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THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY AND ITS FUTURE [Part I] Subject: Annie Besant's and C.W. Leadbeater's Theosophical Contributions [By Geoffrey A. Farthing, A Commentary on Annie Besant's and C.W. Leadbeater's Theosophical Contributions. This article was published in the May, 1997 issue of HIGH COUNTRY THEOSOPHIST and then reprinted in THEOSOPHY WORLD, June, 1997.] HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Towards the end of the 19th century, even though their colleagues in the 'Brotherhood' did not feel that the time was opportune, i.e. that humanity generally had not progressed spiritually enough even though a few may have done so, two Masters of the Wisdom were allowed to make the attempt to make available to mankind in general some of their occult knowledge concerning the nature of existence and man's being. Up till then this had been kept secret. The Theosophical Society, founded in New York in 1875, was formed originally as an association of people interested in spiritualism and psychic phenomena. Its early objects reflected this but they were soon to become, after a few changes, as they are now, with an emphasis on brotherhood. The Headquarters of the Society was removed to Bombay in 1880 and then to Adyar in 1883. Although the Masters were emphatic that the Society was not to be a school of Occultism or Magic and that their sole purpose was to benefit mankind at large, they nevertheless in various ways let it be known not only that they were possessed of occult knowledge and power but that they were able and willing to make some of it available to suitable candidates. This was to be done principally in the writings of H.P. Blavatsky, but some information was given directly by the two Masters concerned in their letters to A.P. Sinnett. Some of this knowledge was distinct from that contained in any extant literature at the time, with the exception of some older and/or obscure 'occult' writings. These were mostly unintelligible without the necessary 'keys'. It was claimed, however, that the knowledge contained in the new outpouring was the source and origin of all philosophical and religious knowledge, in its pure form. The old scriptures and philosophical writings had been 'contaminated' by human interpretation, additions and alterations. They had to a large extent departed from the pure original and had distorted their meanings. The first major attempt at elucidation of this ancient knowledge was the writing of ISIS UNVEILED by HPB published in 1877, a work of enormous erudition in which 1,330 other works. some of great rarity and antiquity were quoted from. It is known that several Masters had a hand in it, providing HPB with much of the information it contains. This Ancient Wisdom was later more fully and specifically described in THE MAHATMA LETTERS TO A.P. SINNETT, from which he wrote two books: THE OCCULT WORLD and later ESOTERIC BUDDHISM. This latter, although by no means complete or wholly accurate, is important as being the first systematic formulation, in outline, of what was later to become known as Theosophy. The books were published in 1884 and 1885. From 1875 onwards HPB's almost continuous output of articles and letters contained aspects of the teachings. These writings are now collected together and edited in fourteen volumes of Collected Writings. HPB was with the Theosophical Society in India for about two years during which time her phenomena and contacts with the Masters were amply demonstrated. A number of people, however, even at Headquarters did not accept these manifestations as genuine. Furthermore, the phenomena were completely beyond the credence of the local church missionaries. Some letters purporting to come from HPB addressed to members of the staff at Adyar clearly gave the impression that HPB's phenomena were based on deception. After a lengthy enquiry by an investigator from the Society for Psychical Research who relied much on adverse witnesses and a hand-writing expert he declared HPB to be a fraud. This was in a document adopted by the SPR which later became known as the Hodgson Report. It has~been repudiated since by a number of investigators, latterly even by the SPR. One tragic outcome of the report was that HPB, who in any case at the time was in poor health, was advised to leave Adyar. After leaving India HPB traveled to England via Germany and Belgium. During this time she was occupied as and when health and other circumstances permitted, in writing THE SECRET DOCTRINE which was published in 1888 in London. This was her most important theosophical work. It is an exposition of all of the Ancient Wisdom that the Masters were then prepared to make public. It is an enormous work in which 1,100 other works are referred to and in which ancient (and modern) religions and philosophies are explained and form a background to an immense system of knowledge of the whole universal scene and man in it. HPB was miraculously kept alive by her Master on two or three occasions of dire illness, to complete the work which was