(From the "New Californian" by permission of the
author.)
reprinted from Volume 5 of Theosophical
Siftings - in 1892
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
Theosophy, the present centennial
effort to re-teach and re-establish the Wisdom Religion
upon the Earth, advances many teachings, broad, sweeping
and comprehensive in their philosophic generalizations. One
of these is Evolution, conceived of in so wide, deep and
universal an aspect that that taught by modern science only
describes a small arc of its infinite and perfect circle.
Another is Karma, or that the law of Cause and Effect holds
sway on every plane, physical, mental, moral, or spiritual,
throughout the Universe. A third is Reincarnation, or
the eternal re-clothing of the inner, immutable, spiritual
Essence in mutable, material form; and, in a more restricted
sense, the repeated rebirth of the same human soul in successive
bodies. A fourth is that all religions proceed from a common
source; have their origin in an old, universal Wisdom Religion,
to which we have referred. To offer a few proofs of the truth
of this last-mentioned teaching this lecture is given tonight.
To understand
how and why all religions arise from a common source a
brief preliminary examination of the theosophic concept
of evolution is necessary. This is that spirit, or consciousness,
eternally descends into matter and as eternally re-ascends
out of it in grand cycles of evolutionary activity, known
as Great Breaths. The proof of this is drawn from the fact
that all existence on the material or phenomenal plane
proceeds in cycles, or recurring periods, of objective
existence in material form, connected by subjective arcs,
maintaining by this method the continuity of life unbroken.
Thus in the heavens we see worlds in every stage of a material
life cycle, from the nebulous, down through the fiery sun
stage, into the cool habitable one such as obtains upon this
earth at present; then dead and dissipating their vitality
in the space about them, as in the ease of the moon, or finally
becoming so ethereal and tenuous that they can no longer
be seen by physical means, as is said to have happened with
one or two intra-Mercurial planets. As the process of the
birth, growth and decay of continents is written in their
geological strata, so is the objective life cycle of worlds
thus written in the strata of the heavens making up the abysses
of visible space about us.
If we descend from the cosmos to this world, the law of
cyclic life is absolutely unbroken. We see it in the life
and death of man; in the recurrence of night and day, and
of the seasons; in everything. Then, as this material plane
must be a reflection of the Absolute, and proceed out of
the Causeless Cause, it logically follows that this universally
imposed limitation to cycles is a law of the very Absolute
unto itself, and as such must be imposed upon all its emanations.
But this almost
infinite cycle, called the Great Breath, is composed of
an almost equally infinite number of lesser cycles, just
as the universal mind is the product of the sum of the
minds or ideating entities in the Universe. So it must
happen that within this great period there will always
be found worlds in every stage of evolutionary activity.
In our own system we have the sun and moon representing uninhabitable
stages — at least for such beings as we are — while
the Earth, and Venus arid Mars, probably, are in a habitable
stage but at differing arcs of the evolution of their humanities.
Therefore, it follows that there are and have always been
other humanities than ours, matured and perfected upon other
and now dead planets. There are now upon the earth no two
individuals at exactly the same stage of their intellectual,
moral, and spiritual development, and the same divergence,
only in greater degrees, marks the different humanities,
for, as stated in the Secret Doctrine, every entity in the
Universe either is, was, or prepares to [Page
14] become
a man. These Humanities, therefore, which have passed beyond
our condition, have their egos at varying stages of attainment,
and the later ones are enabled to interchain their intelligence
with that of advanced earth egos. That is to say, that nature
never proceeds by leaps nor breaks; that there is always
possible that inter-blending and intercommunication between
egos of different world periods which enables past humanities
to teach those of worlds coming after them. Humanities are
necessarily in the relation and correspond to the ordinary
human family. Upon the accumulated wisdom and experience
of the parents, the children have a lawful lien, and in like
manner it is the duty of the parents and elder brothers of
the race to teach and instruct it.
