The Theosophical Society,
The Writings of W Q Judge
W Q Judge 1851 – 96
An Epitome of Theosophy
By
William Q Judge
First published 1887
This epitome was first issued as a Theosophical Tract by the New
York Branch of the T. S. in December, 1887, and published in the Path by Mr.
Judge in the following month. So great was its success in the U. S. that the
Theosophical Publication Society in England requested Mr. Judge to revise the
leaflet for distribution in Great Britain. This Mr. Judge did, enlarging the
leaflet into a booklet under the same title. It was this manuscript which the
T. P. S.
characterized as
"too advanced," giving as its opinion that what was needed was a
"stepping-stone from fiction to philosophy."
Mr. Judge took exception to this view, vigorously urging that
"strong lines of action," directed toward spreading philosophical
fundamentals, be adopted. (His letter to the T. P. S. is the fourth in Book II
of Letters That Have
first time, from
the Path. –Editors
THEOSOPHY,
the Wisdom-Religion, has existed from immemorial time. It
offers
us a theory of nature and of life which is founded upon knowledge acquired by
the Sages of the past, more especially those of the East; and its higher
students claim that this knowledge is not something imagined or inferred, but
that it is seen and known by those who are willing to comply with the
conditions.
I. Some of its
fundamental propositions are:
1.
That the spirit in man is the only real and permanent part of his being; the
rest of his nature being variously compounded, and decay being incident to all
composite things, everything in man but his spirit is impermanent. Further,
that the universe being one thing and not diverse, and every thing within it
being connected with the whole and with every other, of which upon the upper
plane above referred to there is a perfect knowledge, no act or thought occurs
without each portion of the great whole perceiving and noting it. Hence all are
inseparably bound together by the tie of Brotherhood.
2.
That below the spirit and above the intellect is a plane of consciousness in
which experiences are noted, commonly called man's "spiritual
nature"; this is as susceptible of culture as his body or his intellect.
3.
That this spiritual culture is only attainable as the grosser interests,
passions, and demands of the flesh are subordinated to the interests,
aspirations, and needs of the higher nature; and that this is a matter of both
system and established law.
4.
That men thus systematically trained attain to clear insight into the
immaterial, spiritual world, their interior faculties apprehending Truth as
immediately and readily as physical faculties grasp the things of sense, or
mental faculties those of reason; and hence that their testimony to such Truth
is as trustworthy as is
that of scientists or philosophers to truth in their
respective fields.
5.
That in the course of this spiritual training such men acquire
perception of and control over various forces in Nature unknown to others, and
thus are able to perform works usually called "miraculous," though
really but the result of larger knowledge of natural law.
6.
That their testimony as to super-sensuous truth, verified by their possession
of such powers, challenges candid examination from every religious mind.
II. Turning now to the
system expounded by these Sages, we find as its main points:
1.
An account of cosmogony, the past and future of this earth and other planets,
the evolution of life through mineral, vegetable, animal, and human forms.
2.
That the affairs of this world and its people are subject to cyclic laws, and
that during any one cycle the rate or quality of progress appertaining to a
different cycle is not possible.
3.
The existence of a universally diffused and higher ethereal medium, called the
"Astral Light"(1) or "Akasa," which is the repository of
all past, present, and future events, and which records the effects of
spiritual causes and of all acts and thoughts from the direction of either
spirit or matter. It may be called the
Book of the Recording Angel.
4.
The origin, history, development, and destiny of mankind.
III. Upon the subject of
Man it teaches:
1.
That each spirit is a manifestation of the One Spirit, and thus a part of all.
It passes through a series of experiences in incarnation, and is destined to
ultimate re-union with the Divine.
2.
That this incarnation is not single but repeated, each individuality becoming
re-embodied during numerous existences in successive races and planets, and
accumulating the experiences of each incarnation towards its perfection.
3.
That between adjacent incarnations, after grosser elements are first purged
away, comes a period of comparative rest and refreshment, the spirit being
therein prepared for its next advent into material life.
4.
That the nature of each incarnation depends upon the merit and demerit of the
previous life or lives, upon the way in which the man has lived and thought;
and that this law is inflexible and wholly just.
5.