followed two years later by THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY. On a number of occasions it was stressed that HPB was the Masters' sole agent. With her departure from Adyar their influence there ceased. One consequence of this was that most of their Chelas 'disappeared' (including Damodar who never returned to the Society from Tibet). We also have her positive statement that, should she for any reason cease to act as the Masters' agent, there would be no more contact with them (see M.L.136, 2nd and 3rd editions). All this seems to have been forgotten or ignored later. A number of people both within the Society and without, e.g. Alice Bailey, later claimed to have contact with the Masters and to have received communications from them. These communications, some of them very copious and impressive, were, however, received psychically or 'channeled': very importantly they were all uncorroborated. Communications through psychic mediums was not the method used by the Masters. These facts, the nature of the message and the special position of HPB, are of prime importance in the consideration of what followed in the early 20th century, of the present state of the Society and its successful launch into the 21st century. ANNIE BESANT In the latter years of HPB's life a significant event was that Annie Besant was welcomed with open arms into the Theosophical Society by HPB who saw in her an exceptional and able helper. She was later admitted to HPB's Inner Group of twelve. A reference to Annie Besant in THE MAHATMA LETTERS indicates that she was known to the Masters; however, there is no reference to her ever becoming a chela, although she did receive in 1900 what seems to be an authentic letter from the Masters. There is no other evidence, apart from her own inferences, that she had any contact with them. Had Annie Besant been a chela her 'magnetization' by Chakravati, ostensibly to 'align her principles', described in an eye witness statement (1895) by Dr Archibald Keightly, would have severed any relations she may have had with her Master. After HPB's death Annie Besant let it be inferred, in assuming the "Outer Headship" of the E.S., that she was in touch with the Masters. She also introduced Co-Masonry into England and associated it with the Theosophical Society, which, however, had been founded quite independently of any other organization. All international Presidents since have, however, held high office as Co-Masons. HPB expressly stated that 'we do not meddle in politics ...' yet Annie Besant's prime interest in India was political. This is not in any way to say that she did not do an immense amount of good in establishing schools and colleges and altering social practices, but these activities are not specifically theosophical. Politics aims to change systems for the benefit of people; Theosophy aims to change people themselves for the long-term benefit of humanity itself. It is undeniable that in the early years of her membership of the Society,` Annie Besant was a powerful voice in the cause of Theosophy and its dissemination. This seems to have been foreseen by HPB However, from the time of her 'magnetization' by Chakravati, it appears that, possibly still under his influence, she to a large extent espoused Hinduism. This is evident in her later writings to such a point that a major reference to Theosophy in the Encyclopedia Britannica is under the heading of Hinduism. Apart from Chakravati there is not much doubt that Annie Besant was later also much influenced by C.W. Leadbeater. He obviously prevailed upon her in the matter of the Liberal Catholic Church and in the Krishnamurti incident. C.W. LEADBEATER CWL joined the Society in 1883. He did not, unlike Annie Besant receive a welcome from HPB, nor was he admitted to her Inner Group. He was given some instruction by a regular chela at Adyar for a period and developed his clairvoyance but there is no reference that this relationship continued. He did receive a reply to his early communication with the Masters but there is no corroborative evidence that he ever had any more contact with them after these introductory letters. It also came to light that his veracity is much in question: his statements, for example, about his age, his family in South America, and his implying that he had been to Oxford as an undergraduate were discovered later to be false. In the light of what the Master K.H. said about God, religion and the priestly caste in Mahatma Letter X, had Leadbeater been a chela he could never have allied himself with the Liberal Catholic Church and certainly he could never have allowed himself to be made a Bishop and thereafter always dress as such. The Masters had said "Our chief aim is to deliver humanity of this nightmare ... etc. " (A personal God of Theology) (M.L.X, 2nd and 3rd editions). This is important in the light of CWL's later claims of an intimate and continued relationship with not only one but a number of Masters, even up to the highest in the Hierarchy from whom he claimed periodically to have received instruction in such matters as the upbringing