Blavatsky writings/Gems from the East

Gems from the East

H. P. Blavatsky

January

UTTISTHA! — Rise! Awake! Seek the great Teachers, and attend! The road Is narrow as a knife-edge! Hard to tread! But whoso once perceiveth HIM that IS; — Without a name, Unseen, Impalpable, Bodiless, Undiminished, Unenlarged, To senses undeclared, without an end, Without beginning, Timeless, Higher than height, Deeper than depth! Lo! Such an one is saved! Death hath not power upon him! Edwin Arnold, “The Secret Of Death”

1. The first duty taught in Theosophy, is to do one's duty unflinchingly by every duty. (H. P. Blavatsky)

2. The heart which follows the rambling senses leads away his judgement as the wind leads a boat astray upon the waters. ("Bhagavadgita", ch. 2)

3. He who casts off all desires, living free from attachments, and free from egoism, obtains bliss. ("Bhagavadgita", ch. 2)

4. To every man that is born, an axe is born in his mouth, by which the fool cuts himself, when speaking bad language. (“Sutta Nipata”, III. Mahâvagga, ver. 657)

5. As all earthen vessels made by the potter end in being broken, so is the life of mortals. (“Sutta Nipata”, III. Mahâvagga, ver. 577)

6. Wise men are light-bringers. (“Sutta Nipata”, II. Kûlavagga, ver. 348)

7. A just life, a religious life, this is the best gem. (“Sutta Nipata”, II. Kûlavagga, ver. 273)

8. Having tasted the sweetness of illusion and tranquillity, one becomes free from fear, and free from sin, drinking in the sweetness of Dharma (law). (“Sutta Nipata”, II. Kûlavagga, ver. 256)

9. False friendship is like a parasitic plant, it kills the tree it embraces. (Joseph Hall, “Devotions, Sacred Aphorisms and Religious Table Talk”,
ch. “Occasional Meditations”, “The Ivy Tree”, p. 375)

10. Cut out the love of self, like an autumn lotus, with thy hand! Cherish the road of peace. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XX, ver. 285)

11. Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained treasure in their youth, perish like old herons in a lake without fish. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XI, ver. 155)

12. As the bee collects nectar, and departs without injuring the flower, or its color or scent, so let a Sage dwell in his village. (“Dhammapada”, ch. IV, ver. 49)

13. As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will not break through a well-reflecting mind. (“Dhammapada”, ch. I, ver. 13)

14. He who hath too many friends, hath as many candidates for enemies. (Russian proverb)

15. That man alone is wise, who keeps the mastery of himself. (“Bhagavadgita”, ch. 2)

16. Seek refuge in thy soul; have there thy Heaven! Scorn them that follow virtue for her gifts! (“Bhagavadgita”, ch. 2)

17. All our dignity consists in thought, therefore let us contrive to think well; for that is the principle of morals. (Blaise Pascal, “Pensees”, 347)

18. Flattery is a false coin which circulates only because of our vanity. (François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac, “Maxims”, № 158)

19. Narrowness of mind causes stubbornness; we do not easily believe what is beyond that which we see. (François VI, Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Prince de Marcillac, “Maxims”, № 265)

20. The soul ripens in tears. (Psalm 126, 5-6, “A Song of Ascents”)

21. ..this is truth the poet sings, // That a sorrow's crown of sorrows is remembering happier things. (Lord Alfred Tennyson, “Locksley Hall”)

22. Musk is musk because of its own fragrance, and not from being called a perfume by the druggist. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № LVI)

23. Not every one ready for a dispute is as quick in transacting business. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XLII)

24. It is not every graceful form that contains as graceful a disposition. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XLIV)

25. If every pebble became a priceless ruby, then pebble and ruby would become equal in value. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XLIII)

26. Every man thinks his own wisdom faultless, and every mother her own child beautiful. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XXX)

27. If wisdom were to vanish suddenly from the universe, no one yet would suspect himself a fool. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XXX)

28. A narrow stomach may be filled to its satisfaction, but a narrow mind will never be satisfied, not even with all the riches of the world. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XXXI)

29. He who neglects his duty to his conscience, will neglect to pay his debt to his neighbor. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № XXXIV)

30. Mite added to mite becomes a great heap; the heap in the barn consists of small grains. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № LX)

31. He who tasteth not thy bread during thy lifetime, will not mention thy name when thou art dead. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № LXIII)

February

Behold, we know not anything; I can but trust that good shall fall At last — far off — at last, to all, And every winter change to spring. So runs my dream: but what am I? An infant crying in the night: An infant crying for the light: And with no language but a cry. Lord Alfred Tennyson, “In Memoriam A.H.H.”, LIV

1. Two things are impossible in this world of Maya: to enjoy more than Karma hath allotted; to die before one's hour hath struck. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № LXV)

2. A student without inclination for work is like a squirrel on its wheel; he makes no progress. (Ivan Krylov, “The Squirrel” (rephrased))

3. A traveller without observation is a bird without wings. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № LXXI)

4. A learned man without pupils, is a tree which bears no fruit; a devotee without good works, is a dwelling without a door. (Sheikh Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shirazi, “The Gulistan, or Rose Garden”, ch. 8, № LXXI)

5. When Fate overtakes us, the eye of Wisdom becomes blind. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 269)

6. Keep thine eyes open, or Fate will open them for thee. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 270)

7. He who kisses the hand he cannot cut off, will have his head cut off by the hand he now kisses in the next rebirth.

8. He who keeps to his business, he who loves his companions, he who does his duty, will never be poor. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 268)

9. A thousand regrets will not pay thy debts. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 264)

10. Fallen flowers do not return to their stems, nor departed friends to their houses. (Eastern Proverbs)

11. To feel one's ignorance is to be wise; to feel sure of one's wisdom is to be a fool. (“Dhammapada”, ch. V, ver. 63)

12. One proof is better than ten arguments. (American proverb)

13. Rain in the morn brings the sun after noon. He who weeps today, may laugh tomorrow. (Friedrich Rückert)

14. The soothsayer for evil never knows his own fate.

15. Like oil, truth often floats on the surface of the lie. Like clear water, truth often underlies the seeming falsehood. (Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, “Don Quixote”)

16. Often vinegar got for nothing, is sweeter to the poor man than honey bought. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 270)

17. Every tree hath its shadow, every sorrow its joy. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 270)

18. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind by passion. Blessed are the patient, and the passionless. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XXIV, ver. 356)

19. The virtuous man who is happy in this life, is sure to be still happier in his next. (“Dhammapada”, ch. I, ver. 18)

20. What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done. The sins of the unruly are ever increasing. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XXI, ver. 292)

21. Without Karma, no fisherman could catch a fish; outside of Karma, no fish would die on dry land, or in boiling water.

