Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tl00792)

>Edgar "Mauricio" Rivera wrote:
>>  - What is Theosophy? I have read Webster's description so far but seems
>>  to differ a little bit from what I hear in this list.
and Bart states
>    . . . I would define "theosophy" for you as the search for the basic
>truth or truths underlying science, religion, and philosophy.
>(Edgar)
>> - How is Theosophy differs from other philosophies (i.e. Yoga,
>> Rosicruscians, Brahmanism, alchemy, gnostics, etc) in a basic way.
>(Bart)
>	The others are belief systems. Theosophy is a method for building a
>belief system.
>

The difinitive answer can be found in Blavatsky's writings (AKA those 'Black
and Blue' volumes called 'Colected Writings'):

(1879) "What is Theosophy"
Theosophy is, then, the archaic Wisdom-Religion, the esoteric doctorine once
known in every ancient country having claims to civilisation.  This "Wisdom"
all the old writings show us as an emanation of the divine Principle...under
this designation, all of the ancient philosophers of the east and west, the
Hierophants of old egypt, the Rishis of Aryavarta, the Theodidaktoi of
Greece, included all knoledge of things occult and essentially
divine...Every Theosophist, then, holding to a theory of the Deity "which
has not revelation, but an inspiration of his own for its basis," may accept
accept any of the above definitions or belong to any of the above religions,
and yet remain in within the boundries of Theosophy.  For the latter is
belief in the deity as the ALL, the source of all existance, the infinite
that cannot be comprenended or known, the universe alone revealing "It", or,
as some prefer it, Him"

(1886) "Original Program of the Theosophical Society"
Theosophy is an all-embrasing Science; many are the ways leading to it, as
numerous in fact as its definitions, which begin by the sublime, during the
day of Ammonious Saccas, and ended by the ridiculus - in Webster's Dictionary.

Theosophy must not represent merely a collection of moral verities, a bundle
of metaphysical ethics epitomized in theoretical dissertations.  Theosophy
must be made practical, and has, therefore, to be disencumbered of useless
discussion...It has to find objective expression in an all-embrasing code of
life throughly impregnated with its spirit - the spirit of mutual
tollerance, charity and love.

(1888) "The Theosophical Society"
But though Theosophy means Divine Wisdom, it implies nothing resembling
belief in a personal god. It is not "the wisdom of God," but "divine" wisdom.

(1888) "Is Theosophy a Religion"
Theosophy is not a religion, we say, but Religion itself, the one bond of
unity, which is so universal and all embrasing that no man, as no speck -
from gods and mortal down to animals, the blade of grass and atom - can be
outside of it's light.  Therefore any organization or body of that name must
nessasarily be a UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD.

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       "The degree of success or failure are the landmarks the masters have to
        follow, as they will constitute the barriers placed with your own hands
        between yourselves and those you have asked to be your teachers.
        The nearer your approach to the goal contemplated - the shorter the
        distance between the student and the Master."