of Krishnamurti. In the light of some of these supposed contacts e.g. Comte St Germain, Jesus, etc. the association of the Liberal Catholic Church with the Society was justified. However, both the Church and the CoMasons were representative of past dispensations. They both had their roots in ceremonial magic, the practice of which HPB did not endorse on account of the possible dangers involved. In a letter which Damodar wrote to Sinnett, Masonry and Rosicrucianism were specifically forbidden (M.L. Old Edition No. 142A, Chronological No. 14A). During the founding of the Society it had been proposed that the Society might become Masonic. This was specifically decided against. Other behavior of the then leaders is also questionable. In view of HPB's sundry comments about Masonry (into which she was admitted on account of her knowledge of it, but never formally 'initiated'), having lost its secrets, how came it that the Leaders of the Society not only espoused Co-Masonry but the Egyptian Rite which CWL together with a colleague in Australia had devised and which is still widely practiced by some members in the E.S.? KRISHNAMURTI Krishnamurti was 'discovered' by CWL in 1909. After many difficulties, including law suits, he and his brother were brought up by the Society. He was hailed as the future mouthpiece of the Lord Maitreya He was even seen as a second coming of the Lord. He was unusually gifted but it was CWL's 'insights' that initially established him in his role. The Lord Maitreya himself is supposed to have instructed CWL in his upbringing and training. He was brought up and groomed in the fashion of an English gentleman, a far cry from a Hindu 'Avatar'. Those who had his upbringing and education in hand, notably CWL and Dick Balfour-Clark, were very much second generation theosophists. Krishnaji therefore probably never knew anything of the HPB/Masters teachings. It is also very doubtful whether Krishnaji himself ever had a first-hand 'Master' experience although he did describe once having seen three Masters in a vision. Had he had a real experience, however, he could neither have forgotten it nor thereafter have doubted their existence and later have repudiated them. Furthermore, as Krishnaji's teachings of freedom, self-reliance, non-dependence on authority and institutions and so on, are all virtually in proper accord with the 'Master' Theosophy, there would not have been any reason for him to repudiate it, nor his connection with the Society. His loss was that he never became acquainted with the sea of theosophical knowledge which would to a large extent not only have justified his views but provided him with relevant data for use in his teaching, e.g. the difference between the personality and the individuality, the essential idea of Unity, and had he been interested, the proper nature of the Self, the total cosmic structure and processes. His 'launching' was a reversion again, as in the case of the Liberal Catholic Church and the Co-Masons, to the traditional old dispensation of an authoritarian regime. The second coming of the Christ was at that time (1920's) being regarded as imminent whereas, according to the Masters and theosophical teaching, such a 'second coming', i.e. the advent of an Avatar, was not expected for millennia. In any case the severance of the Society from the Masters made such a 'coming' into it extraordinarily unlikely. The arrogance of those who professed to be able to elect Krishnaji's twelve disciples was an example of the distorted view of themselves that those leaders had. Surely an 'Avatar' would have been quite capable of electing his own disciples. In any case in the nature of Karma his upbringing and earthly surroundings would have all been in proper accord without the interference of CWL. Many things are puzzling about Krishnaji's upbringing: one was that from reports kitchen staff at Adyar were changed because they were of the wrong caste. In a Society which specifically allows no such distinctions this is hard to understand. The recognition of Krishnaji's spiritual development from a clairvoyant examination of his aura when he was so young undoubtedly demonstrated CWL's possession of that faculty but this does not corroborate his claim to have received messages from the 'King of the World'. The 'finding' of Krishnaji, his upbringing and then adoption as a vehicle for the Lord-Maitreya was virtually the culmination of the 'split' from Master Theosophy. Krishnaji's repudiation of this position was a serious blow to Annie Besant who obviously believed absolutely sincerely in her announcement of the New Coming. CWL's reaction to this repudiation seems to have been more limited and far less painful than Annie Besant's although he suffered a loss of stature that he would otherwise have had as the finder, sponsor and educator of this new divine vehicle. After Krishnaji's withdrawal from the Society, Annie Besant also suffered a gradual diminution in stature and thereafter her health failed progressively. |
1995, The Wandering Theosophist, Kuwait, ULLESSIS-ARLYN ABAYA Homepage, email: totoabaya@eudoramail.com