Hinduism and Theosophy
Philosophical parallels
Merwin Snell's opinion
In 1895, Prof. Merwin Snell (
According to him, there is no connection between Theosophy and
In conclusion, Snell wrote that the "process of Hinduization" of Theosophy can be seen by comparing the first and later works of its leading figures. In his opinion, this process has been greatly influenced by the Society "Arya Samaj", new branch of Vaishnavism (see Fig. 1), which especially emphasized the importance of a study of the Vedas.[25][note 7]
Hinduism and secret teachings
Prof. Donald Lopez noted that in 1878 the founders of the Theosophical Society directed their efforts "toward a broader promotion of a universal brotherhood of humanity, claiming affinities between Theosophy and the wisdom of the Orient, specifically Hinduism and Buddhism."[27] In Jones and Ryan's opinion, the Theosophists "drew freely from their understanding of Eastern thought, particularly Buddhist and Hindu cosmologies."[28][note 8] A British Indologist John Woodroffe noted that the Theosophical teaching was "largely inspired by Indian ideas."[31] Prof. Iqbal Taimni wrote that much of the knowledge about the universe "has always been available, especially in the literature of the ancient religions like Hinduism." But, in most cases, this was presented in the form of difficult-to-understand doctrines. In Taimni's opinion, Theosophy has introduced in them "order, clarity, system and a rational outlook" which allowed us to get a "clear and systematic" understanding of the processes and laws underlying the revealed universe, "both visible and invisible."[32]
According to the Theosophical teaching, the "universal consciousness, which is the essence of all life", lies at the basis of the individual consciousness, and this coincides with the Advaita Vedanta point of view, which states that atman "is identical with Brahman, the universal self".[33] Prof. Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke wrote:
"[Blavatsky's] preference for Advaita Vedanta related to its exposition of the ultimate reality as a
Parabrahm as the universal divine principle would become the first fundamental proposition of The Secret Doctrine."[24]
A proem of the book says that there is "an Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immutable Principle on which all speculation is impossible, since it transcends the power of human conception and could only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude."[34] In his book Man, God, and the Universe,[35] Taimni demonstrated several examples showing the coherence of cosmology in The Secret Doctrine with the positions of Hindu philosophy.[note 9]
"In the Absolute there is perfect equilibrium of all opposites and integration of all principles which by their differentiation provide the instruments for running the machinery of a manifested system. The primary differentiation of the Ultimate Reality leads to the appearance of two Realities which are polar in nature and which are called Shiva and Shakti in Hindu philosophy, and the Father-Mother principle in The Secret Doctrine.[37] Shiva is the root of consciousness and Shakti that of power: all manifestations of consciousness are derived from Shiva and those of power from Shakti."[38]
Prof.
According to Hindu philosophy, Shiva consciousness serves as a repository in which the universe is in the pralaya stage. After each period of manifestation, the cosmos, or the solar system, "passes into His Consciousness", in accordance with the eternal alternation of the manifestation phase (Shrishti) and the rest one that is "inherent in the Absolute." This state is "beautifully" described, in Taimni's opinion, in the first stanza of Cosmogenesis in The Secret Doctrine.[40] Thus, the universe in the state of pralaya is in the consciousness of Shiva. In fact, it is "in His Consciousness all the time", and the changes associated with manifestation and pralaya can be viewed as affecting "only the periphery of His Consciousness."[41][note 10]
The
The Theosophists used the concept of reincarnation common for Hinduism and Buddhism to substantiate the one esoteric core of these religions.
Hinduists and Theosophists
According to John Driscoll, an author of
"None is older than she in esoteric wisdom and civilization, however fallen may be her poor shadow—modern India. Holding this country, as we do, for the fruitful hot-bed whence proceeded all subsequent philosophical systems, to this source of all psychology and philosophy a portion of our Society has come to learn its ancient wisdom and ask for the impartation of its weird secrets."[48][note 13]
In 1877, first president of the Theosophical Society
In May 1878, the union of the two societies was formalized, and the Theosophical Society "changed its name to the Theosophical Society of the Arya Samaj of Aryavarta." But soon Olcott received a translation of the statute and the doctrines of Arya Samaj, which led the Theosophists to some confusion. The views of Swami Dayananda had either "radically changed" or were initially misunderstood. His organization was in fact "merely a new sect of Hinduism", and several years after the arrival of Blavatsky and Olcott in India, the connection between the two societies finally ceased.
Goodrick-Clarke wrote that "educated Indians" were particularly impressed by the Theosophists' defense of their ancient religion and philosophy in the context of the growing self-consciousness of the people, directed against the "values and beliefs of the European colonial powers."
Bevir wrote that in India Theosophy "became an integral part of a wider movement of
In Prof.