22. Let every man first become himself that which he teaches others to be. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XII, ver. 158)

23. He who hath subdued himself, may hope to subdue others. One's own self is the most difficult to master. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XII, ver. 159)

24. Hatred is never quenched by hatred; hatred ceases by showing love; this is an old rule. (“Dhammapada”, ch. I, ver. 5)

25. The path of virtue lies in the renunciation of the seven great sins. (The maxims of Hosheng)

26. The best possession of the man of clay is health; the highest virtue of the man of spirit is truthfulness. (The maxims of Hosheng)

27. Man walks on, and Karma follows him along with his shadow. (Mahabharata, Book 12, Mokshadharma, section CLXXXI)

28. Daily practical wisdom consists of four things: – To know the root of Truth, the branches of Truth, the limit of Truth, and the opposite of Truth. (The maxims of Hosheng)

29. Know, will, dare, silence! (Moto of Esoteric Section in TS (this day is skipped in Gems))

March

Say not 'I am,' 'I was,' or 'I shall be,' Think not ye pass from house to house of flesh Like travellers who remember and forget, Ill-lodged or well-lodged. Fresh Issues upon the universe that sum Which is the lattermost of lives. It makes Its habitation as the worm spins silk And dwells therein. Edwin Arnold, “Light of Asia”, Book 8

1. Four things increase by use: health, wealth, perseverance, and credulity. (The maxims of Hosheng)

2. To enjoy the day of plenty, you must be patient in the day of want. (The maxims of Hosheng)

3. Expel avarice from your heart, so shall you loosen the chains from off your neck. (The maxims of Hosheng)

4. Let a man overcome anger by love, evil by good, greediness by liberality, lie by truth. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XVII, ver. 223)

5. Do not speak harshly to anybody; those who are so spoken to will answer thee in the same way. (“Dhammapada”, ch. X, ver. 133)

6. This life is in the world of work and retributive justice; the life that follows is in the world of great reward. (The maxims of Hosheng)

7. Excuse is better than disputation; delay is better than rashness; unwillingness of strife is better than eagerness in seeking it. (The maxims of Hosheng)

8. Cut down the whole forest of lust, not the tree. When thou hast cut down every tree and every shrub, then thou wilt be free. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XX, ver. 283)

9. The avaricious go not to the world of the gods (devas), for the fool commands no charity. (“Udānavarga”, X:2)

10. He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, is called a real driver; other people are but holders of the reins. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XVII, ver. 222)

11. The fool who is angered, and who thinks to triumph by using abusive language, is always vanquished by him whose words are patient. (“Udānavarga", XX:14)

12. The best of medicines is death; the worst of diseases is vain anticipation. (The maxims of Hosheng)

13. An easy temper is a good counsellor, and a pleasant tongue is an excellent leader. (The maxims of Hosheng)

14. A good word in time is better than a sweet pie after meals. (Russian proverb)

15. Foolish pride is an incurable malady; a bad wife is a chronic disease; and a wrathful disposition is a life-long burden. (The maxims of Hosheng)

16. Truth is brighter than the sun; truth is the sunny day of Reason, and falsehood the mind's dark night.

17. All has an end, and will away. Truth alone is immortal, and lives for ever. (1 Esdras, 4:35-38)

18. The light of all flesh is the sun; the light of the soul – truth everlasting.

19. The road to sin is a wide highway; the way out of it, a steep and rugged hill. (Matthew, 7:13-14)

20. The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is difficult to perceive. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XVIII, ver. 252)

21. Good people shine from afar like the snowy mountains; bad people are not seen, like arrows shot at night. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XXI, ver. 304)

22. Where two women meet, there a market springs; where three congregate, a bazaar is opened; and where seven talk, there begins a fair. (Russian proverb)

23. Extensive knowledge and science, well-regulated discipline and well-spoken speech, this is the greatest blessing. (“Mahāmangala Sutta”, v.4)

24. The subtle self is to be known by thought alone; for every thought of men is interwoven with the senses, and when thought is purified, then the self arises. (“Mundaka Upanishad”, III, 1, 9)

25. Lead me from the unreal to the real! Lead me from darkness to light! Lead me from death to immortality! (“Brihadâranyaka Upanishad”, I.2:27)

26. The Sage who knows Brahman moves on; on the small, old path that stretches far away, rests in the heavenly place, and thence moves higher on. (“Brihadâranyaka Upanishad”, IV.4:8)

27. Neither by the eyes, nor by spirit, nor by the sensuous organs, nor by austerity, nor by sacrifices, can we see Brahma. Only the pure, by the light of wisdom and meditation, can see the pure Deity. (Upanishad)

28. By perfection in study and meditation the Supreme Spirit becomes manifest; study is one eye to behold it, and meditation is the other. (“The Vishnu Purana”, chapter VI)

29. Alas! We reap what seed we sow; the hands that smite us are our own. (“The Path”, v. 1 № 8, 1886, p. 256)

30. Thoughts alone cause the round of rebirths in this world; let a man strive to purify his thoughts, what a man thinks, that he is: this is the old secret. (“Maitrâyana Brâhmana Upanishad”, Sixth Prapâthaka, 3)

31. "My sons are mine; this wealth is mine": with such thoughts is a fool tormented. He himself does not belong to himself, much less sons and wealth. (“Dhammapada”, ch. V, ver. 62)

April

"The untouched soul, Greater than all the worlds (because the worlds By it subsist); smaller than subtleties Of things minutest; last of ultimates; Sits in the hollow heart of all that lives! Whoso hath laid aside desire and fear, His senses mastered, and his spirit still, Sees in the quiet light of verity Eternal, safe, majestical – HIS SOUL!" Edwin Arnold, “The Secret Of Death”, from The Katha Upanishad

1. He who leaves the society of fools, cleaves unto the wise. (The maxims of Hosheng)

2. The self is hidden in all beings, and does not shine forth; but it is seen by subtle seers, through their sharp and subtle intellect. (“Katha-Upanishad”, 1:3:12)

