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B

Buchanan, Robert Williams +

Scottish poet, novelist and dramatist. An extract from his letter on modern civilization was reproduced in the London correspondence of the November 1890 issue of ''The Theosophist''. +

Buck J.D. - Modern World Movements +

A book by [[Buck, Jirah Dewey|J. D. Buck]] (Chicago, Indo-American Book Co., 1913). Pages 39–41 describe the transmission of [[Skinner, James Ralston|J. R. Skinner]]’s Kabbalistic manuscript to [[Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna|H. P. Blavatsky]] and her response; a forty-page letter from her to Skinner is also mentioned. ([[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]], [[Zirkoff B. - Compilers Notes (4)#220|BCW 8:220]]) +

Buck, E. +

Identified in ''The Theosophist'' as Director of Agriculture in the North-Western Provinces. A letter from him to H. S. Olcott, dated 20 February 1880, was printed in June 1880 in connection with agricultural work. His initials are retained without an unverified expansion. +

Buck, Jirah Dewey +

American physician, Freemason and Theosophical writer. He helped establish the Cincinnati Theosophical Society and the American Section of the Theosophical Society. His books include ''Mystic Masonry''. American physician, homeopathic educator, Mason and early Theosophist. He led the Cincinnati branch, served on the American Section's Executive Committee and contributed to ''The Path'', ''The Theosophist'' and ''Lucifer''. His books include ''The Nature and Aim of Theosophy'' (1887) and ''Mystic Masonry'' (1896). (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.3)#498|3:498-499]][[SMW::on]]). Bibliographical references include: Modern World Movements. Indo-American Book Co. Chicago, 1913. 191 pp (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.8)#421|8:421]][[SMW::on]]). Described his search for occult knowledge, study of Theosophy and investigation of séances; asked [[Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna|H. P. Blavatsky]] how mediumistic drawings differed from appearances of the Teachers’ astral forms. ([[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]], [[Blavatsky H.P. - Comment on Curious Mediumistic Phenomena#293|BCW 4:293]]) His article The Cabbalah appeared in The Theosophist, volume V, November 1883, pp. 44–45. [[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]] reads it as suggesting that [[Skinner, James Ralston|J. R. Skinner]] possessed one or more unpublished manuscripts. ([[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]], [[Blavatsky H.P. - The Kabalah and the Kabalists at the Close of the Nineteenth Century#271|BCW 7:271]])

Buckle, Henry Thomas +

English historian, author of ''History of Civilization in England''. Also known as a chess player. (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.1)#448|1:448]][[SMW::on]]). +

Buddha +

Lit., “The Enlightened”. The highest degree of knowledge. To become a Buddha one has to break through the bondage of sense and personality; to acquire a complete perception of the REAL SELF and learn not to separate it from all otherselves; to learn by experience the utter unreality of all phenomena of the visible Kosmos foremost of all; to reach a complete detachment from all that is evanescent and finite, and live while yet on Earth in the immortal and the everlasting alone, in a supreme state of holiness [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG). +