That "Karma," -- a term signifying two
things, the law of ethical causation (Whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap), and the balance or excess of merit or demerit in any
individual, determines also the main experiences of joy and sorrow in each
incarnation, so that what men call "luck" is in reality
"desert," -- desert acquired in past existence.
6.
That the process of evolution up to re-union with the Divine contemplates
successive elevations from rank to rank of power and usefulness, the most
exalted beings still in the flesh being known as Sages, Rishees,
Brothers, Masters,
their great function being the preservation at all times, and -- when cyclic
laws permit -- the extension, of spiritual knowledge and influence among
humanity.
7. That when union with the Divine is effected, all the events and experiences of each incarnation
are known.
IV. As to the process of
spiritual development it teaches:
1.
That the essence of the process lies in the securing of supremacy to the
highest, the spiritual, element of man's nature.
2.
That this is attained along four lines, among others--
(a) The eradication of selfishness in all
forms, and the cultivation of broad, generous sympathy in and effort for the
good of others.
(b)
The cultivation of the inner, spiritual man by meditation, communion with the
Divine, and exercise.
(c)
The control of fleshly appetites and desires, all lower, material interests
being deliberately subordinated to the behests of the spirit.
(d)
The careful performance of every duty belonging to one's station in life,
without desire for reward, leaving results to Divine law.
3.
That while the above is incumbent on and practicable by all
religiously-disposed men, a yet higher plane of spiritual attainment is conditioned
upon a specific course of training, physical, intellectual, and spiritual, by
which the internal faculties are first aroused and then developed.
4.
That an extension of this process is reached in Adeptship,
an exalted stage, attained by laborious self-discipline and hardship,
protracted through possibly many incarnations, and with many degrees of
initiation and preferment, beyond which are yet other stages ever approaching
the Divine.
V. As to the rationale
of spiritual development it asserts:
1.
That the process is entirely within the individual himself, the motive, the
effort, the result being distinctly personal.
2.
That, however personal and interior, this process is not unaided, being possible,
in fact, only through close communion with the Supreme Source of all strength.
VI. As to the degree of
advancement in incarnations it holds:
1.
That even a mere intellectual acquaintance with Theosophic
truth has great value in fitting the individual for a step upwards in his next
earth-life, as it gives an impulse in that direction.
2.
That still more is gained by a career of duty, piety, and beneficence.
3.
That a still greater advance is attained by the attentive and devoted use of
the means to spiritual culture heretofore stated.
VII. It may be added
that Theosophy is the only system of religion and philosophy which gives
satisfactory explanation of such problems as these:
1.
The object, use, and inhabitation of other planets than this earth.
2.
The geological cataclysms of earth; the frequent absence of intermediate types
in its fauna; the occurrence of architectural and other relics of races now lost,
and as to which ordinary science has nothing but vain conjecture; the nature of
extinct civilizations and the causes of their extinction; the persistence of
savagery and the unequal development of existing civilization; the differences,
physical and internal, between the various races of men; the line of future
development.
3.
The contrasts and unisons of the world's faiths, and the common foundation
underlying them all.
4.
The existence of evil, of suffering, and of sorrow -- a hopeless puzzle to the
mere philanthropist or theologian.
5.
The inequalities in social condition and privilege; the sharp contrasts between
wealth and poverty, intelligence and stupidity, culture and ignorance, virtue and
vileness; the appearance of men of genius in families destitute of it, as well
as other facts in conflict with the law of heredity; the frequent cases of
unfitness
of
environment around individuals, so sore as to embitter disposition, hamper
aspiration, and paralyse endeavor; the violent
antithesis between character and condition; the occurrence of accident,
misfortune, and untimely death; -- all of them problems solvable only by either
the conventional theory of Divine caprice or the Theosophical doctrines of
Karma and Re-incarnation.
6.
The possession by individuals of psychic powers -- clairvoyance, clairaudience,
etc. -- as well as the phenomena of psychometry and statuvolism.
7.
The true nature of genuine phenomena in spiritualism, and the proper antidote
to superstition and to exaggerated expectation.
8.
The failure of conventional religions to greatly extend their areas, reform
abuses, re-organize society, expand the idea of brotherhood, abate discontent,
diminish crime, and elevate humanity; and an apparent inadequacy to realize in
individual lives the ideal they professedly uphold.
Outline
of Basic Principles of Theosophy
The Theosophical Society,