Subba Row as Theosophist
A Hindu Theosophist
His attitude towards Blavatsky changed dramatically after the "Coulomb conspiracy".[63] On 27 March 1885, she wrote, "Subba Row repeats that the sacred science was desecrated and swears he will never open his lips to a European about occultism."[64] In Ramanujachary's opinion, his "deep-rooted" nationalist prejudices clearly appear in such his words:
"It will not be a very easy thing to make me believe that any Englishman can really be induced to labour for the good of my countrymen without having any other motive but sincere feeling and sympathy towards them."[65]
Despite the fact that in 1886 the "atmosphere" became somewhat calmer, Subba Row was "strongly opposed" to Olcott's plans for Blavatsky's return to India.
Theosophical emblem
According to Stuckrad, when creating the official emblem of the Theosophical Society, some elements were copied, including the swastika, "from the personal seal of Madame Blavatsky."[70] "In India the swastika continues to be the most widely used auspicious symbol of Hindus, Jainas, and Buddhists."[71]
The emblem is crowned with the Hindu sacred word "Om" written in Sanskrit.[72][73] In Hinduism, "Om", representing the unity of atman and Brahman, is being identified with the "entire universe and with its modifications," including temporal, that is, past, present, and future.[1]
Below is written a motto of the Theosophical Society "There is no religion higher than truth." There are several variants of the English translation of the Theosophical motto, which was written in Sanskrit as "Satyāt nāsti paro dharmah."[74] The only correct translation does not exist, because the original contains the word "dharmah" which, according to a Russian Indologist Vladimir Shokhin, is not translated unequivocally into European languages, due to its "fundamental ambiguity."[75]
Blavatsky translated it as "There is no religion (or law) higher than truth," explaining that this is the motto of one of the Maharajas of Benares, "adopted by the Theosophical Society."[76][note 17] Prof. Santucci translated the motto as "There is nothing higher than truth,"[78] Prof. Shabanova —"There is no law higher than truth,"[73] Gottfried de Purucker—"There is no religion (duty, law) higher than truth (reality)."[74] A follower of Advaita Vedanta Alberto Martin said that a maxim "There is no religion higher than truth" can be compared, in relation to an "inspiration or motivation", with one phrase from the Bhagavad Gita which reads: "There is no lustral water like unto Knowledge" (IV, 38).[79] According to Shabanova, the Bhagavad-gita defines dharma as the "essential" duty or goal of a person's life. If we consider the Theosophical motto, as she wrote, in the context that "there is no duty, there is no law, there is no path, along which we can follow, more important than the path to truth," we can get closer to the fuller meaning of this motto.[80][note 18]
Theosophical yoga
Hammer wrote that the Theosophical doctrine of the
Woodroffe wrote that a Hindu who practice any form of "spiritual Yoga" usually, unlike the Theosophists,
Criticism of Theosophy
In Prof. Max Müller's opinion, neither in the Vedas, nor in the Upanishads there are any esoteric overtones announced by the Theosophists, and they only sacrifice their reputation, pandering "to the superstitious belief of the Hindus in such follies."[89]
A French philosopher René Guénon noted that the Theosophical conceptions of evolution are "basically only an absurd caricature of the Hindu theory of cosmic cycles."[90] According to Guénon, the Theosophical motto "There is no religion higher than truth" is a very unfortunate translation of the motto "Satyāt nāsti paro dharmah" which owned by one of the Maharajas of Benares. Thus, in his opinion, the Theosophists not only impudently appropriated the "Hindu device", but also could not correctly translate it. Guénon's translation—"There are no rights superior to those of the Truth".[91]
Prof. Lopez wrote that some Indians, for example, such a "legendary" figure as Vivekananda, after initially "cordial relations with the Theosophists," disavowed the connection between "their Hinduism" and Theosophy.
