
Q. “And it is this succession of births that is generally defined as re-incarnation?”
A. “Just so. It is only through these births that the perpetual progress of the countless millions
of Egos toward final perfection and final rest (as long as was the period of activity) can be
achieved.”
Q. “And what is it that regulates the duration, or special qualities of these incarnations?”
A. “Karma, the universal law of retributive justice.”
Q. “Is it an intelligent law?”
A. “For the Materialist, who calls the law of periodicity which regulates the marshalling of the
several bodies, and all the other laws in nature, blind forces and mechanical laws, no doubt
Karma would be a law of chance and no more. For us, no adjective or qualification could
describe that which is impersonal and no entity, but a universal operative law. If you question
me about the causative intelligence in it, I must answer you I do not know.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 8)
-8CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 - HPB ON THE LAW OF KARMA
But if you ask me to define its effects and tell you what these are in our belief, I may say that the
experience of thousands of ages has shown us that they are absolute and unerring equity,
wisdom, and intelligence. For Karma in its effects is an unfailing redresser of human
injustice, and of all the failures of nature; a stern adjuster of wrongs; a retributive law which
rewards and punishes with equal impartiality. It is, in the strictest sense, “no respecter of
persons,” though, on the other hand, it can neither be propitiated, nor turned aside by prayer.
This is a belief common to Hindus and Buddhists, who both believe in Karma.”
Q. “In this Christian dogmas contradict both, and I doubt whether any Christian will accept the
teaching.”
A. “No; and Inman gave the reason for it many years ago. As he puts it, while “the Christians
will accept any nonsense, if promulgated by the Church as a matter of faith … the Buddhists
hold that nothing which is contradicted by sound reason can be a true doctrine of Buddha.”
They do not believe in any pardon for their sins, except after an adequate and just punishment
for each evil deed or thought in a future incarnation, and a proportionate compensation to the
parties injured.”
Q. “Where is it so stated?”
A. “In most of their sacred works. In the “Wheel of the Law” (p. 57) you may find the following
Theosophical tenet:- “Buddhists believe that every act, word or thought has its consequence,
which will appear sooner or later in the present or in the future state. Evil acts will produce evil
consequences, good acts will produce good consequences: prosperity in this world, or birth in
heaven (Devachan) … in the future state.”
Q. “Christians believe the same thing, don’t they?”
A. “Oh, no; they believe in the pardon and the remission of all sins. They are promised that if
they only believe in the blood of Christ (an innocent victim!), in the blood offered by Him for the
expiation of the sins of the whole of mankind, it will atone for every mortal sin. And we believe
neither in vicarious atonement, nor in the possibility of
the remission of the smallest sin by any god, not even
by a “personal Absolute” or “Infinite,” if such a thing
could have any existence. What we believe in, is strict
and impartial justice. Our idea of the unknown
Universal Deity, represented by Karma, is that it is a
Power which cannot fail, and can, therefore, have
neither wrath nor mercy, only absolute Equity, which
leaves every cause, great or small, to work out its
inevitable effects. The saying of Jesus: “With what
measure you mete it shall be measured to you again” (Matth. vii., 2), neither by expression nor
implication points to any hope of future mercy or salvation by proxy. This is why, recognising
as we do in our philosophy the justice of this statement, we cannot recommend too strongly
mercy, charity, and forgiveness of mutual offences. Resist not evil, and render good for evil, are
Buddhist precepts, and were first preached in view of the implacability of Karmic law. For
man to take the law into his own hands is anyhow a sacrilegious presumption. Human Law
may use restrictive not punitive measures; but a man who, believing in Karma, still revenges
himself and refuses to forgive every injury, thereby rendering good for evil, is a criminal and
only hurts himself. ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 9 )
-9CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 - HPB ON THE LAW OF KARMA
As Karma is sure to punish the man who wronged him, by seeking to inflict an additional
punishment on his enemy, he, who instead of leaving that punishment to the great Law adds to
it his own mite, only begets thereby a cause for the future reward of his own enemy and a
future punishment for himself. The unfailing Regulator affects in each incarnation the quality
of its successor; and the sum of the merit or demerit in preceding ones determines it.”