Therefore we hold that this Wisdom Religion, which we are
endeavouring to teach, comes from and is, the heirloom of
our humanity from a humanity which has passed through all
these material stages and which has transmitted to us as
our heritage their knowledge thus acquired; and, further,
that this Wisdom Religion, acquired directly from divine
beings of those humanities, has been taught to ours in ancient
times, when it was in the same comparative condition of innocence
and ignorance as children of three or four years are compared
to adults.
The religious instinct is innate and universal, for each
ego at the beginning of its human experience has had impressed
upon it this Primal Wisdom. Besides this, we retain a certain
memory or reminiscence of a divine state which we have lost
by our fall into matter. Previous to this our egos were in
a happy, blissful but ignorant condition. The faint memory,
the far-off reminiscence, of this state persists in us today,
and lies, as I believe, at the bottom of every effort to
attain, to something purer, truer and higher than we now
are. For this reason even the religion of a Bushman, of Africa,
is to be respected. It is the highest to which he is capable
of attaining, and represents in him the same aspiration voiced
in the anthems of the grandest cathedrals of London, or Rome.
It expresses the desire of his soul to regain a lost spiritual
condition, the memory of which still unconsciously haunts
him.
One of the strongest
evidences of all religions having this common origin, is
the myth and truth which is the subject of the lecture
tonight — that of a Crucified Saviour.
This is universal — far more so than Christianity will
admit, or perhaps knows of. The Cross itself is the most
ancient symbol existing. Its form, it may be, grew out of
that of a man standing with extended arms. On the cosmic
plane it is a symbol of the descent of spirit into matter;
on the human, of [Page 15] man's
Higher Ego fallen and incarnated in a fleshly body. It has
never been anything else but a symbol. There is not a particle
of evidence to show that there has ever been a Saviour crucified,
all these myths to the contrary, notwithstanding. The myth
means and means only that the spirit of man has fallen and
been crucified in matter, as I have pointed out, and not
that any particular Saviour has suffered death in this manner.
In reference to this, it is a significant fact that Eusebius,
[Irenaeus ] one of the early Christian Bishops,
declares, upon the authority of the martyr, Polycarp, that
it was accepted among all the early church Fathers that Jesus
of Nazareth was never crucified, but on the contrary that
he lived to be fifty years of age; and that his crucifixion
meant as it does in all these accounts, the symbolical crucifixion
of his Higher Ego in bonds of flesh. But, though this is
one, it is not the only key to the Saviour legends. In one
sense, all our Higher Egos may be said to be crucified in
the flesh, while the origin of these Saviour myths, or more
properly legends, is either the voluntary descent and incarnation
of high souls of former Humanities, or the equally voluntary
relinquishment of glorious spiritual states won, by advanced
souls of this Humanity, and who also reincarnate at minor
cycles or at times of its great spiritual debasement and
consequent danger. To thus "save" humanity by restoring
lost spiritual truths is the meaning which runs through all
these myriad stories of crucified Saviours. It is the meaning
certainly which the early Christians gave to the crucifixion
of Christ. For if he were really crucified, it is a strange
thing that contemporary history did not speak of it. Not
only this, but Josephus was a bitter opponent of Herod and
recorded all the wicked things that his kinsman by marriage
ever did, and it is not reasonable that he would have omitted
to mention in this connection such a remarkable occurrence
as the massacre of infants which it is claimed Herod ordered.
Why this omission was made will be apparent further on.
Proceeding, then,
to the proper subject matter of the lecture, the myth and
truth — for it is both myth and truth — of
Crucified Saviours, I will now endeavour to show the universality
and identity of all these ancient accounts as the common
property of every nation or race.
There is no Christian
teaching which has not been anticipated by other teachers
long previous to the era of Christ. Especially does the
story of a crucified. Saviour appear in all histories or
legends of great [Page 16] religions.
