2nd and Revised Edition 2018 (online only). First Edition copyright © 1945 by Theosophical University Press; copyright renewed 1973 by Theosophical University Press. Electronic version ISBN 1-55700-092-1. All rights reserved. This edition may be downloaded for off-line viewing without charge. No part of this publication may be reproduced for commercial or other use in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of Theosophical University Press. For ease of searching, no diacritical marks appear in this electronic version of the text.
Compilers' Preface to 1st Edition
Central Asia, Cradleland of our Race
Side-Lights on H. P. Blavatsky
On Cagliostro
The Six Great Schools of the Ancients
The Root-Race and its Sub-Divisions
After the Kali-Yuga — ?
Elemental Kingdoms and Cosmic Elements
The Doctrine of Swabhava
The Sevenfold Seven Principles
Origins of Christianity
The Principles of a Buddha's Constitution
Symbolism in the Story of Jesus
Opportunity in Kali-Yuga
The Eucharist
"There is no Eternally Unchanging Principle in Man"
Planetary Chains and Principles
Development of Man's Principles in the Rounds
The Mystical Temple of Solomon
How the Human Soul Returns to Earth
The Surplus of Life
More About the Surplus of Life
The Four Beasts of the Christian Apocalypse
Monkeys, Apes and Early Man
The Child Mirrors the Race
Opening Lines of Genesis
The Origin of Good and Evil
What Are Cosmic Rays?
Not My Will but Thine Be Done
Good and Evil
The Life-Period of a Planetary Chain
Evolution into the Human Kingdom — I
Evolution into the Human Kingdom — II
Evolution into the Human Kingdom — III
The Closing of the Door into the Human Kingdom
Lunar and Agnishwatta Pitris
The Monads in Man
On Absolute Light
Lokas and Talas
Conscience and Intuition
Root-Races and Life-Waves
The Seven Colors of the Spectrum
Requisites of Chelaship — I
Requisites of Chelaship — II
Failures of Previous Rounds
The Incarnation of the Highest Seven
The Birth of the Sons of Wisdom
The Great Sacrifice
Spheres of Expectation
Asuras and Suras
The Seven Embryonic Humanities
Manasaputras, Lunar Pitris, Animal Monads, etc.
The Forces of the Universe
Tsong-Kha-Pa and Planetary Spirits
Hints on the History of the Root-Races
Spiritual Failures
Correspondences in the Rounds
All Things Contribute to All Things
Processes After Death
"The Tower of Infinite Thought"
Is It Necessary to Experience Evil?
Avalokitesvara — The Divine Presence
Elementals and Elementaries, etc.
Heat and Cold on Jupiter, etc.
Comets and Meteors
What are the Sishtas?
Differences in the Second Round
The 777 Imbodiments
The Building of the Globes
Devachan and the Seven Principles
Light From the East
Last Moments Before and After Death
Manvantaras, Kalpas, etc.
The Nature of the Buddhic Principle
The Doctrine of Tulku
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
Occultism and Psychic Phenomena
Survey of the Teachings on the Planetary Chains
Immortality and Continuity
The Three Fundamental Propositions of The Secret Doctrine
Maha-Yugas in a Manvantara
Life-Energies from Moon to Earth
The Scientific Reason for not Judging Others
"The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost"
Rationale of Crystal-Gazing
Real Birth-Date of Jesus
Concentration and Meditation
The Seven Original Human Groups
Cyclic Progression not Repetition
Is the Sun Hot or Cold?
Was the Founding of the T. S. Premature?
Fossils from Third Round
Nature of Cosmic Ether
The Ancient Language of Senzar
Origin of the Red Indian
Microsomes and Centrosomes
Arctic Origin of Plant and Animal
Heart, the Most Evolved Organ
Teachings on Chakras Esoteric
Recorded Life of Krishna an Allegory
Radioactivity and the Rounds
The Book of Dzyan
The Delphic Oracle
The Door into the Human Kingdom
Theosophy and Occultism
Suffering in Animal Kingdom
Vegetarianism
Masters not Infallible
The Absolute
Days and Nights of Brahma
Each Root-Race Has its Kali-Yuga
Paradox of the Manasaputras
Genuine Meditation
Twelve Globes in a Chain
Explanation of Heaven and Hell
Man a Host of Monads
Overlapping in Geological Periods
No Communication with the Dead
Divinity, Spirit and Soul
Prayer and Petitioning
Ethics as well as Intellect
Sub-Races of the Fifth Root-Race
Metaphysics of Consciousness and the Nature of Suffering
No Conflict in Duties
The Nature of Deity
Why Were The Mahatma Letters Printed?