Q. “Are we then to infer a man’s past from his present?”
A. “Only so far as to believe that his present life is what it justly should be, to atone for the
sins of the past life. Of course – seers and great adepts excepted – we cannot as average mortals
know what those sins were. From our paucity of data, it is impossible for us even to determine
what an old man’s youth must have been; neither can we, for like reasons, draw final
conclusions merely from what we see in the life of some man, as to what his past life may have
been.”
Q. “But what is Karma?”
A. “As I have said, we consider it as the Ultimate Law of the Universe, the source, origin and
fount of all other laws which exist throughout Nature. Karma is the unerring law which
adjusts effect to cause, on the physical, mental and spiritual planes of being. As no cause
remains without its due effect from greatest to least, from a cosmic disturbance down to the
movement of your hand, and as like produces like, Karma is that unseen and unknown
law which adjusts wisely, intelligently and equitably each effect to its cause, tracing the latter
back to its producer. Though itself unknowable, its action is perceivable.”
Q. “Then it is the “Absolute,” the “Unknowable” again, and is not of much value as an
explanation of the problems of life?”
A. “On the contrary. For, though we do not know what Karma is per se, and in its essence,
we do know how it works, and we can define and describe its mode of action with accuracy. We
only do not know its ultimate Cause, just as modern philosophy universally admits that
the ultimate Cause of anything is “unknowable.” …
Q. “Well, then, tell me generally how you describe this law of Karma?”
A. “We describe Karma as that Law of re-adjustment which ever tends to restore disturbed
equilibrium in the physical, and broken harmony in the moral world. We say that Karma
does not act in this or that particular way always; but that it always does act so as to restore
Harmony and preserve the balance of equilibrium, in virtue of which the Universe exists.”
Q. “Give me an illustration.”
A. “Later on I will give you a full illustration. Think now of a pond. A stone falls into the water
and creates disturbing waves. These waves oscillate backwards and forwards till at last, owing
to the operation of what physicists call the law of the dissipation of energy, they are brought to
rest, and the water returns to its condition of calm tranquillity. Similarly all action, on every
plane, produces disturbance in the balanced harmony of the Universe, and the vibrations so
produced will continue to roll backwards and forwards, if its area is limited, till equilibrium is
restored. But since each such disturbance starts from some particular point, it is clear that
equilibrium and harmony can only be restored by the reconverging to that same point of all the
forces which were set in motion from it. ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 1 1 )
- 10 -
S T RA I G HT O R FI L T E R E D ?
How can one claim to have any understanding of the Message and Philosophy the Masters gave to the
world if they do not even bother to read and study it in its original form, i.e. primarily in the writings of
H.P. Blavatsky?
This is the case for some Theosophists, who prefer to have their Theosophy filtered through the writings
of later "teachers" and who protest strongly at anyone saying that HPB's writings are not open to
personal interpretation. They seem to think that she invited all Theosophists to "interpret" her work and
words however they wish and however they see best. But is this the case? Not at all.
On the contrary, she stated in the preface to "The Secret Doctrine" that that book's publication had
"been rendered necessary by the wild and fanciful speculations in which many Theosophists and
students of mysticism have indulged, during the last few years, in their endeavour to, as they imagined,
work out a complete system of thought from the few facts previously communicated to them."
She added that "some facts" presented in her and the Masters' teachings "have been seized upon by
various writers, and distorted out of all resemblance to the truth." Nowhere did she ever say anything to
the effect of, "Do what you like with my teachings; interpret them however you want, in any light that
you want, alter them if you want, and present them to others in whatever way suits you the most."
If ever anyone attempted to do this, she protested strongly and attempted to counteract it. Why? Not
because of any jealousy, pettiness, or wanting to be looked upon as some type of great authority, but
simply because she was the one selected and specially trained, taught, and prepared by the Masters to
do their work in the world. She was the one who knew them and who knew exactly what their teachings
and philosophy are. She was the only one the Masters ever referred to as their "Direct Agent."
If we really and truly care about Theosophy as the MASTERS know it and as the MASTERS teach it, then
we will not seek to trim it, change it, dilute it, or "interpret" it in any way at all, for her writings need no
"interpretation," neither from ourselves nor any others. They only need to be diligently and intensively
studied – in their own light and not in the light of the teachings of others, which will only inevitably
cause confusion and misunderstanding – and then they will be found to interpret themselves perfectly.