3. Patience leads to power; but eagerness in greed leads to loss. (The maxims of Hosheng)

4. Three things make a poor man rich: courtesy, consideration for others, and the avoidance of suspicion. (The maxims of Hosheng)

5. When trust is gone, misfortune comes in; when confidence is dead, revenge is born; and when treachery appears, all blessings fly away. (The maxims of Hosheng)

6. The world exists by cause; all things exist by cause; and beings are bound by cause, even as the rolling cart-wheel by the pin of an axle-tree. (“Vāsettha Sutta”, v. 61)

7. The living soul is not woman, nor man, nor neuter; whatever body it takes, with that it is joined only. (“Shvetashvatara Upanishad”, Adhyâya V, 9-10)

8. He who wishes to reach Buddhahood, and aspires to the knowledge of the Self-born, must honour those who keep this doctrine. (“Saddharma-Pundarîka or, the lotus of the true law”, Chapter X “The preacher”, stanza 1)

9. As the spider moving upward by his thread gains free space, thus also he who undertakes moving upward by the known word OM, gains independence. (“Maitrâyana Brâhmana Upanishad”, Sixth Prapâthaka, 22)

10. The wheel of sacrifice has Love for its nave, Action for its tire, and Brotherhood for its spokes. (Upanishads)

11. Man consists of desires. And as is his desire, so is his will; and as is his will, so is his deed; and whatever deed he does, that he will reap. (“Brihadâranyaka Upanishad", IV.4:5)

12. A stone becomes a plant; a plant a beast; the beast a man; a man a Spirit; and the Spirit – GOD. (Kabalistic axiom)

13. There exists no spot on the earth, or in the sky, or in the sea, neither is there any in the mountain-clefts, where an evil deed does not bring trouble to the doer. (“Udānavarga", IX, v. 5)

14. Whoever, not being a sanctified person, pretends to be a Saint, he is indeed the lowest of all men, the thief in all worlds, including that of Brahma. (“Vasala Sutta”, v. 20)

15. If a man consorting with me (Buddha) does not conform his life to my commandments, what benefit will ten thousand precepts be to him? (“Sūtra of the 42 Sections”, section 38)

16. He who smites will be smitten; he who shows rancor will find rancor; so, from reviling cometh reviling, and to him who is angered comes anger. (“Udānavarga”, XIV, v. 3)

17. "He abused me, he reviled me, he beat me, he subdued me"; he who keeps this in mind, and who feels resentment, will find no peace. (“Dhammapada”, ch. I, ver. 3)

18. Like a beautiful flower, full of color, but without scent, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly. (“Dhammapada”, ch. IV, ver. 51)

19. When your mind shall have crossed beyond the taint of delusion, then will you become indifferent to all that you have heard or will hear. (“The Bhagavadgita”, ch. 2)

20. The wise guard the home of nature's order; they assume excellent forms in secret. (“Rig Veda”, X, 5, 2)

21. If thou losest all, and gettest wisdom by it, thy loss is thy gain. (The moral in Aesop's fable “A Dog and a Butcher”)

22. Empty thy mind of evil, but fill it with good.

23. Great works need no great strength, but perseverance. (Samuel Johnson, “The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia”, chapter 13)

24. Sleep is but birth into the land of Memory; birth but a sleep in the oblivion of the Past.

25. To forgive without forgetting, is again to reproach the wrong-doer every time the act comes back to us.

26. Every man contains within himself the potentiality of immortality, equilibrated by the power of choice. (“The Path”, v. 3, № 12, 1889, p. 401)

27. He who lives in one color of the rainbow is blind to the rest. Live in the light diffused through the entire arc, and you will know it all. (“The Path”, v. 3, № 12, 1889, p. 401)

28. Every time the believer pronounces the word OM, he renews the allegiance to the divine potentiality enshrined within the Soul. (“The Path”, v. 3, № 12, 1889, p. 401)

29. People talk of the Devil. Every man has seen him; he is in every sinful heart.

30. The Higher Self knows that highest home of Brahman, which contains all and shines so bright. The wise who without desiring happiness worship that SELF, are not born again. (“Mundaka Upanishad”, III, 2, 1)

May

I'm weary of conjectures, – this must end 'em. Thus am I doubly armed: my death and life, My bane and antidote, are both before me: This in a moment brings me to an end; But this informs me I shall never die. The Soul, secured in her existence, smiles At the drawn dagger, and defies its point. The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years; But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the war of elements, The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds. Joseph Addison, “Cato”, Act V. Scene 1

1. The eternal Spirit is everywhere. It stands encompassing the whole world. (Svetâsvatara Upanishad, 3:16)

2. He who feeds the hungry before he has assuaged his own hunger, prepares for himself eternal food. He who renounces that food for the sake of a weaker brother is – a god.

3. The altar on which the sacrifice is offered is Man; the fuel is speech itself, the smoke the breath, the light the tongue, the coals the eye, the sparks the ear. (Khândogya Upanishad, V:7)

4. One moment in eternity is as important as another moment, for eternity changeth not, neither is one part better than another part. (Francis Marion Crawford, “Zoroaster”)

5. Better it would be that a man should eat a lump of flaming iron than that one should break his vows. (Udānavarga, IX:2)

6. Even a good man sees evil days, as long as his good deeds have not ripened; but when they have ripened, then does the good man see happy days. (“Dhammapada”, ch. IX, ver. 120)

7. By oneself the evil is done, by oneself one suffers; by oneself the evil is left undone, by oneself one is purified. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XII, ver. 165)

8. Purity and impurity belong to oneself; no one can purify another. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XII, ver. 165)

9. Self is the lord of self: who else could be the lord! With self well subdued, a man finds a master such as few can find. (“Dhammapada”, ch. XII, ver. 160)

10. If one man conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is the greater of the two conquerors. (“Dhammapada”, ch. VIII, ver. 103)

11. Who is the great man? He who is strongest in patience. He who patiently endures injury, and maintains a blameless life – he is a man indeed! (“Sūtra of the 42 Sections”, 13)

12. If thou hast done evil deeds, or if thou wouldst do them, thou mayest arise and run where'er thou wilt, but thou canst not free thyself of thy suffering. (“Udānavarga”, IX:4)