Theosophy and Mahayana Buddhism
The Absolute, a Relative Term
Is the Spiritual Ego Immortal?
Masters do not Interfere
The Many and the One in Man
The Manasaputric Light
Leave Those in Kama-Loka Alone
The Kama Principle in Mediumship
Thoughts are Elemental Beings
Souls and Monads
The Dual Aspect of Manas
The Seven Principles
The Ancient Egyptians
Future of Christianity
Seeking a Teacher
The Meaning of Osiris and Isis
The Symbol of the Winged Globe
Theophany, Theopneusty, Theopathy
Rejection of a Teacher's Message
Imagination and Fancy
Pantheism and Universal Consciousness
Meaning of the Term Chaldean
Ancient America, Egypt and India
Civilizations of Pre-History
Age of the Great Pyramids
Swabhava and the Monad
Reincarnation and Early Christianity
The Three Logoi
The Nature of Evil and Free Will in Man
The Mystery of the Pratyeka-Buddha
The North Polar Continent
The Writing of the Four Gospels
Man Made in His Own Image
Soul The Intermediate Principle
The Doctrine of the Trinity
Symbolism of the Serpent
Significance of the Swastika
The Seven Jewels of Wisdom
The Question of Creation
The Evolutionary Urge
Explanation of 'Group-Soul'
Where am 'I'?
Lost Souls, Laggard Egos, and the Descent of Matter
Doubtful Value of Certain Visions
Proof of After-Death States
Reincarnation and the Earth's Population
The Nightmare of War
The Spiritual State of Nirvana
Mind, the Slayer of the Real
Lunar Pitris Before Fourth Round
Manasaputras Before Fourth Round
Meaning of Fohat
Racial Buddhas
A Planet and its Satellites
The Penalty of Separateness
Significance of Dreams
No Historical Record of Jesus
Obscure Origin of the Gospels
Prajapatis, Amshaspends, Kabiri, etc.
The Logos as Individual and Hierarchy
Nations and Races as Entities
The Tower of Babel
Pythagorean Injunctions
Evolution and the Control of the Life-Atoms
Formation of the Kama-Rupa
The Sevenfold Kama-Rupic Moon
Worship of the Inner Divinity
The Lamaic Succession in Tibet
No Remission of Sins
Hierarchies Within Hierarchies
Consolation Regarding Death
How Old Are the Hindu Schools of Philosophy?
Healing Methods and Karman
Octaves of Radiation in the Cosmic Scale
Theosophic Conception of Destiny
On Foretelling the Future
Mystery of the Growing Plant
Individuality and Personality
Centers of Ancient Mystery-Teachings
A Line of Zoroasters
Mystery-Schools of Today
How Old is the Aryan Race?
The Occult Doctrine Concerning the Ego
The Status of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana
The Meaning of Aum
The Term Paramita
Was Christianity Responsible for the Dark Ages?
The Ten Avataras of Vishnu
Is Hypnotic Practice Ever Justifiable?
Plato on Reincarnation
Complicate Nature of Man
The Monad and the Monadic Essence
Types of Devachan
Cataclysms as Ways of Establishing Balance
Origin of the Surya-Siddhanta
Looking Within
Did Jesus Suffer?
The Puranas and the Great Epics of India
The Separation of the Sexes
Qabbalistic and Theosophic Principles
Androgynous and Hermaphrodite
The Destiny of the Animal Kingdom
Do We Evolve in Eternity?
