The following article was written by a member of the
Theosophical Society and practitioner of Zoroastrianism (Mazdayasna).
THEOSOPHY AND THE AVESTA
By a Parsi, F. T. S.
It is now nearly four years that the
Theosophical Society has established itself amongst us. During this short
period a large number of lectures have been delivered by the President [Olcott]
in various parts of India, as well as in Bombay. Many of these lectures reveal
a spirit akin to that which is to be found in the older religions of the East,
especially the Vedic and Zendic. Leaving aside the former, I wish to point out
by an instance or two, the similarity and close resemblance which the doctrines
of the old Zendic literature, as far as they are now preserved, appear to bear
to the teachings of the Founders of the Society as conveyed to use through
their lectures and their chief organ, the Theosophist.
Of course, a student of the Avesta
would see at a glance how every precept and dogma taught in these sacred
scriptures are corroborated, nay, reflected as it were, in the pamphlets which
are so extensively published and circulated by the Society. At the same time,
any ordinary Parsi, while reciting his daily Niyashes, Gehs and Yashts,
provided he yields to the curiosity of looking into the meanings of what he
recites, will, with a little exertion, perceive how the same ideas, only
clothed in a more intelligible and comprehensive garb, are reflected in these
pamphlets. My only object, therefore, in writing this is to give those, who are
interested in the revival of the old Zend philosophy, the benefit of sharing in
the pleasure which it has been my lot to enjoy almost accidentally.
The first number of a very small
pamphlet called “Fragments of Occult Truth,” is before me; and at page fifth, I
find a description of the several compound principles which go to form what is
called (according to occult doctrine) man. By quite a fortuitous coincidence I
am informed that a description, similar in every respect, is given in the 54th
chapter of the Yasna, one of the most authoritative books of the
Mazdiasnian religion. In searching for it (as, of course, not being quite
conversant with this literature, I had to), what do I find but that the very
first paragraph gives all the information one can require to convince him that Avesta,
Theosophy, Occultism, Esoteric Philosophy, or whatever else it may be
called, are identical.
Indeed, as a Mazdiasnian, I felt
quite ashamed that, having such undeniable and unmistakable evidence before
their eyes, the Zoroastrians of the present day should not avail themselves of
the opportunity offered of throwing light upon their now entirely misunderstood
and misinterpreted Scriptures by the assistance and under the guidance of the
Theosophical Society. Be it well understood that the Society does not pretend
to offer Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott, as the Alpha and Omega of its
researches.
If Zend scholars and students of
Avesta would only care to study and search for themselves, they would, perhaps,
find to assist them, men who are in possession of the right and only key to the
true esoteric wisdom; men, who would be willing to guide and help them to reach
the true and hidden meaning, and to supply them with the missing links that
have resulted in such painful gaps as to leave the meaning meaningless, and to
create in the mind of the perplexed student doubts that finally culminate in a
thorough unbelief in his own religion.
Who knows but they may find some of
their own co-religionists, who, aloof from the world, have to this day
preserved the glorious truths of their once mighty religion, and who, hidden in
the recesses of solitary mountains and unknown silent caves, are still in
possession of, and exercising, mighty powers, the heirloom of the ancient Magi.
That the Mobeds were Yogis, who had the power of making
themselves simultaneously visible at different places, though the latter may
have been hundreds of miles apart, is something, we are told, in our
scriptures; as also that they could heal the sick and work that which would now
appear to us miraculous.
All this was considered facts but
two or three centuries back, as any reader of old books (mostly Persian) knows
well and will not disbelieve a priori unless his mind is irretrievably
biassed by modern secular education. The story about the Mobed and
Emperor Akbar and of the latter’s conversion, is an historical fact, so well
known as to require no more proofs at this late hour.
But as the modern Parsi will never
fail to ask for a corroboration, and that before we insist upon the results we
have to show the existence and reality of the causes that underlie such
phenomenal powers in man, called in our days — jugglery, I will
first of all quote side by side the two passages referring to the septenary
nature of man as I find them in our Scriptures and the Fragments.