13. There is a road that leads to Wealth; there is another road that leads to Nirvana. (“Dhammapada”, ch. V, ver. 75)

14. An evil deed does not turn on a sudden like curdling milk; it is like fire smoldering in the ashes, which burns the fool. (Udānavarga, IX, v. 16)

15. An evil deed kills not instantly, as does a sword, but it follows the evil-doer into his next and still next rebirth. (Udānavarga, IX, v. 17)

16. The calumniator is like one who flings dirt at another when the wind is contrary, the dirt does but return on him who threw it. (“Sutra of the 42 Chapters”, ch. 8)

17. The virtuous man cannot be hurt, the misery that his enemy would inflict comes back on himself. (“Sutra of the 42 Chapters”, ch. 8)

18. Nature is upheld by antagonism. Passions, resistance, danger, are educators. We acquire the strength we have overcome. (R. W. Emerson, “The Conduct of Life”, ch. 7)

19. If a man understands the self saying "I am He," what could he wish or desire that he should pine after the body? (Brihadâranyaka Upanishad, IV.4:12)

20. That word which all the Vedas record, which all penances proclaim, which men desire when they live as religious disciples, that word I tell thee briefly, it is OM. (Katha-Upanishad, I, 2:15)

21. As a person having seen one in a dream, recognizes him afterwards; so does one who has achieved proper concentration of mind perceive the SELF. (Anugita, 4:25)

22. It is better to do one's own duty, even though imperfectly, than to perform another's duty well. (“Bhagavadgita”, ch.18)

23. The wise who knows the Self as bodiless within the bodies, as unchanging among changing things, as great and omnipresent, does never grieve. (Katha-Upanishad, I, 2:22)

24. The path of virtue lies in the renunciation of arrogance and pride. (The maxims of Hosheng)

25. He who wrongs another unjustly will regret it, though men may applaud him; but he who is wronged is safe from regret, though the world may blame him. (The maxims of Hosheng)

26. There is more courage in facing the world with undisguised truth, than in descending into a wild beast's den.

27. True clemency is in foregoing revenge, when it is in one's power; true patience is in bearing up against disappointments. (The maxims of Hosheng)

28. The happy man must prepare ere the evil day comes; and when it does, let the thought that every good and great man has been made to suffer at some time console him. (The maxims of Hosheng)

29. Wealth in the hands of one who thinks not of helping mankind with it, is sure to turn one day into dry leaves.

30. Like as the night follows the day, so misfortune is the shadow of joy; Karma bestowing her lots with both hands.

31. The eagle catcheth not flies; but even the eagle is disturbed by them. (Roman proverb)

June

There is “true” Knowledge. Learn thou it is this: To see one Changeless Life in all that lives, And in the Separate, One Inseparable. There is imperfect Knowledge: that which sees The separate existences apart, And, being separated, holds them real. There is false Knowledge: that which blindly clings To one as if 'twere all, seeking no cause, Deprived of light, narrow, and dull, and “dark”. The Bhagavad Gita, chapter 18, verses 19-22

1. Judge the tree by its fruits, man by his deeds. (Russian proverb)

2. Theosophy is not the acquirement of powers, whether psychic or intellectual, though both are its servants. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 7)

3. Neither is Theosophy the pursuit of happiness, as men understand the word; for the first step is sacrifice, the second, renunciation. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 7)

4. Life is built up by the sacrifice of the individual to the whole. Each cell in the living body must sacrifice itself to the perfection of the whole; when it is otherwise, disease and death enforce the lesson. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 7)

5. Theosophy is the science of life, the art of living. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 7)

6. Harmony is the law of life, discord its shadow; whence springs suffering, the teacher, the awakener of consciousness. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 14)

7. Through joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure, the soul comes to a knowledge of itself. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 14)

8. The eyes of wisdom are like the ocean depths; there is neither joy nor sorrow in them. Therefore the soul of the disciple must become stronger than joy, and greater than sorrow. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 14)

9. We hate but those whom we envy or fear. (H. P. Blavatsky, “From the Note Book of an Unpopular Philosopher”, “Lucifer”, № 1, p. 80)

10. Self-knowledge is unattainable by what men usually call "self-analysis." It is not reached by reasoning or any brain-powers. (“Self-knowledge”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 89)

11. Real self-knowledge is the awakening to consciousness of the divine nature of man. (“Self-knowledge”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p .89)

12. Will is the offspring of the Divine, the God in man; Desire, the motive power of the animal life. (“Will and Desire”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p .96)

13. Will is the exclusive possession of man. It divides him from the brute, in whom instinctive desire only is active. (“Will and Desire”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 96)

14. To obtain the knowledge of self, is a greater achievement than to command the elements or to know the future. (“Self-knowledge”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 89)

15. The great watchword of the True is this – in last analysis all things are divine. (Jasper Niemand, “The Path”)

16. Fear is the slave of Pain, and Rebellion her captive. ((L. S. C.) “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 122)

17. Endurance is the free companion of Sorrow, and Patience her master. ((L. S. C.) “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 122)

18. The husband of Pain is Rapture, but the souls are few in whom that marriage is consummated. ((L.S.C.) “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 122)

19. Spirituality is not what we understand by the words "virtue" and "goodness." It is the power of perceiving formless, spiritual essences. (Jasper Niemand, “The Path”)

20. The discovery and right use of the true essence of Being – this is the whole secret of life. (Jasper Niemand, “The Path”)

21. When desire is for the purely abstract – when it has lost all trace or tinge of "self" – then it has become pure. (“Desire Made Pure”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 133)

22. Adepts are rare as the blossom of the Udumbara tree. (H. P. Blavatsky, “The Voice of the Silence”, part II)

23. The one eternal, immutable law of life alone can judge and condemn man absolutely. (∴ “Thoughts on Theosophy”, “Lucifer”, № 1, p. 134)

24. Will and Desire are both absolute creators, forming the man himself and his surroundings. (“Will and Desire”, “Lucifer” № 2, p. 96)

25. Will creates intelligently; Desire blindly and unconsciously. (“Will and Desire”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 96)

26. Man makes himself in the image of his desires, unless he creates himself in the likeness of the Divine, through his will, the child of the light. (“Will and Desire”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 96)

27. Theosophy is the vehicle of the spirit that giveth life; consequently, nothing dogmatic can be Theosophical. (∴ “Thoughts on theosophy”, “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 134)