Of these [This
list of Saviours is from the “World’s Sixteen
Crucified Saviours”, by Kersey Graves, from which many
of the authorities mentioned are quoted] we have historical
accounts, allusions, or legends, of Chrishna, [The
Hindu Pantheon] of
India, 1200 years B.C. Sakia, [Progress of Religious
Ideas] of Hindustan, 600 years B.C.; Thammuz, [Ctesias,
quoted in Anacalypsis] of Syria, 1100 B.C.; Wittoba,
[Anacalypsis] the Telingonese, 552 B.C. ; Iao,
[Georgius] of
Nepaul, 622 B.C.; Hesus, [Anacalypsis] of Great
Britain, 834 B.C.; Quexalcote, [Mexican Antiquities] of
Mexico, 587 B.C.; Quirinus, [Higgins-Anacalypsis] of
Rome, 506 B.C.; Prometheus, [Seneca and
Hesiod
] of Greece, 547 B.C.; Thulis, [Wilkison]
of Egypt, 1700 B.C. Indra, of Thibet,[Georgius] 725
B.C.; Alcestos, [Anacalypsis] of Greece, 600
B.C.; Atys. [Anacalypsis] of
Phrygia, 1170 B.C.; Crite [Anacalypsis]
of Chaldea, 1200 B.C.; Bali, [Anacalypsis] of
Orissa, 725 B.C.; Mithra. [Faber and Bryant] of
Persia, 600 B.C.; Salvahana, of Bermuda; Osirus, of Egypt;
Horus, of Egypt; Odin, of Scandinavia; Zoroaster, of Persia;
Baal, of Phoenicia; Taut, of Phoenicia; Bali, of Afghanistan;
Xamolxis, of Thrace; Zoar, of the Bonzes; Adad, of Assyria;
Deva Tat, of Siam; Alcides, of Thebes; Mikado, of the Sintoos
; Beddru, of Japan; Thor, of the Gauls; Cadmus, of Greece;
Hil and Feta, of the Mandaites; Gentaut, of Mexico; with
several others, of lesser note.
If the influence of these Saviours upon humanity be judged
by their present following, it is interesting to note that
Chrishna has 400,000,000 adherents; Christ, 200,000,000;
Mahomet, 150,000,000; Confucius, 120,000,000; and Mithra,
50,000,000.
Their histories
are strangely similar; too much so not to have been derived
from a common source. Let us take as a type that of Chrishna. [“Three
hundred and Forty-six Striking Analogies Between Christ and
Chrishna,” Loc. Cit.] It is said of him that
his birth was foretold; that he was an incarnate God; his
mother a virgin; that he had an adopted father who was a
carpenter; that there was rejoicing on earth and in heaven
at his birth; that his mother's name was Maia: He was born
in an obscure situation on December 25th; was visited by
wise men and shepherds who were led by a star; was warned
by an angel of danger; that all children were ordered to
be destroyed in order to include him; that his parents fled
to Mathura. He had a forerunner [Bali-Rama]; was wise in
childhood; was lost and searched for by his parents; had
other brothers; retired to solitude; fasted; preached a noteworthy
sermon; was entitled a Saviour, Redeemer, Shepherd, Lion
of the tribe of Sakia; existed prior to birth; and on earth
and in heaven at the same time; was both human and divine;
did miracles, of which one of the first was to cure a leper; [Page
17] healed, all manner of
diseases; raised the dead; read thoughts; detected and ejected
devils; had apostles; reformed the existing religion; abolished
law of lineal descent in priesthood; was poor; was conspired
against; denounced riches; meek; unmarried and chaste; merciful;
associated with sinners and was rebuked for it; befriended
a widow; met a gentle woman at a well; submitted to injuries
and insults; was a practical philanthropist; had a last supper;
was crucified between two thieves; darkness supervened; descended
to hell; was resurrected after three days and seen by many
people. Again, of Quexalcote, [Mexican Antiquities,
Vol VI Codex Borgianus. Codex Vaticanus] the Mexican
Saviour, we are told, and mostly on good Christian authority,
that he was born 300 years before Christ; of a spotless virgin;
that he lived a life of humility and piety; retired to a
wilderness and fasted forty days; was worshipped; crucified
between two thieves; descended to hell and rose again the
third day; rode on an ass; forgave sin, etc.