It is difficult to comprehend the logic behind anyone wanting to be a part of the Theosophical
Movement but at the same time not wanting to study and know Theosophy, the way the Masters chose
to give it to the world.
"These are foolish, insane ideas of yours about Upasika [i.e. HPB], Henry, wretched
thoughts – the mirage thrown upon your brain by some of those who surround you …
You wrong her from beginning to end. You have never understood Upasika, nor the
laws thro’ which her apparent life has been made to work since you knew her. You are
ungrateful and unjust and even cruel. You take maya for reality and reality for
illusion. I have said and shall say no more, and now if you don’t listen and believe
what I now tell you I shall have to turn Karma into a new direction." - Master Morya to Col.
Henry S. Olcott, Letters from The Masters of the Wisdom Second Series, Letter 47, p. 89-90
"It should never be forgotten that She was and is the Teacher. Had this been
remembered, with all that such remembrance implies, the years since Her departure
would have a united body of theosophists before the world, and an increase in power
and knowledge in that body, individually and collectively, which would have served to
direct the thought of Western people into right channels, and avoided many disasters."
- Robert Crosbie, Some Unavoidable Deductions Theosophy Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 8 (June 1913)
- 11 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 - HPB ON THE LAW OF KARMA
And here you have proof that the consequences of a man’s deeds, thoughts, etc. must all react
upon himself with the same force with which they were set in motion.”
Q. “But I see nothing of a moral character about this law. It looks to me like the simple physical
law that action and re-action are equal and opposite.”
A. “I am not surprised to hear you say that. Europeans have got so much into the ingrained
habit of considering right and wrong, good and evil, as matters of an arbitrary code of law laid
down either by men, or imposed upon them by a Personal God. We Theosophists, however, say
that “Good” and “Harmony,” and “Evil” and “Dis-harmony,” are synonymous. Further we
maintain that all pain and suffering are results of want of Harmony, and that the one terrible
and only cause of the disturbance of Harmony is selfishness in some form or another. Hence
Karma gives back to every man the actual consequences of his own actions, without any regard to
their moral character; but since he receives his due for all, it is obvious that he will be made to
atone for all sufferings which he has caused, just as he will reap in joy and gladness the
fruits of all the happiness and harmony he had helped to produce.” …
“And now I advise you to compare our Theosophic views upon Karma, the law of Retribution,
and say whether they are not both more philosophical and just than this cruel and idiotic
dogma which makes of “God” a senseless fiend; the tenet, namely, that the “elect only” will be
saved, and the rest doomed to eternal perdition!”
Q. “Yes, I see what you mean generally; but I wish you could give some concrete example of the
action of Karma?”
A. “That I cannot do. We can only feel sure, as I said before, that our present lives and
circumstances are the direct results of our own deeds and thoughts in lives that are past. But
we, who are not Seers or Initiates, cannot know anything about the details of the working of the
law of Karma.”
Q. “Can anyone, even an Adept or Seer, follow out this Karmic process of re-adjustment in
detail?”
A. “Certainly: “Those who know” can do so by the exercise of powers which are latent even in
all men.”
Q. “Does this hold equally of ourselves as of others?”
A. “Equally. As just said, the same limited vision exists for all, save those who have reached in
the present incarnation the acme of spiritual vision and clairvoyance. We can only perceive
that, if things with us ought to have been different, they would have been different; that we
are what we have made ourselves, and have only what we have earned for ourselves.”
Q. “I am afraid such a conception would only embitter us.”
A. “I believe it is precisely the reverse. It is disbelief in the just law of retribution that is more
likely to awaken every combative feeling in man. A child, as much as a man, resents a
punishment, or even a reproof he believes to be unmerited, far more than he does a severer
punishment, if he feels that it is merited.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 12)
- 12 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 - HPB ON THE LAW OF KARMA
Belief in Karma is the highest reason for reconcilement to one’s lot in this life, and the very
strongest incentive towards effort to better the succeeding re-birth. Both of these, indeed,
would be destroyed if we supposed that our lot was the result of anything but strict Law, or
that destiny was in any other hands than our own.”