Buddha Siddharta +

The name given to Gautama, the Prince of Kapilavastu, at his birth. It is an abbreviation of ''sarvârtthasiddha ''and means, the “realization of all desires”. Gautama, which means, on earth (''gâu'') the most victorious (''tama'') “was the sacerdotal name of the Sâkya family, the kingly patronymic of the dynasty to which the father of Gautama, the King Suddhodhana of Kapilavastu, belonged. Kapilavastu was an ancient city, the birth‐place of the Great Reformer and was destroyed during his life time. In the title ''Sâkyamuni, ''the last component, ''muni'', is rendered as meaning one mighty in charity, isolation and silence”, and the former Sâkya is the family name. Every Orientalist or Pundit knows by heart the story of Gautama, the Buddha, the most perfect of mortal men that the world has ever seen, but none of them seem to suspect the esoteric meaning underlying his prenatal biography, i.e., the significance of the popular story. The ''Lalitavistûra ''tells the tale, but abstains from hinting at the truth. The 5,000 ''jâtakas, ''or the events of former births (re‐incarnations) are taken literally instead of esoterically. Gautama, the Buddha, would not have been a mortal man, had he not passed through hundreds and thousands of births previous to his last. Yet the detailed account of these, and the statement that during them he worked his way up through every stage of transmigration from the lowest animate and inanimate atom and insect, up to the highest — or ''man'', contains simply the well‐known occult aphorism : “a stone becomes a plant, a plant an animal, and an animal a man”. Every human being who has ever existed, has passed through the same evolution. But the hidden symbolism in the sequence of these re‐births ''(jâtaka'') contains a perfect history of the evolution on this earth, ''pre ''and ''post ''human, and is a scientific exposition of natural facts. One truth not veiled but bare and open is found in their nomenclature, ''viz''., that as soon as Gautama had reached the human form he began exhibiting in every personality the utmost unselfishness, self‐sacrifice and charity. Buddha Gautama, the fourth of the Sapta (Seven) Buddhas and Sapta Tathâgatas was born according to Chinese Chronology in 1024 B.C; but according to the Singhalese chronicles, on the 8th day of the second (or fourth) moon in the year 621 before our era. He fled from his father’s palace to become an ascetic on the night of the 8th day of the second moon, 597 BC., and having passed six years in ascetic meditation at Gaya, and perceiving that physical self‐torture was useless to bring enlightenment, be decided upon striking out a new path, until he reached the state of Bodhi. He became a full Buddha on the night of the 8th day of the twelfth moon, in the year 592, and finally entered Nirvâna in the year 543 according to Southern Buddhism. The Orientalists, however, have decided upon several other dates. All the rest is allegorical. He attained the state of Bodhisattva on earth when in the personality called Prabhâpala. Tushita stands for a place on this globe, not for a paradise in the invisible regions. The selection of the Sâkya family and his mother Mâyâ, as “the purest on earth,” is in accordance with the model of the nativity of every Saviour, God or deified Reformer. The tale about his entering his mother’s bosom in the shape of a white elephant is an allusion to his innate wisdom, the elephant of that colour being a symbol of every Bodhisattva. The statements that at Gautama’s birth, the newly born babe walked ''seven steps ''in four directions, that an ''Udumbara ''flower bloomed in all its rare beauty and that the Nâga kings forthwith proceeded ‘‘''to baptise him ''”, are all so many allegories in the phraseology of the Initiates and well‐understood by every Eastern Occultist. The whole events of his noble life are given in occult numbers, and every so‐called ''miraculous ''event — so deplored by Orientalists as confusing the narrative and making it impossible to extricate truth from fiction — is simply the allegorical veiling of the truth, it is as comprehensible to an Occultist learned in symbolism, as it is difficult to understand for a European scholar ignorant of Occultism. Every detail of the narrative after his death and before cremation is a chapter of ''facts ''written in a language which must be studied before it is understood, otherwise its dead letter will lead one into absurd contradictions. For instance, having reminded his disciples of the immortality of Dharmakâya Buddha is said to have passed into Samâdhi, and lost himself in ''Nirvâna — from which none can return.'', and yet, notwithstanding this, the Buddha is shown bursting open the lid of the coffin, and stepping out of it ; saluting with folded hands his mother Mâyâ who had suddenly appeared in the air, though she had died seven (days after his birth, &c., &c. As Buddha. was a Chakravartti (he who turns the wheel of the Law), his body at its ''cremation ''could not be consumed by common fire. What happens Suddenly a jet of flame ''burst out of the Swastica on his breast, ''and reduced his body to ashes. Space prevents giving more instances. As to his being one of the true and undeniable Saviours of the World, suffice it to say that the most rabid orthodox missionary, unless he is hopelessly insane, or has not the least regard even for historical truth, cannot find one smallest accusation against the life and personal character of Gautama, the “Buddha”. Without any claim to divinity, allowing his followers to fall into atheism, rather than into the degrading superstition of deva or idol‐ worship, his walk in life is from the beginning to the end, holy and divine. During the years of his mission it is blameless and pure as that of a god — or as the latter should be. He is a perfect example of a divine, godly man. He reached Buddhaship — i.e., complete enlightenment — entirely by his own merit and owing to his own individual exertions, no god being supposed to have any personal merit in the exercise of goodness and holiness. Esoteric teachings claim that he renounced Nirvâna and gave up the Dharmakâya vesture to remain a “Buddha of compassion” within the reach of the miseries of this world. And the religious philosophy he left to it has produced for over 2,000 years generations of good and unselfish men. His is the only ''absolutely bloodless ''religion among all the existing religions tolerant and liberal, teaching universal compassion and charity, love and self‐ sacrifice, poverty and contentment with one’s lot, whatever it may he. No persecutions, and enforcement of faith by fire and sword, have ever disgraced it. No thunder‐and‐lightning‐vomiting god has interfered with its chaste commandments; and if the simple, humane and philosophical code of daily life left to us by the greatest Man‐Reformer ever known, should ever come to he adopted by mankind at large, then indeed an era of bliss and peace would dawn on Humanity [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG).