28. Some pluck the fruits of the tree of knowledge to crown themselves therewith, instead of plucking them to eat. (L.S.C., “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 155)

29. It is not necessary for truth to put on boxing-gloves. (L.S.C., “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 155)

30. You cannot build a temple of truth by hammering dead stones. Its foundations must precipitate themselves like crystals from the solution of life. (L.S.C., “Lucifer”, № 2, p. 155)

July

The mind, enlightened, casts its grief away! It is not to be known by knowledge! man Wotteth it not by wisdom! learning vast Halts short of it! Only by soul itself Is soul perceived – when the soul wills it so! There shines no light save its own light to show Itself unto itself! Edwin Arnold, “The Secret Of Death” from The Katha Upanishad

1. One cannot fill a vacuum from within itself. (L.S.C., “Lucifer”, № 1, p. 155)

2. When a certain point is reached, pain becomes its own anodyne. (L.S.C., “Lucifer”, № 1, p. 155)

3. Many a man will follow a mis-leader. Few will recognize truth at a glance. (“Lucifer”, № 1, p. 155)

4. Esteem that to be eminently good, which, when communicated to another, will be increased to yourself. (Demophilus, “Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus”, “Lucifer”, № 3, p. 215)

5. Be persuaded that those things are not your riches which you do not possess in the penetralia of the reasoning power. (Demophilus, “Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus”, “Lucifer”, № 3, p. 215)

6. As many passions of the soul, so many fierce and savage despots. (Demophilus, “Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus”, “Lucifer”, № 3, p. 215)

7. No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself. (Demophilus, “Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus”, “Lucifer”, № 3, p. 215)

8. It is the business of a musician to harmonize every instrument, but of a well-educated man to adapt himself harmoniously to every fortune. (“Similitudes of Demophilus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

9. It is excellent to impede an unjust man; but if this be not possible, it is excellent not to act in conjunction with him. (Democritus, “Golden Sentences of Democritus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

10. Sin should be abstained from, not through fear, but for the sake of the becoming. (Democritus, “Golden Sentences of Democritus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

11. Vehement desires about any one thing render the soul blind with respect to other things. (Democritus, “Golden Sentences of Democritus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

12. Many men who have not learnt to argue rationally, still live according to reason. (Democritus, “Golden Sentences of Democritus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

13. The equal is beautiful in everything, but excess and defect do not appear so. (Democritus, “Golden Sentences of Democritus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

14. It is the property of a divine intellect to be always intently thinking about the beautiful. (Democritus, “Golden Sentences of Democritus”, “Lucifer”, № 4, p. 310)

15. As two pieces of wood may come together in the ocean, and having met, may separate again; like this is the meeting of mortals. (Charles Johnston (from the Sanskrit), “Lucifer”, № 13, p.44)

16. Youth is like a mountain-torrent; wealth is like the dust on one's feet; manhood is fugitive as a water-drop; life is like foam. (Charles Johnston, “Sanskrit Proverbs”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p.53)

17. Who fulfills not duty with steadfast mind, duty which opens the portals of bliss, surprised by old age and remorse, he is burned by the fire of grief. (Charles Johnston, “Sanskrit Proverbs”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 53)

18. Even in a forest hermitage, sin prevails over the unholy; the restraint of the senses in one's own house, this is asceticism. (Charles Johnston (from the Sanskrit), “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 60)

19. Who performs a right action, free from impurity, the house of that man is a forest hermitage. (Charles Johnston (from the Sanskrit), “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 60)

20. As the streams of a river flow on, and return not, so pass away the days and nights, taking away the lives of men. (Charles Johnston, “Indian Proverbs”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 78)

21. Unenduring are youth, beauty, life, wealth, lordship, the society of the beloved; let not the wise be deluded by these. (“Book of Friendly Instruction”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 88)

22. In this world, fugitive as tempest-driven waves, death for another is a rich prize earned by virtue in a former birth. (“Book of Friendly Instruction”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 88)

23. The shadow of a cloud, the favour of the base, new corn, a flower, these last only a little time; so it is with youth and riches. (“Book of Friendly Instruction”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 88)

24. Let the wise think on wisdom as unfading and immortal; let him fulfil his duty as though Death grasped him by the hair. (“Book of Friendly Instruction”, “Lucifer”, № 13, p. 88)

25. If evil be said of thee, and if it be true, correct thyself; if it be a lie, laugh at it. (Epictetus, “Lucifer”, № 16, p. 300)

26. Pagodas are measured by their shadows, and great men by their enviers. (Chinese Aphorism, “Lucifer”, № 17, p. 398)

27. The sage does not say what he does; but he does nothing that cannot be said. (Chinese Aphorism, “Lucifer”, № 17, p. 398)

28. The man who finds pleasure in vice, and pain in virtue, is still a novice in both. (Chinese Aphorism, “Lucifer”, № 18, p. 455)

29. The wise man does good as naturally as he breathes. (Chinese Aphorism, “Lucifer”, № 18, p. 455)

30. He is a man who does not turn away from what he has said. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 267)

31. The heart of the fool is in his tongue; the tongue of the wise is in his heart. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 267)

August

Death has no power th' immortal soul to slay, That, when its present body turns to clay Seeks a fresh home, and with unlessened might Inspires another frame with life and light. So I myself (well I the past recall), When the fierce Greeks begirt Troy's holy wall, Was brave Euphorbus: and in conflict drear Poured forth my blood beneath Atrides' spear. The shield this arm did bear I lately saw In Juno's shrine, a trophy of that war. John Dryden, “Fables, Ancient and Modern”, translation of Ovid, Metamorphoses, book 15

1. The man who neglects the truth he finds in his soul, in order to follow its dead-letter, is a time-server.

2. He who does not recognize the bread and salt is worse than a wild wolf. (Turkish proverb, , “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 268)

3. Man who has not hesitated to project his image in space and call it the Creator, sculpted not to endow God with his own vices.