As it will be
impossible, in the short space of a lecture to note the
similar important incidents in the life of each Saviour
separately, I will merely note the incident and group under
it all the Saviours of whom there is trustworthy evidence
of that particular event having been recorded. Let us, then,
as an appropriate beginning, take the prophecies concerning
their Birth. Under this head we find that the coming to Earth
of Chrishna, Chang-Ti, Osiris, Cadmus, Quirinus, Quexalcote
and Mahomet, were all thus foretold, while prophecies of
Saviours run through nearly all sacred writings. Thus the
Vedas, the Chinese Sacred Books, [Martinus – “History
of China”. Halde – “History of China.”] those
of Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mexico, Arabia, Persia, etc., contains
Messianic prophecies. Of those connected in some manner with
a Serpent's Symbol, we have Osiris, spoken of as having bruised
the Serpent's head after it had bitten his heel; Hercules
is represented with his heel on a Serpent's head; Chrishna
is both pictured and sculptured with his heel on a Serpent's
head; Persia has the same legend to the effect that Ormuzd
made the first two pure and that Ahriman took a Serpent form,
in order to tempt them.
A miraculous Conception
is recorded of Plato, who was said to be a son of Apollo;
Zoroaster, [Malcolm —“History
of Persia”] born of a Ray of Divine Wisdom;
Mars and Vulcan, miraculously conceived by Juno; Quexalcote, [Mexican
Antiquities Codex Vaticanus] of Suchiquetqual; Yu, [Tod – “History
of the Rajahs”] of a lily or a star; Appolonius, [Philostratus] of
Proteus ; Buddha, of Mahamaya; Chrishna, of Yasuva, by Narayana,
and Jesus, of Mary, by the Holy Ghost. [Page
18]
Of Virgin Mothers [Higgins – Anacalypsis] we
have Yasoda, mother of Chrishna; Maia, of Sakia; Celestine,
of Zulis; Chimalman, of Quexalcote; Semele, of Bacchus;
Prudence, of Hercules; Alcmene, of Alcides; Shing-mon;
of Yu; Mayence, of Hesus; and Mary, of Jesus.
Angels, Shepherds, Magi, etc., visited Confucius. [Five
Volumes] Chrishna, [Ramayana] Sakia [New
Covenant Religion] Mithra, [History of Persia] Pythagoras [Progress
of Religious Ideas] Zoroaster, [Aristotle
and Pliny] and Jesus.
The births of many were preceded by the appearance of a
new-star, and occurred upon December 25th, formerly the beginning
of the New Year. Of those to whom this date is specifically
assigned we have Bacchus, Adonis, Chrishna, Changti, Chris
[of Chaldea], Mithra, Sakia, and Jao [of An. Britain], and
Jesus.
Jesus is often
poetically spoken of as the "Lamb" of
God. Other nations have been equally poetical in the titles
they have given their particular Saviour. Thus we find Chrishna
spoken of as the Holy Lamb; Quexalcote, as the Ram of God;
the Celts had their Heifer of God; and Egypt, its Bull of
God.
Of Jesus and Chrishna it is recorded that they were born
in caves, for the manger in which the birth of the former
is declared to have occurred was hollowed out of a hill side.
Of infants threatened by hostile rulers, we have Chrishna,
Osiris, Zoroaster, Alcides, Yu, Rama, Indra, Bacchus, Romulus,
Salvahana, and Jesus, the two last being sons of carpenters.
(World Builders?)
Theosophy affirms
that there are seven keys to all these myths according
as we read them in a human, terrestrial, cosmic, or other
sense. To turn the astronomical key to the above, we find
that Herod means the "Hero of the Skin," or
Hercules, and that the Sun [Hercules] enters Gemini in May.
Rachel equals Ramah, and Ramah means the Zodiac in both Indian
and Chaldean astronomy. Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin; Gemini
has two stars. He who runs may easily read.