Ever-Moving Infinite Life
Since Dr. de Purucker's death two collections of writings left by him have been published. Messages to Conventions appeared in 1943. That was a manual of inspired advice to all Fellows of the Theosophical Society interested in the policies, work and purposes of the Theosophical Movement. Wind of the Spirit was published in 1944. This presented the devotional and practical aspect of Theosophy, illuminating the Way for each individual as he tries to live the life. STUDIES IN OCCULT PHILOSOPHY now presents the deep philosophical and mystical reaches of theosophical doctrine. Very fittingly then, these three volumes cover the organizational, the devotional, and the scientific-philosophical — the triangle of Wisdom which gives power, understanding and vision to the aspirant, lacking any one of which he is as a disciple incomplete.
In this present volume are found no new and fanciful bypaths beaten out and attractively advertised. Its metes and bounds are always the original doctrines presented by H. P. Blavatsky and the Masters. But within these bounds the drilling and the boring sinks deep, and therefore it would be a mistake to consider it a primer in occultism or a simple introduction to Theosophy. Its appeal is to the mind already bound to Theosophy, already dedicated to a constant and determined search for truth. It needs no apologia, no special championing from those already persuaded of its inherent value to the theosophical cause. But the gauge by which it should be measured is broader than this. Acceptance or rejection must in the last analysis come from all students of H. P. B.'s writings, to whatever branch of the great Movement they belong. They must be willing, however, to bring to its consideration minds frankly and openly impartial. This at least is to be expected of those who claim to have placed Truth above all lesser objectives, that Truth which H. P. B. described as "high-seated upon its rock of adamant, alone eternal and supreme."
Surely the time has passed in the slow onward moving of Theosophical activity when the craze for signs and wonders holds attraction. Such are for the fainthearted, as H. P. B. says. What we look for in all Theosophical writing is an explanation of life and its multitudinous mysteries, the presentation of a "philosophy of the rational explanation of things."
A few words may be necessary about the contents of the book itself. The "Transactions of the Headquarters Lodge," which include The Secret Doctrine and The Mahatma Letters series, were talks given at the regular lodge study-evenings at International Headquarters. At these meetings Theosophical books were studied, the topic being presented by some speaker and followed by general discussion. Then it was G. de P.'s custom to pick up the threads of the ideas brought up and to weave them into a coherent picture, correcting misconceptions of teaching, strengthening weak points of logic, explaining seeming contradiction or paradox. It was not his effort to give an exhaustive treatise on any subject, nor do the Compilers feel that this present collation presents the complete philosophy. Its value lies in the richness of hints thrown out, and as a record of what was actually for over a dozen years studied by the group at Headquarters. It likewise shows the wide range of theosophical doctrine with which G. de P. was conversant, his grasp of fundamentals and of details, as well as his manner of teaching, which was not labored or planned, but given extemporaneously and with no attempt to parade a finished style.
In the Question-and-Answer Section the questions for the most part have been left as originally formulated by the questioner. They include inquiries from students scattered all over the world, many of which appeared currently in The Theosophical Forum, and many others of which have been gathered since G. de P.'s death from letters he wrote to students. The Compilers are particularly indebted to scholars at Theosophical University for material thus made available — C. J. Ryan, Judith Tyberg, Emma D. Wilcox, A. J. Stover, L. G. Plummer, Grace F. Knoche.
The longer articles are from varied sources. 'The Doctrine of Tulku' was written for the Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary, edited by G. de P., still in manuscript; 'Buddhas and Bodhisattvas' appeared in The English Theosophical Forum; 'Occultism and Psychic Phenomena' and 'Immortality and Continuity' are reprints from The Occult Review (London); 'Is it Right to Practise Hypnotism?' is condensed from The Occult Review; 'Survey of the Teachings on the Planetary Chains' is from a letter to a student.
With full appreciation of their responsibility in the preparation of this material, the Compilers, as in the two preceding books, have avoided anything but the most necessary editing and therefore have refrained from even such documentation as might by some be considered helpful in a work of this recondite nature.
For invaluable help in checking certain scientific data the Compilers have had the assistance of Dr. Charles J. Ryan and Dr. Henry T. Edge.
Finally, it should be on record that there are certain articles which G. de P. never saw in transcription. These are listed at the end of this volume.
HELEN SAVAGE
W. EMMETT SMALL
Covina, California, July 11, 1945
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