4. He who has been once deceived, dreads evil, and suspects it even in truth. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

5. Krishna, the golden-haired god, replied not to the reviling of the King of Chedi. To the roar of the tempest, and not to the jackal's howl, the elephant trumpets a reply. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

6. Not the tender pliant grass is uprooted by the storm, but the lofty trees. The mighty war only with the mighty. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

7. The sandal tree has snakes; the lotus tank, alligators; in happiness there is envy. There are no unmixed pleasures. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

8. No creature, no thing is free from evil. The sandal tree has its roots sapped by snakes, its blossoms attacked by bees, its branches broken by monkeys, its top eaten by bears. No part of it is secure from pain. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

9. Grieve not about thy sustenance; nature will supply it. When a creature is born, the mother's breast supplies milk. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

10. Who gave the swan his whiteness, the parrot his wings of golden green, the peacock his iris-hues? Will not that which provided for them provide for thee? (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 306)

11. All good fortune belongs to him of contented mind. Is not the whole earth leather-covered for him who wears shoes? (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 340)

12. This world is a venomous tree, bearing two honey-sweet fruits: the divine essence of poetry and the friendship of the noble. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 10, p. 340)

13. By the fall of water-drops the pitcher is gradually filled; this is the cause of wisdom, of virtue, and of wealth. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

14. Let one who would live in the memory of his fellow men, make every day fruitful by generosity, study, and noble arts. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

15. No plunge in clear cool water delights so much the heat-oppressed, no pearl necklace the maiden, as the words of the good delight the good. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

16. Good men vary. Some are like cocoa-nuts, full of sweet milk; others, like the jujube, externally pleasing. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

17. Like an earthen vessel, easy to break, hard to reunite, are the wicked; the good are like vessels of gold, hard to break and quickly united. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

18. Be not a friend to the wicked – charcoal when hot, burns; when cold, it blackens the fingers. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

19. Shun him who secretly slanders, and praises openly; he is like a cup of poison, with cream on the surface. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

20. A chariot cannot go on one wheel alone; so destiny fails unless men's acts co-operate. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

21. The noble delight in the noble; the base do not; the bee goes to the lotus from the wood; not so the frog, though living in the same lake. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 11, p. 409)

22. Like moonbeams trembling on water, truly such is the life of mortals. Knowing this, let duty be performed. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 12, p. 433)

23. Bathe in the river of the soul, O man, for not with water is the soul washed clean. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 12, p. 433)

24. The pure soul is a river whose holy source is self-control, whose water is truth, whose bank is righteousness, whose waves are compassion. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 12, p. 433)

25. Of a gift to be received or given, of an act to be done, time drinks up the flavour, unless it be quickly performed. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 12, p. 433)

26. When the weak-minded is deprived of wealth, his actions are destroyed, like rivulets dried up in hot seasons. (Indian Proverbs, “Lucifer”, № 12, p. 433)

27. He who wants a faultless friend, must remain friendless. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 268)

28. Eat and drink with your friends, but do not trade with them. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 267)

29. Without trouble one gets no honey. Without grief and sorrow no one passes his life. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 268)

30. Vinegar does not catch a fly, but honey. A sweet tongue draweth the snake forth from the earth. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 268)

31. What good is advice to a fool? (“Universal proverbs”, “Lucifer”, № 19, p. 77)

September

Shall there not be as good a 'Then' as 'Now'? Haply much better... ...Therefore fear I not; And therefore, Holy Sir! my life is glad, Nowise forgetting yet those other lives Painful and poor, wicked and miserable, Whereon the Gods grant pity! But for me, What good I see, humbly I seek to do, And live obedient to the law, in trust That what will come, and must come, shall come well. Edwin Arnold, “Light of Asia”, Book 6

1. To him who has subdued self by SELF, his self is a friend; but to him who has not subdued senses by mind, that self is an enemy. (“Bhagavadgita”, ch. 6)

2. The eye is a window which looks into the heart. The brain is a door through which heart escapes. (Turkish proverb, , “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 269)

3. Devotion and clear vision are not his who eats too much, nor his who eats not at all; not his who sleeps too much, nor his who is too awake. (“Bhagavadgita”, ch. 6)

4. At the end of a life of study, the man possessed of knowledge approaches Deity; and at the end of many lives, the wise man becomes one with the ALL. (“Bhagavadgita”, ch. 7)

5. Grief and wrath, avarice and desire, delusion and laziness, vindictiveness and vanity, envy and hatred, censoriousness and slander – are the twelve sins destructive of man's bliss. (Sanatsugatiya, ch. 5)

6. The wolf changes his coat, and the serpent his skin, but not their nature. (Turkish Proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 269)

7. The young of the raven appears to it a nightingale. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 269)

8. The dog howls at the moon, but the moon heeds it not; be like the moon. (Russian proverb)

9. Let your soul work in harmony with the universal intelligence, as your breath does with the air. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 8, item 54)

10. Let no bitterness find entrance into the heart of a mother. (“Moral Precepts” (Translated from an Egyptian Papyrus in the Louvre), “Lucifer”, № 21, p. 225)

11. Pervert not the heart of a man who is pure, for he will turn thine own first enemy. (“Moral Precepts” (Translated from an Egyptian Papyrus in the Louvre), “Lucifer”, № 21, p. 225)

12. Do not make a wicked man thy companion, or act on the advice of a fool. (“Moral Precepts” (Translated from an Egyptian Papyrus in the Louvre), “Lucifer”, № 21, p. 225)

13. Save not thy life at the expense of another's, as he will take two of thy lives in future births. (“Moral Precepts” (Translated from an Egyptian Papyrus in the Louvre), “Lucifer”, № 21, p. 225)

14. Mock not the deformed; assume not a proud demeanor with thy inferiors; hurt not the feelings of the poor; be kind to those weaker than thyself, and charitable to all beings. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 4, v. 141)

15. Sacrifice not thy weaker child to the stronger, but protect him. (“Moral Precepts” (Translated from an Egyptian Papyrus in the Louvre), “Lucifer”, № 21, p. 225)

16. Amuse not thyself at the expense of those who depend on thee. Mock not a venerable man, for he is thy superior. (“Moral Precepts” (Translated from an Egyptian Papyrus in the Louvre),)

17. Death is a black camel that kneels at everybody's door. Death is a friend and a deliverer. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 266)

18. A little hill in a low place thinks itself a great mountain. (Turkish proverb, “A Practical Grammar of the Turkish Language”, p. 266)

19. Men are gnomes condemned to forced toils in the kingdom of darkness (or ignorance). (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 379)

20. We are the true troglodytes, cave-dwellers, though we call our cavern the world. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 379)

21. Living for ages in the night-realm, we dream that our darkness is full day. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 379)

22. All life is but a perpetual promise; an engagement renewed, but never fulfilled. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 379)