|
Sub-divisions of septenary man according to the Occultists. |
Sub-divisions of septenary man according to Yasna (chap. 54, para. I). |
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1. The Physical body, composed wholly of matter in its grossest and most tangible form. |
1. Tanwas—i.e., body (the self) that consists of bones—grossest form of matter. |
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2. The Vital principle—(or Jiva)—a form of force indestructible, and when disconnected with one set of atoms, becoming attracted immediately by others. |
2. Ushtanas—Vital heat (or force). |
|
3. The Astral body (Linga-sharira) composed of highly etherealized matter; in its habitual passive state, the perfect but very shadowy duplicate of the body; its activity, consolidation and form depending entirely on the Kama-rupa. |
3. Keherpas—Aërial form, the airy mould, (Per. Kaleb.) |
|
4. The Astral shape (Kama-rupa or body of desire, a principle defining the configuration of —— |
4. Tevishis—Will, or where sentient consciousness is formed, also fore-knowledge. |
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5. The animal or Physical intelligence or Consciousness or Ego, analogous to, though proportionally higher in the senses or the animal degree than the reason, instinct, memory, imagination etc., existing in the higher animals. |
5. Baodhas (in Sanskrit, Buddhi)—Body of physical consciousness, perception by the senses or animal soul. |
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6. The Higher or Spiritual intelligence or consciousness, or spiritual Ego, in which mainly resides the sense of consciousness in the perfect man, though the lower dimmer animal consciousness co-exists in No. 5. |
6. Urawanem (Per. Rawan)—Soul, that which gets its reward or punishment after death. |
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7. The Spirit—an emanation from the ABSOLUTE uncreated; eternal; a state rather than a being. |
7. Frawashem or Farohar—Spirit (the guiding energy which is with every man, is absolutely independent, and, without mixing with any worldly object, leads man to good. The spark of’ divinity in every being). |
The above is given in the Avesta as
follows:
« We declare and positively make known
this (that) we offer (our) entire property (which is) the body (the self consisting
of) bones (tanwas), vital heat (ushtanas), aërial form (keherpas),
knowledge (tevishis), consciousness (baodhas), soul (urwanem),
and spirit (frawashem), to the prosperous, truth-coherent (and) pure
Gathas (prayers). »
The ordinary Gujarathi translation
differs from Spiegel’s, and this latter differs very slightly from what is here
given. Yet in the present translation there has been made no addition to, or
omission from, the original wording of the Zend text. The grammatical
construction also has been preserved intact. The only difference, therefore,
between the current translations and the one here given is that ours is
in accordance with the modern corrections of philological research which make
it more intelligible, and the idea perfectly clear to the reader.
The words [translated “body,”
“bones,” and “vital heat”] need no further explanation. They represent the
purely physical part of man: matter and that force which keeps this matter in
cohesion for a fixed period of time. The [word translated “aërial form”] also
has come down to us without undergoing any change in the meaning. It is the
modern Persian word kaleb, which means a mould, a shape into which a
thing is cast, to take a certain form and features.
The next word [tevishis] is one
about which there is a great difference of opinion. It is by some called
strength, durability, i.e., that power which gives tenacity to and
sustains the nerves. Others explain it as that quality in a man of rank and
position which makes him perceive the result of certain events (causes), and
thus helps him in being prepared to meet them. This meaning is suggestive,
though we translate it as knowledge, or fore-knowledge rather, with the
greatest diffidence. The [next] word [baodhas] is quite clear. That inward
feeling which tells a man that he knows this or that, that he has or can do
certain things — is perception and consciousness. It is the inner conviction,
knowledge and its possession.
The [next] word [urwanem] is again
one which has retained its meaning and has been in use up to the present day.
The reader will at once recognize that it is the origin of tile modern word Rawan.
It is (metaphorically) the king, the conscious motor or agent in man. It is
that something which depends upon and is benefited or injured by the foregoing
attributes. We say depends upon, because its progress entirely consists in the
development of those attributes. If they are neglected, it becomes weak and
degenerated, and disappears. If they ascend on the moral and spiritual scale,
it gains strength and vigor and becomes more blended than ever to the Divine
Essence — the seventh principle. But how does it become attracted toward its
monad?
The [next] word [frawashem] answers
the question. This is the Divine essence in man. But this is only the
irresponsible minister (this completes the metaphor). The real master is the
king, the spiritual soul. It must have the willingness and power to see and
follow the course pointed out by the pure spirit. The vizir’s business is only
to represent a point of attraction, towards which the king should turn. It is
for the king to see and act accordingly for the glory of his own self. The
minister or spirit can neither compel nor constrain. It inspires and
electrifies into action; but to benefit by the inspiration, to take advantage
of it, is left to the option of the spiritual soul.
If, then, the Avesta contains
such a passage, it must fairly be admitted that its writers knew the whole
doctrine concerning spiritual man. We cannot suppose that the ancient
Mazdiasnians, the Magi, wrote this short passage, without inferring from
it, at the same time, that they were thoroughly conversant with the whole of
the occult theory about man. And it looks very strange indeed, that modern
Theosophists should now preach to us the very same doctrines that must have
been known and taught thousands of years ago by the Mazdiasnians, — the passage
is quoted from one of their oldest writings.
