Masters of Wisdom

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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, it seems the word "Master" refers more specifically to a high class of Adepts who work in line with the evolutionary movement. This idea is reported by Charles Johnston in his interview to Mme. Blavatsky:

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.[2]

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.[3]

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.[4]

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![5]

Notes

  1. Helena Ptrovna Blavatsky, The Key To Theosophy, Glossary (Pasadena, CA: Theosophical University Press, 1972), 348.
  2. Charles Johnston, Collected Writings vol VIII (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1960), 400.
  3. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings, vol. 8 (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1960), 400.
  4. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings, vol. 12 (Adyar, Madras: Theosophical Publishing House, 1991), 31.
  5. Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett in chronological sequence No. 68 (Quezon City: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 203-204.

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with the Theosophical Mahatmas] Compiled and edited by Daniel H. Caldwell

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