Universal Brotherhood – November 1897

THE BROAD VIEW — Solon

It is easy enough to define Theosophy etymologically and to state that the word is made up of two Greek words Theos-God, Sophia- wisdom, and hence say that Theosophy is god-wisdom or divine wisdom. But if the matter is allowed to rest with this definition and we then put forward a number of ideas and teachings which with many pass current for "Theosophy," such as astral bodies, psychic powers, the earth chain of globes, manvantaras and maha-manvantaras, saying: "This is Theosophy, this is Divine Wisdom," we shall I think commit at least an error in judgment, if not one of fact and show our lack of common human, let alone divine, wisdom. The materialist, the agnostic, and the atheist do not recognize or acknowledge God or the divine. How may one speak of Theosophy to them? And yet we say Theosophy is for all men. The fact of the matter is we need to exercise more discrimination. We may strive to be Theosophists as far as lies in our power and may realize the privilege that is ours to be active members in the Society and to help forward the Theosophical Movement, but we do not have to loudly proclaim "I am a Theosophist, I am a seeker after divine wisdom. Nor do we need to live in the clouds and talk of astral bodies and transcendental metaphysics. Divine wisdom concerns itself as much with the common duties of life as with meditation upon the Supreme, and, indeed if rightly understood, the latter cannot be attained to if the former are neglected. Friction has sometimes arisen in a family because of one member joining the Theosophical Society, but I venture to say that in nine cases out of ten this has been due to a lack of knowledge of the simple meaning of the word Theosophy, no matter how much may have been read about reincarnation or devachan. Universal Brotherhood is spoken of but it must be "universal," and so much attention is given to the "universal" that the particular members of one's family are lost in the "ocean of infinitude." The house may need cleaning and scrubbing. Some one may be hungry for a kind word or pleasant greeting, but how can one give time and energy to such trifling matters that belong only to the material plane when there is the weighty problem of how to escape Devachan or renounce Nirvana? We are still living in a physical and material world and still have duties connected therewith. And even if you are a member of the Theosophical Society and esteem Theosophy above everything else, though your husband or wife or parent or child may hate the very word, does not he or she esteem the Good, the Beautiful and the True? If your friend be a materialist or an agnostic or an atheist, has he no thought for the good and happiness of others? Are not the Good, the Beautiful, the True, — Theosophy? There is not a single person in the world with whom you may not talk Theosophy and study Theosophy and yet never quarrel. Theosophy is not narrow nor bigoted, it is not composed of strange, unpronounceable names nor of fantastic doctrines. It is plain common sense, and to use common sense, to recognize it in others, and to fulfil one's common little duties in a common sense way is truly theosophical, and is true wisdom.



Theosophical University Press Online Edition