And since they propound the very same
ideas, the meaning of which has well-nigh been lost even to our most learned
Mobeds, they ought to be credited at least with some possession of a knowledge,
the key to which has been revealed to them, and lost to us, and which opens the
door to the meaning of those hitherto inexplicable sentences and doctrines in
our old writings, about which we are still, and will go on, groping in the
dark, unless we listen to what they have to tell us about them.
To show that the above is not a
solitary instance, but that the Avesta contains this idea in many other
places, I will give another paragraph which contains the same doctrine, though
in a more condensed form than the one just given. Let the Parsi reader turn to Yàsna,
chapter 26, and read the sixth paragraph, which runs as follows:
« We praise the life (ahum),
knowledge (daenam), consciousness (baodhas), soul (urwanem),
and spirit (frawashem) of the first in religion, the first teachers and
hearers (learners), the holy men and holy women who were the protectors of
purity here (in this world). »
Here the whole man is spoken of as
composed of five parts, as under:
|
1. Ahum Existence, Life. it includes |
1. The Physical Body. 2. The Vital Principle. 3. The Astral Body. |
|
2. Daenam—Knowledge. |
4. The Astral shape or body of desire. |
|
3. Baodhas—Consciousness. |
5. The Animal or physical intelligence or consciousness or Ego. |
|
4. Urwanem—Soul. |
6. The Higher or Spiritual intelligence or consciousness, or Spiritual Ego. |
|
5. Frawashem—Spirit. |
7. The Spirit. |
In this description the first triple
group, viz., the bones (or the gross matter), the vital force which keeps them
together, and the ethereal body, are included in one and called Existence,
Life. The second part stands for the fourth principle of the septenary
man, as denoting the configuration of his knowledge or desires. (1)
Then the three, consciousness (or
animal soul), (spiritual) soul, and the pure Spirit are the same as in the
first quoted passage. Why are these four mentioned as distinct from each other
and not consolidated like the first part?
The sacred writings explain this by
saying that on death the first of these five parts disappears and perishes
sooner or later in the earth’s atmosphere. The gross elementary matter (the
shell) has to run within the earth’s attraction; so the Ahum separates
from the higher portions and is lost.
The second (i.e., the fourth
of the septenary group) remains, but not with the spiritual soul. It
continues to hold its place in the vast storehouse of the universe. And it is
this second Daenam which stands before the (spiritual) soul in the form
of a beautiful maiden or an ugly hag. That which brings this Daenam within
the sight of the (spiritual) soul is the third part (i.e., the fifth of
the septenary group), the Baodhas.
Or in other words, the (spiritual)
soul has with it, or in it, the true consciousness by which it can view the
experiences of its physical career. So this consciousness, this power or
faculty which brings the recollection, is always with, in other words, is a
part and parcel of, the soul itself; hence, its not mixing with any other part,
and hence its existence after the physical death of man. (2)
Notes
1. Modern science also teaches
that certain characteristics of features indicate the possession of certain
qualities in a man. The whole science of physiognomy is founded on it. One can
predict the disposition of a man from his features, — i.e., the features
develop in accordance with the idiosyncrasies, qualities and vices, knowledge
or the ignorance of man.
2. Our Brother has but to look
into the oldest sacred books of China — namely, the YI KING, or Book of
Changes (translated by James Legge) written 1,200 B.C., to find that same Septenary
division of man mentioned in that system of Divination. Zhing, which
is translated correctly enough “essence,” is the more subtle and pure part of
matter — the grosser form of the elementary ether; Khi, or “spirit,” is
the breath, still material but purer than the zhing, and is made of’ the
finer and more active form of ether. In the hwun, or soul (animus)
the Khi predominates and the zhing (or zing) in the pho
or animal soul. At death the hwun (or spiritual soul) wanders away,
ascending, and the pho (the root of the Tibetan word Pho-hat)
descends and is changed into a ghostly shade (the shell).
Dr. Medhurst thinks that “the Kwei
Shans” (see “Theology of the Chinese,” pp.10-12) are “the expanding and
contracting principles of human life!” The Kwei Shans are brought about
by the dissolution of the human frame — and consist of the expanding and
ascending Shan which rambles about in space, and of the contracted and
shrivelled Kwei, which reverts to earth and nonentity. Therefore, the Kwei
is the physical body; the Shan is the vital principle the Kwei
Shan the linga-sariram, or the vital soul; Zhing the fourth
principle or Kama Rupa, the essence of will; pho, the animal soul; Khi,
the spiritual soul; and Hwun the pure spirit — the seven principles
of our occult doctrine!. (Editor of The
Theosophist.)
(The Theosophist, October 1882,
p.20-22)
Note: A modified version of this article was republished in book Five
Years of Theosophy under the title “Zoroastrianism on the Septenary
Constitution of Man”.
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