23. Man is a king, dethroned, and cast out from his kingdom; in chains and in a dungeon. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 379)

24. The heart of a beggar will not be content with half the universe; he is not born to a part, but to the whole. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 380)

25. Our life is the ante-room of the palace where our true treasure lies – immortality. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 380)

26. Useless to seek to seize the ocean-echo, by clasping the shell in which it lies hid; as useless to try to seize this essence, by grasping the form in which for a moment it shone. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer” № 23, p. 380)

27. When the leaden clouds clash together, the fair glimpse of heaven is shut out. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer” № 23, p. 380)

28. When the silence falls upon us, we can hear the voices of the gods, pointing out in the quiet light of divine law the true path for us to follow. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer” № 23, p. 381)

29. All the air resounds with the presence of spirit and spiritual laws. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 382)

30. The spirit it is, that, under the myriad illusions of life, works steadily towards its goal; silently, imperceptibly, irresistibly, moving on to divinity. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer”, № 23, p. 382)

October

The consciousness of good, which neither gold, Nor sordid fame, nor hope of heavenly bliss, Can purchase; but a life of resolute good, Unalterable will, quenchless desire Of universal happiness; the heart That beats with it in unison; the brain Whose ever-wakeful wisdom toils to change Reason's rich stores for its eternal weal. This "commerce" of sincerest virtue needs No mediative signs of selfishness, No jealous intercourse of wretched gain, No balancings of prudence, cold and long: – In just and equal measure all is weighed; One scale contains the sum of human weal, And one, THE GOOD MAN'S HEART! Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Queen Mab”, book V

1. The glamour of Time conceals from the weak souls of men the dark abysses around them, the terrible and mighty laws which incessantly direct their lives. (“Oriental Gleanings”, “Lucifer” № 23, p. 382)

2. There is no death without sin, and no affliction without transgression. (“The Babylonian Talmud”, Tractate "Shabbath”, Folio 55a)

3. Man's actions are divided, as regards their object, into four classes; they are either purposeless, unimportant, or vain, or good. (Maimonides, “The Guide of the Perplexed”, part 3, ch. 25)

4. The sun causes day and night, divine and human. Night is for the sleep of beings, day for the performance of their duty. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 1, v. 65)

5. If we were convinced that we could never make our crooked ways straight, we should for ever continue in our errors. (Maimonides, “The Guide of the Perplexed”, part 3, ch. 36)

6. Where there are not virtue and discrimination, learning is not to be sown there, no more than good seed in barren soil. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 112)

7. A teacher is more venerable than ten sub-teachers; a father, than one hundred teachers; a mother, than a thousand fathers. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch .2, v. 145)

8. Let not a man, even though pained, be sour-tempered, nor devise a deed of mischief to another. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 161)

9. One is not aged because his head is grey: whoever, although a youth, has wisdom, him the gods consider an elder. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 156)

10. A wise man should ever shrink from honour as from poison, and should always be desirous of disrespect as if of ambrosia. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 162)

11. Though despised, one sleeps with comfort, with comfort awakes, with comfort lives in this world; but the scorner perisheth. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 163)

12. Trust not in business one ever caught asleep by the sun rising or setting, for thereby he incurs great sin. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 221)

13. Those who prefer to swim in the waters of their ignorance, and to go down very low, need not exert the body or heart; they need only cease to move, and they will surely sink. (Maimonides, “The Guide of the Perplexed”, part 2, ch. 10)

14. As a man digging comes to water, so a zealous student attains unto knowledge. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 218)

15. A good man may receive pure knowledge even from an inferior; the highest virtue from the lowest. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 238)

16. Ambrosia may be extracted even from poison; elegant speech even from a fool; virtue even from an enemy; and gold from dross. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch. 2, v. 239)

17. Whoever offers not food to the poor, raiment to the naked, and consolation to the afflicted, is reborn poor, naked, and suffering. (Cūla Kamma Vibhaṅga Sutta, verse 13 (uncertain))

18. As a sower gets not his harvest if he sow seed in salt soil, so the giver gets no fruit by bestowing on the unworthy. (“The ordinances of Manu”, ch .3, v. 142)

19. There are three things of which one never tires: health, life and wealth. (The maxims of Hosheng)

20. A misfortune that cometh from on high cannot be averted; caution is useless against the decrees of Fate. (The maxims of Hosheng)

21. The worst of maladies is envy; the best of medicines is health. (The maxims of Hosheng)

22. Three things can never be got with three things: wealth, with wishing for it; youth, with cosmetics; health, with medicine. (The maxims of Hosheng)

23. Trifling ruins earnestness, lying is the enemy of truth, and oppression perverts justice. (The maxims of Hosheng)

24. Caution can never incur disgrace; imbecility can never bring honour with it. (The maxims of Hosheng)

25. Whomsoever riches do not exalt, poverty will not abase, nor calamity cast him down. (The maxims of Hosheng)

26. Night and day are the steeds of man; they hurry him on, not he them. (The maxims of Hosheng)

27. Whoso heeds not a plaint, confesses his own meanness; and whoso makes a merit of his charity, incurs reproach. (The maxims of Hosheng)

28. There are four things of which a little goes on a long way: pain, poverty, error, and enmity. (The maxims of Hosheng)

29. He who knows not his own worth, will never appreciate the worth of others. (The maxims of Hosheng)

30. Whosoever is ashamed of his father and mother, is excluded from the ranks of the wise. (The maxims of Hosheng)

31. He who is not lowly in his own sight, will never be exalted in the sight of others. (The maxims of Hosheng)

November

As large as is the unbounded Universe, So large that little, hidden Spirit is! The Heavens and Earths are in it! Fire and air, And sun and moon and stars; darkness and light, It comprehends! Whatever maketh Man, The present of him, and the past of him, And what shall be of him; – all thoughts and things Lie folded in the eternal vast of It! Edwin Arnold, “The Secret Of Death” from The Katha Upanishad

1. In every blessing think of its end, in every misfortune think of it removal. (The maxims of Hosheng)

2. If justice predominates not over injustice in a man, he will speedily fall into ruin. (The maxims of Hosheng)

3. Vain hopes cut man off from every good; but the renunciation of avarice prevents every ill. (The maxims of Hosheng)

4. Patience leads to power, but lust leads to loss. (The maxims of Hosheng)

5. By wisdom is the gift of knowledge displayed; by knowledge are high things obtained. (The maxims of Hosheng)

6. In calamity are men's virtues proved, and by long absence is their friendship tested. (The maxims of Hosheng)

7. That man who accurately understands the movement and the cause of the revolutions of the wheel of life is never deluded. (Anugita, ch. 30)