Q. “You have just asserted that this system of Re-incarnation under Karmic law commended
itself to reason, justice, and the moral sense. But, if so, is it not at some sacrifice of the gentler
qualities of sympathy and pity, and thus a hardening of the finer instincts of human nature?”
A. “Only apparently, not really. No man can receive more or less than his deserts without a
corresponding injustice or partiality to others; and a law which could be averted through
compassion would bring about more misery than it saved, more irritation and curses than
thanks. Remember also, that we do not administer the law, if we do create causes for its effects;
it administers itself; and again, that the most copious provision for the manifestation
of just compassion and mercy is shown in the state of Devachan.”
Q. “You speak of Adepts as being an exception to the rule of our general ignorance. Do they
really know more than we do of Re-incarnation and after states?”
A. “They do, indeed. By the training of faculties we all possess, but which they alone have
developed to perfection, they have entered in spirit these various planes and states we have
been discussing. For long ages, one generation of Adepts after another has studied the
mysteries of being, of life, death, and re-birth, and all have taught in their turn some of the facts
so learned.”
*
*
*
WHAT THE PRACTICAL THEOSOPHIST WILL DO
(William Q. Judge, Practical Theosophy - article)
"The practical theosophist will do well if he follows the
advice of the Masters now many years in print, to
spread, explain, and illustrate the laws of Karma and
Reincarnation so that they may enter into the lives of
the people. Technical occultism and all the allurements
of the Astral Light may be left for other times. Men's
thoughts must be affected, and this can only be done
now by giving them these two great laws. They not
only explain many things, but they have also an
inherent power due to their truth and their intimate
connection with man, to compel attention.
"Once heard they are seldom forgotten, and even if
rebelled against they have a mysterious power of
keeping in the man's mind, until at last, even against
his first determination, he is forced to accept them."
- 13 -
CHRISTOS - THE CHRIST PRINCIPLE
"Let these unfortunate deluded Christians know that the real Christ of every Christian is the Vach, the
"mystical Voice," while the man Jeshu was but a mortal like any of us, an adept more by his inherent purity
and ignorance of real Evil, than by what he had learned with his initiated Rabbis and the already (at that
period) fast degenerating Egyptian Hierophants and priests." - Master K.H., The Mahatma Letters, Letter #
LIX, p. 344
"Take Paul, read the little of the original that is left of him in the writings attributed to this brave, honest,
sincere man, and see whether any one can find a word therein to show that Paul meant by the word Christ
anything more than the abstract ideal of the personal divinity indwelling in man. For Paul, Christ is not a
person, but an embodied idea. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation," he is reborn, as after initiation,
for the Lord is spirit – the spirit of man. Paul was the only one of the apostles who had understood the secret
ideas underlying the teachings of Jesus, although he had never met him." - HPB, Isis Unveiled Vol. 2, p. 574
"Christos is neither the Christ of the Churches, nor yet the Jesus of the Gospels; it is only an impersonal
Principle." - HPB, The Kabalah and the Kabalists (article)
"Note well, "Christos" with the Gnostics meant the impersonal principal, the Atman of the Universe, and the
Atma within every man's soul – not Jesus." - HPB, The Secret Doctrine Vol. 1, p. 132
"No true theosophist will accept any more a carnalised Christ … than an anthropomorphic God, and still less
a 'Pastor' in the person of a Pope …" - HPB, On Pseudo-Theosophy (article)
"… "the coming of Christ," means the presence of CHRISTOS in a regenerated world, and not at all the actual
coming in body of "Christ" Jesus; this Christ is to be sought neither in the wilderness nor "in the inner
