HPB-SB-12-178

H. P. Blavatsky Scrapbooks

from Adyar archives of the International Theosophical Society

T i

vol. 12, p. 178

vol. 12

page 178

 

SBT, DT

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eng • рус

< Notes by the Way (continued from page 12-177) >

and in pouring scorn upon them think they have annihilated a religion the beauties and moral sublimities of which, where separated from the obliquities of its professors, they seem quite unable to comprehend.

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There is no talk of any antagonism between Spiritualism and Christianity. Spiritualists are fully alive to the moral excellence of the Christian code: they reverence the pure life of the Christ: and only a few among them make the mistake of confounding the essential principles of the system with the disfigurements which time and man's meddling have put upon it. Some Spiritualists, no doubt, see strongly the faults and failings that inhere in any system of Ecclesiasticism: many are willing to go a long way towards reform: an increasing number recognise the extreme beauty of the Buddhistic philosophy, and are disposed to be angry at the contemptuous ignoring of it by the average Western mind. But no portion worth a thought is disposed to flout the religious beliefs of the most influential and progressive peoples of the world, or to seek any alliance against what they trust to see purified and purged of error, simplified and confirmed in its essential elements of truth, by the increasing spread of a pure Spiritual philosophy. It is nothing short of a confessed incompetency for any real criticism to estimate Spiritualism by the ineptitudes of a promiscuous seance, and Christianity by the vagaries of some of its erratic adherents, or by the foolish utterances of some fanatical missionary. I hope that we have both some better work to do than to run amuck against the religious beliefs of any man. The Theosophists have before them an excellent work in popularising the hidden lore of ancient India. I would find no fault with them if they devoted themselves to the elucidation of the powers of the human spirit: or to the demonstration of the many beauties of the Buddhistic philosophy and religion. It is not necessary to that end that either Christianity or Spiritualism should be persistently depicted by a caricature of its worst deformities.

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I find that I have not properly described the “pungent and offensive odour” alluded to in the last Teachings (No. 17). I spoke of it as peppermint. I should have said pennyroyal (pulegium). The former word conveys an idea that to some minds would not be suggestive of disgust, whereas I am sure no one could endure to breathe that foul odour of which I speak. As a matter of fact, moreover, the garments were never purified, but were destroyed. These details are not important, except as they emphasise the striking nature of what has always seemed to be a profoundly striking and instructive phenomenon. The perfume was, at starting, of remarkable delicacy, and of extreme sweetness. An argumentative discussion, provoking a condition of irritability and inharmoniousness in the medium, sufficed to change this material substance into something foul, offensive, and intolerable. There is a proof of the influence of mind on matter; or, at least, of an unseen Spirit-operator on what had an objective material existence. The previous conditions of harmony and beauty gave place to intolerable discord, to which, as to a congenial atmosphere, "alien influences" were attracted, and which were fitly typified by the foul odour from which we all fled in dismay. It seems to me that this incident conveys in a parable profound spiritual lessons.

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In reviewing Mr. Lillie’s “Buddha and Early Buddhism” in the Psychological Review, I incidentally stated my conviction that the meaning of annihilation attached to Nirvana by such writers as Professor Monier Williams was quite erroneous. I quoted the words of Jesus to his disciples as nearer the mark—“The kingdom of heaven is within you.” In the Spectator (February 25th) Mr. Rhys-Davids has a letter strongly enforcing the same idea. “Nirvana,” he says, “in the earliest Buddhist records, is only death in the sense of death to trespasses and sins: it is always death in the sense of the extinction of ‘excitement’ in its three forms of lust, malice, and delusion. The Christian might say to the converted, ‘Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Ye are born again to peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. ‘The early Buddhist would say, ‘Ye are dead already in this world, and ye are alive again in the peace and joy of Arahatship.’ No doubt the selfness, the love of individuality is extinct in Nirvana, which is invariably described as a state of mind to be reached here on earth (very closely akin to ‘the kingdom of Heaven which is within you’), but the same may be said of the Christian ideal.” This is a striking confirmation of the view which, the more I think of it, commends itself more decidedly to my mind. There is very much in the writings of James Hinton, on whom Mr. Rhys-Davids is commenting, that is very interesting to the philosophical Spiritualist in relation to these matters.

M.A. (Oxon.)

The Himalayan Brothers

Colonel Olcott has requested us to publish in “Light” the following letter, which has been addressed to the editor of the Spiritualist:—

Theosophical Society, President’s Office,

Bombay, 7th February, 1882.

To the Editor of the “Spiritualist.”

Sir,—About two months ago, I sent you from Ceylon a letter respecting my personal knowledge of the so-called “Himalayan Brothers,” which has not yet been published in your columns. It was called forth by your editorial remark that I have not given public testimony to the fact of their existence; and the necessary implication that my silence was due to disbelief in the same, or at least to lack of proof sufficient to make me willing to so commit myself. Pray allow me to set the question at rest, once for all.

I have seen them, not once but numerous times.

I have talked to them. I was not entranced, nor mediumistic, nor hallucinated, but always in my sober senses.

I have corresponded with them, receiving their letters, sometimes enclosed inside the letters of ordinary correspondents, upon common-place subjects, coming to me by post; sometimes written on blank spaces or margins of such ordinary letters: sometimes dropped to me in full light from out the air; sometimes in their own covers, through the post, and from places where I had no other correspondents, and where they personally did not reside, and in other ways.

I have seen them, both in their bodies and their doubles, usually the latter.

First and last, as many as thirty or forty other witnesses have seen them in my presence.

I have thus personally known “Koot Hoomi” since 1875, making his acquaintance in New York.

Since November last, four different Brothers have made themselves visible to visitors at our head-quarters.

I know the Brothers to be living men and not Spirits; and they have told me that there are schools, under appointed living adepts, where their Occult science is regularly taught.

It is all this actual knowledge of them and close observation of multifarious phenomena shown me by them, under non-mediumistic conditions, that has made me take the active part I have in the Theosophical movement of the day.

And their precept and example has made me try to do some practical good to the Asiatics. For their lives and their knowledge are devoted to the welfare of mankind. Though unseen by, they yet labour for, humanity. The first lesson I, as a pupil, was required by them to learn, and having learnt, to put into practice, was—unselfishness.

For the sake of their fellow men some of them have made sacrifices as great as any that history records of any philanthropist.

Your “S.” (Spiritualist, January 20th) is a sibillant cackler, and your man “Beyond the Grave” another. Their talk is that of the ignorant. If they want to be convinced (which does not appear certain) of the practical benefit our Theosophical Society is doing, let them come here; visit our branches in India and Ceylon; talk with our members, of various races; examine our schools; see our vernacular publications; mingle with the crowds that throng at our lectures; take a consensus among the missionaries (whose diatribes are our best certificate). The Amrita Bazar Patrika is, I believe, the most widely circulated vernacular paper in India. It says of me (January 12th);— “Whether there be ‘Himalayan Brothers’ or not, there is at least one white man who is acting like a brother to the Sinhalese and will as occasion permits it act similarly to the Hindus. If it be not asking too much, we would request the Colonel to come to the City of Palaces and enlighten the Calcutta public on subjects with which he is so familiar and which are calculated to do so much good to the Hindu nation.”

In conclusion, if you or your correspondents can show that in a single instance our Society has done harm to the community or to individuals, I ask you to make the fact known. I believe that we are doing good, practical as well as spiritual, and that we can prove it by “a multitude of witnesses.”

H. S. Olcott.

Editor's notes

Sources

• 

  Light, v. 2, No. 61, March 4, 1882, p. 98