8. Days end with sunset, nights with the rising of the sun; the end of pleasure is ever grief, the end of grief ever pleasure. (Anugita, ch. 29)

9. All action ends in destruction; death is certain for whatever is born; everything in this world is transient. (Anugita, ch. 29)

10. In information is shown the wit of man, and in travel is his temper tried. (The maxims of Hosheng)

11. In poverty is benevolence assayed, and in the moment of anger is a man's truthfulness displayed. (The maxims of Hosheng)

12. By truth alone is man's mind purified, and by right discipline it doth become inspired. (The maxims of Hosheng)

13. By shaking hands with deceit, one is tossed on the billows of toil. (The maxims of Hosheng)

14. Fear of judgment will deter from wrong, but trifling with it leads to destruction. (The maxims of Hosheng)

15. An act may seem right, but it is by its results that its purpose is shown. (The maxims of Hosheng)

16. Intelligence is shown by good judgment. (The maxims of Hosheng)

17. Learning clears the mind, and ignorance cobwebs it. (The maxims of Hosheng)

18. Whoso takes good advice is secure from falling; but whoso rejects it, falleth into the pit of his own conceit. (The maxims of Hosheng)

19. By a trusty friend is man supported in life, and by reward are friendships increased. (The maxims of Hosheng)

20. Whoso cannot forgive wrong done to him shall learn to know how his good deeds are undone by himself. (The maxims of Hosheng)

21. He who bestows bounty on mankind, makes of mankind his debtor in a future birth. (The maxims of Hosheng)

22. The envious man is never satisfied, nor can he ever hope to become great. (The maxims of Hosheng)

23. The more a man clothes himself in modesty, the better does he conceal his faults. (The maxims of Hosheng)

24. The best policy for a man is not to boast of his virtues. (The maxims of Hosheng)

25. The kindest policy for a strong man is not to flourish his power in the sight of a weaker man. (The maxims of Hosheng)

26. The contentious man induces antagonism; people cannot often repress anger when contending with fools. (The maxims of Hosheng)

27. Intelligence is not shown by witty words, but by wise actions. (Russian proverb)

28. Of the eloquence of the pleasant speaker all men are enamored. (The maxims of Hosheng)

29. Craft has the best of men; boldness conquers cities; the first is despised, the last admired.

30. The brave man of whose prowess all men stand in need, will never be distressed by adversaries. (The maxims of Hosheng)

December

Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind. Lord Alfred Tennyson, “In Memoriam A.H.H.”, CVI

1. The most precious gift received by man on earth is desire for wisdom. (The maxims of Hosheng)

2. In health and wealth man is never in want of friends. True friends, however, are those who remain when they are needed.

3. Of all the animals on earth, man alone has the faculty of causing moral trouble.

4. Man contains three kinds of evil: the evil caused by his (lower) nature; the evil done by man to man; and the evil caused by man to himself. (Maimonides, “The Guide of the Perplexed”, part 3, ch.12)

5. A great man is he who is proof against flattery, vanity, injustice, and the love of pomp and power. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, , “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 1, item 16)

6. The wise man is he who can either take or leave those so-called necessities of life with which other people are intemperate. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 1, item 16)

7. To hold on with fortitude in one condition, and sobriety in the other, is a proof of a great soul and an impregnable virtue. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 1, item 16)

8. Let every action be done with perfect gravity, humanity, freedom, and justice, and perform it as though that action were your last. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 5)

9. A man can rarely be unhappy by being ignorant of another's thoughts; but he that does not attend to the motions of his own is certainly unhappy. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 8)

10. Do not let accidents disturb, or outward objects engross your thoughts; but keep your mind quiet and disengaged, to be ready to learn something good. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 7)

11. Manage all your actions, words, and thoughts accordingly, since you can at any moment quit life. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 11)

12. What matters dying? If the gods are in being, you can suffer nothing, for they will do you no harm. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 11)

13. And if the gods are not, or take no care of mortals – why, then, a world without gods is not worth a man's while to live in. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 11)

14. The being of the gods, and their concern in human affairs, is beyond dispute. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 2, item 11)

15. Remember that life is wearing off, and a smaller part of it is left daily. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 3, item 1)

16. Depend not upon external supports, nor beg your tranquillity of another. In a word, never throw away your legs to stand upon crutches. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 3, item 5)

17. If you examine a man that has been well-disciplined and purified by philosophy, you will find nothing that is unsound, false, or foul in him. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 3, item 8)

18. Life moves in a very narrow compass; yes, and men live in a small corner of the world too. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 3, item 10)

19. Poor transitory mortals know little even of themselves, much less of those who died long before their time. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 3, item 10)

20. Death and generation are both mysteries of nature, and resemble each other; the first does but dissolve those elements the latter had combined. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 5)

21. Do not suppose you are hurt, and your complaint ceases. Cease your complaint, and you are not hurt. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 7)

22. That which does not make man worse, does not make his life worse; as a result, he has no harm either within or without. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 8)

23. At present your nature is distinct; but ere long you will vanish into the whole: you will be returned into that universal reason which gave you your being. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 14)

24. Do but return to the principles of wisdom, and those who take you now for a monkey or a wild beast will make a god of you. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 16)

25. Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be good for something, while you live, and it is in your power. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 17)

26. He that is so anxious about being talked of when he is dead, does not consider that all who knew him will quickly be gone. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 19)

27. If you depend too servilely upon the good word of other people, you will be unworthy of your own nature. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 19)

28. Whatever is good has that quality from itself; it is finished by its own nature, and commendation is no part of it. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 20)

29. Do not run riot; keep your intentions honest, and your convictions sure. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 22)

30. He that does a memorable action, and those who report it, are all but short-lived things. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 35)

31. Put yourself frankly into the hands of Fate, and let her spin you out what fortune she pleases. (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, “Meditation of Marcus Aurelius”, book 4, item 34)

See also

• Gems from the East in Teopedia in English and Russian with text of original source and some comments.
• Sources of the Gems by Pavel Malakhov -- a research on sources where H. P. Blavatsky took thoughts for this book.