chambers," nor in the sanctuary of any temple or church built by man; for Christ – the true esoteric SAVIOUR
– is no man, but the DIVINE PRINCIPLE in every human being. He who strives to resurrect the Spirit crucified
in him by his own terrestrial passions, and buried deep in the "sepulchre" of his sinful flesh; he who has the
strength to roll back the stone of matter from the door of his own inner sanctuary, he has the risen Christ in
him.” - HPB, The Esoteric Character of the Gospels (article)
"The Christ of esoteric science is the Christos of Spirit – an impersonal principle entirely distinct from any
carnalised Christ or Jesus." - HPB, Footnote in response to the Abbe Roca’s "Esotericism of Christian Dogma"
(article)
"Theosophy … hushes the "Lo here! and lo there!" and declares the Christ, like the kingdom of heaven, to be
within. … With the advent of Theosophy, the Messiah-craze surely has had its day, and sees its doom." - HPB,
Modern Apostles and Pseudo-Messiahs (article)
"I write in every letter that a divine Christ (or Christos) has never existed under a human form outside the
imagination of blasphemers who have carnalized a universal and entirely impersonal principle." - HPB, Reply
to the Mistaken Conceptions of the Abbe Roca concerning my Observations on Christian Esotericism (article)
"In carnalizing the central figure of the New Testament, in imposing the dogma of the Word made flesh, the
Latin Church sets up a doctrine diametrically opposed to the tenets of Buddhist and Hindu Esotericism and
the Greek Gnosis. Therefore, there will always be an abyss between the East and the West, as long as neither
of these dogmas yields. Almost 2,000 years of bloody persecution against Heretics and Infidels by the Church
looms before the Oriental nations to prevent them from renouncing their philosophic doctrines in favour of
that which degrades the Christos principle. … The true Christians died with the last of the Gnostics, and the
Christians of our day are but the usurpers of a name they no longer understand. As long as this is the case,
Orientals cannot agree with Occidentals; no blending of religious ideas would be possible between them." HPB, Notes on Abbe Roca’s "Esotericism of Christian Dogma" (article)
UNITED LODGE OF THEOSOPHISTS
The United Lodge of Theosophists is not the same as The Theosophical Society, nor is it a branch of that
Society or connected with any organisation of that name. It is an entirely independent, unaffiliated, and
voluntary association of students of Theosophy who wish to study its teachings without the unnecessary
elements of organisations, leaders, political conflicts, and attention seeking personalities. These are some
of the things which altered the focus and affected the work of the original Theosophical Society after
HPB passed away and which eventually led to the founding of the ULT in Los Angeles, California, in
1909, by Robert Crosbie, who had been a co-worker in the USA with Mr Judge and a pupil of both he
and HPB. Today the ULT has lodges and study groups in sixteen nations around the world. Its
expressed mission statement has always been very clear and specific: "To spread broadcast the original
teachings of Theosophy as recorded in the writings of H.P. Blavatsky and William Q. Judge." It is in
essence a practical philosophical school, a School of Theosophy, with the only Teachers being HPB and
WQJ. Everyone in the ULT is a student; none are "teachers."
We include here some contact details which may be useful for those of our readers who are looking for
spiritual centres, study groups, etc. which are representative of genuine Theosophy.
BELGIUM - Geunieerde Loge Van Theosofen, Sint-Norbertusstraat 16, Antwerp B-2060 – Tel: 03/233 17 76 or 03/666 94
13 – www.theosofie.be – Email: [email protected] *** BRAZIL/PORTUGAL - Email: [email protected] and
[email protected] *** CANADA - London, Ontario: 799 Adelaide Street, London, Ontario, N5Y 2L8 – Tel: (519) 4323111 – Email: [email protected] * Ottawa: 1001 Gregg Street, Ottawa, Ontario, KIV 6H3 – Tel: (613) 596-1495 or (613)