Of those who descended into hell and were resurrected after
three days, we have Quexalcote, Chrishna, Quirinus, Prometheus,
Osiris, Atys, Mithra, Chris, and Jesus.
If we examine
the Doctrines of these Saviours we shall find the same
close parallelism, as bespeaks a common origin, and that "The Religion of Jesus Christ is neither new
nor strange," as was asserted by Eusebius, and that
St. Augustine was quite right in claiming that: "This
in our day is the Christian Religion, not as having been
unknown in former times, but as recently having received
that name."
Among other kinds
of resemblance we note that the doctrine of [Page
19] the Trinity was
recognized in Brahmanism, Zoroastrianism, and the religions
of Chaldea, China, Mexico, and Greece. Speaking of this doctrine
of the Trinity, Bishop Powell declares: "I
not only confess but I maintain such a similarity between
the Trinity of Philo and that of John as bespeaks a common
origin". The ceremony of the Eucharist was also observed
by the Essenes, Persians, Pythagoreans and Gnostics, who
used as elements bread and water. It also was recognized
and taught by the Brahmans and Mexicans. St. Justin indignantly
remarks of it: “And this very solemnity an evil spirit
introduced into the mysteries of Mithra". The pious
Faber also laments that: "The devil led the heathen.
to anticipate Christ in several things, as for example, the
Eucharist". Baptism by Water, Fire, Air, or Spirit,
was a portion of the sacred teachings of the Romans, Egyptians,
Zoroastrians, Jews, Hindus, Greeks and Chaldeans.
Throughout all,
and the golden thread which is the religion, or "rebinding" of
them all, runs the teachings of Reincarnation, Karma, and
Universal Brotherhood. And it is needless to remark that
all of them endeavoured to make this latter teaching practical.
The Golden Rule is found in the mouths of all of them,
as was to have been expected. Below are a few instances
taken mostly from the teachings of their disciples:
"Do unto another what you would have him do unto you,
and do not unto another what you would not have him do unto
you. Thou needest this law alone. It is the foundation for
all the rest." — Confucius, 500 B.C.
"We should conduct ourselves towards others as we would
have them act towards us." —Aristotle, 385 B.C.
"Do not to your neighbour what you would take ill from
him" — Pittacus, 650 B.C.
"Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing" —Thales,
464 B.C.
"Act towards others as you would desire them to act
towards you" — Isocrates, 338 B:C.
"What you wish your neighbours to be to you such be
you to them" — Sextus, 406 B.C.
"Do not to others what you would not like others do
to you" — Hillel, 50 B.C.
Let us close by
a few quotations which will show the real, inner agreement
better than a host of external forms. For example, the
Buddha declares: "A man who foolishly does
me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my ungrudging
love; the more evil comes [Page 20] from
him, the more good shall go from me. Hatred does not cease
by hatred at any time; hatred ceases by love; this is an
old rule."
And Lao-Tse: "The
good I would meet with goodness. The not good I would meet
with goodness also. The faithful I would meet with faith.
The not faithful I would meet with faith also. Virtue is
faithful. Recompense injury with kindness."
And Manu: "By forgiveness of injuries the learned are
purified".
And Kwhan-Yin: "Never will I seek nor receive private
individual salvation; never enter into final peace alone;
but forever and everywhere will I live and strive for the
universal redemption of every creature throughout the world".
And Philo, the
Essenian: "It is our first duty to seek
the kingdom of God and his righteousness".
While Socrates,
voicing the Divine Wisdom left as the heirloom of Greece
by Pythagoras, declares: "It is not permitted
to return evil for evil".
Now all this mass of evidence has not been advanced by me
in order to attack Christianity. That is the very farthest
from my desire. It is simply brought forward to show the
common origin of all religions, and so to add one more reason
for the practice of Universal Brotherhood, the first step
toward which is universal respect and toleration of each
other's religious beliefs, and to show that there have been
and will be many Christs. For each individual in humanity
who evolves the Christ principle within, who thus raises
himself above his race so that he is in a position to aid
its spiritual advancement, becomes also a Christ.