Buddha and Early Buddhism +

A work by A. Lillie. ([[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]], [[Blavatsky H.P. - Esoteric Axioms and Spiritual Speculations|BCW 3:397]]) +

Buddhachhaya +

Lit., “the shadow of Buddha”. It is said to become visible at certain great events, and during some imposing ceremonies performed at Temples in commemoration of glorious acts of Buddhas life. Hiouen‐ tseng, the Chinese traveller, names a certain cave where it occasionally appears on the wall, but adds that only he whose mind is perfectly pure”, can see it [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG). +

Buddhaphala +

Lit., “the fruit of Buddha”, the fruition of ''Arahattvaphalla''''''', '''''or Arhatship [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG). +

Buddhi +

Universal Soul or Mind. ''Mahâbuddhi ''is a name of Mahat (see “[[Alaya]]”); also the spiritual Soul in man (the sixth principle), the vehicle of Atmâ exoterically the seventh [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG). +

Buddhism +

Buddhism is now split into two distinct Churches : the Southern and the Northern Church. The former is said to be the purer form, as having preserved more religiously the original teachings of the Lord Buddha. It is the religion of Ceylon, Siam, Burmah and other places, while Northern Buddhism is confined to Tibet, China and Nepaul. Such a distinction, however, is incorrect. If the Southern Church is nearer, in that it has not departed, except perhaps in some trifling dogmas due to the many councils held after the death of the Master, from the public or ''exoteric ''teachings of Sâkyamuni — the Northern Church is the outcome of Siddhârta Buddha’s esoteric teachings which he confined to his elect Bhikshus and Arhats. In fact, Buddhism in the present age, cannot he justly judged either by one or the other of its exoteric popular forms. Real Buddhism can be appreciated only by blending the philosophy of the Southern Church and the metaphysics of the Northern Schools. If one seems too iconoclastic and stero:, and the other too metaphysical and transcendental, even to being overgrown with the weeds of Indian exotericism — many of the gods of its Pantheon having been transplanted under new names to Tibetan soil — it is entirely due to the popular expression of Buddhism in both Churches. Correspondentially they stand in their relation to each other as Protestantism to Roman Catholicism. Both err by an excess of zeal and erroneous interpretations, though neither the Southern nor the Northern Buddhist clergy have ever departed from truth consciously, still less have they acted under the dictates of ''priestocracy'', ambition, or with an eye to personal gain and power, as the two Christian Churches have [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG).

Buddhism and Christianity Face to Face +

An 1877 pamphlet reporting a debate between the Ceylonese Buddhist priest Mohottiwatte and Christian missionaries. The bibliography also identifies John Capper’s 73-page account of the Panadura controversy of August 1873, published in Colombo that year. (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.2)#523|2:523-524]][[SMW::on]]). +

Buddhist Architecture in the Jellalabad Valley +

[[Simpson, William|W. Simpson]]’s illustrated study with plans, published in the Transactions of the Royal Institute of British Architects for the 1879-1880 session; the source identified in [[Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna|H. P. Blavatsky]]’s discussion of the egg and the bird. ([[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]], [[Blavatsky H.P. - Which First-the Egg or the Bird|BCW 2:344]]) +

Buddhist Catechism +

[[Olcott, Henry Steel|H. S. Olcott]] completed the first draft in Ceylon on 5 May 1881. Published in English and Sinhalese on 24 July, with financial support from Mrs. Ilangakoon of Matara, it required a third edition before the end of August. ([[Zirkoff, Boris|B. de Zirkoff]], [[Zirkoff B. - Chronological Survey & Key to Abbreviations (BCW vol.3)|BCW 3:xxiv-xxv]]) +

Buddhist Cosmos +

Work attributed to the bonze Jin-Ch’an in de Zirkoff’s bibliography. The compiler gives no further information about the book. (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.6)#439|6:439]][[SMW::on]]). +

Buddhochinga +

The name of a great Indian Arhat who went to China in the 4th century to propagate Buddhism and converted masses of people by means of miracles and most wonderful magic feats [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG). +

Budha +

“The Wise and Intelligent”, the Son of Soma, the Moon, and of Rokini or Taraka, wife of Brihaspati carried away by King Soma, thus leading to the great war between the Asuras, who sided with the Moon, and the Gods who took the defence of Brihaspati (Jupiter) who, was their ''Purohita ''(family priest). This war is known as the ''Tarakamaya''. It is the original of the war in Olympus between the Gods and the Titans and also of the war (in ''Revelation ''between Michael (Indra) and the Dragon (personifying the Asuras) [[Category: CTD info from Theosophical Glossary]] (TG). +

Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, Comte de +

The bibliography cites his discussion of the nature of animals in ''Histoire naturelle'' and his writings on birds. (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.7)#360|7:360]][[SMW::on]]). +

Bullarium +

Luxemburg; 1727-1730, in 9 vols. a reprint of the one by Cherubini. 19 vols. by 1758; up to and incl. Benedict XIV (BCW [[SMW::off]][[Zirkoff B. - Appendix (BCW vol.9)#408|9:408]][[SMW::on]]). +