731-1017 *** CAMEROON - B.P. 11372, Localisation Ndog-Bong (Bassa) or PO Box 7335, Douala – Tel: (237) 74 53 91 00
and (237) 94 17 12 32 – www.theosophie-cm.org and www.youtube.com/theosophiecameroun –
Email: [email protected] *** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - 519 Edificio Rody, Apdo B-1 El Millón, Santo
Domingo, Republica Dominicana – Tel: (809) 531-8316 *** ENGLAND - Robert Crosbie House, 62 Queens Gardens,
London, W2 3AH - Tel: 020 7723-0688 or 07753619953 – www.theosophy-ult.org.uk – Email: [email protected]
*** FRANCE - Paris: Loge Unie des Théosophes, 11 Rue Kepler, Paris 75116 – Tel: 47.20.42.87 or 49.52.08.28
– www.theosophie.fr (also www.textes-theosophiques.fr and www.horizonstheosophiques.fr) – Email:
[email protected] * Dijon: Reunions D’etude, 17 Cour Henri Chabeuf (entree de la cour a cote du 27 rue Chabot
Charny) Dijon 21000 – Tel: 80.31.89.25 – www.theosophie-dijon.com – Email: [email protected] * Tarentaise:
Bourg-St-Maurice – Tel: 06.14.90.93.81 – www.theosophie-spiritualite.com – Email: [email protected] *
Lyon – Tel: 07.60.75.00.21 – http://theosophia.theosophie-lyon.com – Email: [email protected]
*** GREECE - Charilaou Trikoupi 60 (Third Floor), Athens, 10680, Contact and mailing address: 6 Dilboi Str., 17121 Nea
Smyrni, Athens – Tel: (011) 30 210 9334841 – www.blavatsky.gr – Email: [email protected] *** HAITI - Unie des
Theosophes, P.O. Box #107 Jacmel, Haiti – Tel: 509-36244836 –Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
*** ITALY - LUT Centro, Studi Teosofici H.P. Blavatsky, Via Isonzo 33, 10141 Torino (Turin), Italia –
www.prometheos.com/LUT *** INDIA - Mumbai: Theosophy Hall, 40 New Marine Lines, Mumbai (Bombay) 400 020 –
Tel: 203 9024 or after hours 208 5137 – Email: [email protected] * Natinikunj Sri Marubai Gaundevi Mandir Road,
Matunga, Mumbai (Bombay), 400 019 * Bangalore: Maitri Bhavan, 4 Sir Krishna Rao Road, Basavangudi, Bangalore 560004 – Email: [email protected] - www.ultindia.org *** MEXICO - Mexico City: Carpatos 34-7, Alpes Aguilas 01010,
Mexico City – Tel: 011-52-5651-7086 – Email: [email protected] * Guadalajara: Calle Manuel M. Dieguez, #612,
Colonia Santa Teresita, Guadalajara, Jalisco, 44600, Mexico *** NETHERLANDS - Geunieerde loge van Theosofen, Wijk
& Dienstencentrum‘t Klokhuis, Celebesstraat 4, 2585 TJ Den Haag (The Hague), Contact and mailing address: Elzendreef
279, 2272 CM Voorburg, The Netherlands – Tel: +31 (70)-3 86 57 12 or +31 (10)-4 51 35 98 *** SWEDEN Köpenhamnsvägen 13 c, 217 55 Malmö, Sweden – Tel: 070 376 47 47 – www.teosofiskakompaniet.net (also
http://teosofiskakompanietsljudblogg.blogspot.com) – Email: [email protected] *** USA Theosophy Hall, 245 West 33rd Street Los Angeles, California 90007 – Tel: (213) 748-7244 – www.ult-la.org – Email:
[email protected] * 3766 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, California 92105 – www.theosophysandiego.org * 810 Gonzales
Drive, San Francisco, California 94132 – Tel: (415) 586-9678 or (415) 586-2245 * Crosbie Hall, 326 West Sola Street, Santa
Barbara, California 93101 – Tel: (805) 965-3917 – www.theosophysb.org and www.theosophy.org * Ventura County
Theosophy Study Group, Newbury Park, California – www.theosophyventura.org * Theosophy Hall, 347 East 72nd
Street, New York, New York 10021 – Tel: (212) 535-2230 – www.ult.org – Email: [email protected] * 1917 Walnut Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 – Tel: (215) 563-4692 – www.ultphiladelphia.org – Email: [email protected] *
Theosophy Hall, 77 West Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix, Arizona 85003 – Tel: (602) 290-0563 – www.phx-ult-lodge.org –
Email: [email protected] * 4865 Cordell Avenue, Suite 230, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 – Tel: (301) 656-3566
– www.ultdc.org and www.youtube.com/ultbethesda
The ULT also provides an extensive range of original Theosophical books and literature.
"Pure Theosophy" is produced independently by those responsible for the BlavatskyTheosophy.com website
and is not an official publication of the United Lodge of Theosophists.