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<blockquote>'''Master.''' A translation from the Sanskrit Guru, "Spiritual teacher," and adopted by the Theosophists to designate the Adepts, from whom they hold their teachings.<ref>Helena Ptrovna Blavatsky, ''The Key To Theosophy'', Glossary (Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1972), 348.</ref></blockquote> | <blockquote>'''Master.''' A translation from the Sanskrit Guru, "Spiritual teacher," and adopted by the Theosophists to designate the Adepts, from whom they hold their teachings.<ref>Helena Ptrovna Blavatsky, ''The Key To Theosophy'', Glossary (Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1972), 348.</ref></blockquote> | ||
The Masters of Wisdom are sometimes referred indistinctly as "Brothers", "[[Adepts]]", or "[[Mahatmas]]." However, | The Masters of Wisdom are sometimes referred indistinctly as "Brothers", "[[Adepts]]", or "[[Mahatmas]]." However, the word "Master" usually refers more specifically to a high class of [[Adepts]] who work in line with the evolutionary movement. | ||
== Adepts and Masters == | == Adepts and Masters == | ||
Revision as of 17:45, 12 November 2012
The Masters of Wisdom, or simply "The Masters" are initiates in the occult science and esoteric philosophy, who take disciples or chelas. H. P. Blavatsky, in the glossary of her book The Key to Theosophy defined the Theosophical concept of "Master" as follows:
Master. A translation from the Sanskrit Guru, "Spiritual teacher," and adopted by the Theosophists to designate the Adepts, from whom they hold their teachings.[1]
The Masters of Wisdom are sometimes referred indistinctly as "Brothers", "Adepts", or "Mahatmas." However, the word "Master" usually refers more specifically to a high class of Adepts who work in line with the evolutionary movement.
Adepts and Masters
The word "Adept" was used in a general way by Mme. Blavatsky. There were high and low adepts. Sometimes she called "Adept" people with occult knowledge, but not necessarily spiritually highly evolved. In fact, she mentions adepts who are black magicians. The word Master, however, seems to be reserved to high adepts, who work in line with the evolutionary movement. This idea is expressed to certain extent by Charles Johnston in an article published in H. P. Blavatsky's Collected Writings:
Then she told me something about other Masters and adepts she had known -- for she made a difference, as though the adepts were the captains of the occult world, and the Masters were the generals. She had known adepts of many races, from Northern and Southern India, Tibet, Persia, China, Egypt; of various European nations, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, English; of certain races in South America, where she said there was a Lodge of adepts.[2]
Renouncing Nirvana
An important feature of the Masters of Wisdom is that, although they have attained the right to enter in Nirvāṇa they renounce to it in order to stay in touch with humanity. This is the same concept of the Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, which was not very well know at the time to the Western world:
. . .the hitherto very esoteric doctrine of the Nirmanakayas was lately brought forward as a proof and explained in the treatise called The Voice of the Silence. These Nirmanakayas are the Bodhisattvas or late Adepts, who having reached Nirvana and liberation from rebirth, renounce it voluntarily in order to remain invisibly amidst the world to help poor ignorant Humanity within the lines permitted by Karma.[3]
This is evidently a sacrifice on their part, renouncing to live in a state of bliss on higher planes to incessantly work on the lower ones. As Mahatma K.H. wrote to A. P. Sinnett:
I will be busy night and day, morning, noon, and evening. At times I feel a passing regret that the Chohans should not evolute the happy idea of allowing us also a "sumptuary allowance" in the shape of a little spare time. Oh, for the final Rest! for that Nirvana where — "to be one with Life, yet — to live not." Alas, alas! having personally realized that: ". . . the Soul of Things is sweet, The Heart of Being is celestial Rest," one does long for — eternal REST![4]
Notes
- ↑ Helena Ptrovna Blavatsky, The Key To Theosophy, Glossary (Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1972), 348.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings, vol. 8 (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1960), 400.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings, vol. 12 (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 31.
- ↑ Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 68 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 203-204.
Further reading
Articles
- Working as Colleagues of the Masters by Ed Abdill
- The Theosophical Mahatmas by H. P. Blavatsky
- Masters and Gurus by Radha Burnier
- A Casebook of Encounters with the Theosophical Mahatmas Compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell
- The Perfected Ones by Clara Codd
- The Mahatmas and Their Instruments - Part 1 and Part 2 by Laura Holloway
- Who Is The Teacher? by Joy Mills
- How the Masters Know Truth by Shirley J. Nicholson
- Mahatmas versus Ascended Masters by Pablo Sender
- Who Are the Masters? An Interview with Joy Mills by Richard Smoley
Books
- H. P. Blavatsky and the Masters of the Wisdom by Annie Besant
- The Masters by Annie Besant
- Teachers And Disciples A compilation of articles H. P. Blavatsky
- The Mahatmas and Their Letters by Alvin B. Kuhn
- Mahatmas and Chelas by Leoline L. Wright
Additional resources
Audio
- Masters of the Wisdom by Dora Kunz
- Krishnamurti on the Masters by Aryel Sanat
Video
- The Masters and Their Wisdom - Part 1 by Pablo Sender
- The Masters and Their Wisdom Part 2 Part 3 and Part 4 by Tim Boyd