In Woodroffe's opinion, despite the fact that the Theosophists widely used the ideas of Hinduism, the meanings they gave to some Hindu terms "is not always" correspond to the meanings that the Hindus themselves placed into these terms. For example, Leadbeater explained the ability of yogi to become "large or small at will (Anima and Maxima Siddhi) to a flexible tube" in the forehead, but the Hindus would say so about this: "All powers (Siddhi) are the attributes of the Lord Ishvara". Woodroffe wrote that one should avoid the terms and definitions adopted by the Theosophical authors. [94] Hammer also noted that in many cases, when the Theosophists borrowed terminology from Sanskrit, they were giving it "entirely new meanings."[95] A Christian theologian Dimitri Drujinin also wrote about the "significant" change by Theosophists the meaning of Hindu terms and content of the concepts when they were used.[96]
A German philosopher Eduard von Hartmann, analyzing Sinnett's book Esoteric Buddhism, has criticized not only the Theosophical concepts, but also the cosmology of Hinduism and Buddhism, on which they are based. In his opinion:
"Indian cosmology cannot rid itself from the constant wavering between sensualistic materialism and a cosmic illusionism. The ultimate reason of this appears to be that the lndians have no idea of objective phenomenality. Because they cannot understand the individualities to be relatively constant centres (conglomerations, groups) of functions of the universal spirit, they must take them either for illusions or for separate senso-material existences. And the latter view is obliged to draw the conclusion that the absolute being from which they emanate or derive their existence must also be senso-material. This can only be avoided and an enlightened idea of spirit can only be arrived at, if one takes our notions of matter to be mere illusions of our senses; the objective matter, however, corresponding with it, to be the product of immaterial forces acting in space, and these forces to be the functions of the one unconscious cosmic force."[97]
See also
- Buddhism and Theosophy
- Christianity and Theosophy
- From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan
- "Is Theosophy a Religion?"
- Literature and Theosophy
- "What Are The Theosophists?"
- "What Is Theosophy?"
Notes
- ^ According to the researchers in esotericism Emily Sellon and Renée Weber, "it was not until the late nineteenth century, after the advent of the Theosophical movement," that interest in Asian thought appeared.[8]
- W.Q. Judge's comment "Tenets of Theosophy."[12] In 1893, Snell was a head of the science section of the First Parliament of the World's Religions.[13]
- ^ Prof. Olav Hammer wrote that, according to Blavatsky, the main texts of Indian philosophy, the Upanishads, were "expurgated by the brahmins once it became clear to them that they could not be kept entirely out of the reach of individuals of low caste."[17] This was done by removing the "most important" parts of them, although the brahmins have provided the transfer of the main key "among the initiated," so that they could understand the remainder of the text.[18]
- ^ A Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov has called the Upanishads the "Theosophical part" of the Vedas.[19]
- Mahāyāna Buddhism arose from a fusion of Buddhism with the latter, the association of Theosophy with Buddhism, not only in the popular mind, but in that of its adherents, becomes intelligible."[23]
- ^ As Prof. Goodrick-Clarke noted, Buddhist ideas and Advaita Vedanta were the "common source" of Blavatsky's esoteric doctrine.[24]
- ^ According to Prof. Mark Bevir, "the most important" Theosophical conception within India was identification of the "universal religion" with the ancient Brahmanism.[26]
- ^ According to Encyclopedia of Hinduism, The Secret Doctrine "remains one of the most influential occult works to appear in the West."[36]
- ^ According to Hindu philosophy, during the period of "dissolution", the universe collapses "into a mathematical point" that has not any magnitude. This is the "Shiva-Bindu."[42]
- ^ A European term "the Logos" is equivalent to the Hindu one the "Shabda-Brahman."[43]
- ^ In a historian Julie Chajes' opinion, reincarnation is a "fundamental principle of Theosophy", which claims that not only individualities are reincarnated, but also the "universes, solar systems, and planets."[45]
- ^ Goodrick-Clarke noted that Hindu philosophy, "in particular Samkara's Advaita Vedanta, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita," was widely represented in Blavatsky's articles and books.[24]
- ^ "Theosophy's eclecticism and relativism were profoundly incompatible with Dayananda's fundamentalism, so rapid mutual disenchantment was inevitable."[51]
- Kuthumi.[55]
- ^ Senkevich stated that, besides Subba Row, there were also other "talented young men from the Brahmin families" who became the Theosophists, for example, Damodar K. Mavalankar and Mohini Mohun Chatterji.[60]
- ^ According to Shabanova, Blavatsky met this Maharaja during hers first travel to India.[77]
- ^ Ellwood noted that the Bhagavad-gita, "an ancient Hindu text, highly valued by many Theosophists".[81]
- ^ Tantric practice of the Hindus has always been associated with the "local religious worldview," for example, with some "forms of Kashmiri Shaivism."[83]
- ^ When the Theosophical Society was created the investigation "the unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in man" was proclaimed its third major task.[84]
References
- ^ a b Степанянц 2009, p. 586.
- ^ Campbell 1980, Ch. 1.
- ^ Митюгова 2010.
- ^ Wakoff 2016.
- ^ Faivre 2010, p. 86.
- ^ Сенкевич 2012, p. 457.
- ^ Jones, Ryan 2006c, p. 448.
- ^ Sellon, Weber 1992, p. 326.
- ^ Snell 1895b, p. 258.
- ^ Snell 1895a, p. 205.
- ^ Snell 1895b, p. 259.
- ^ Judge.
- ^ Chattopadhyaya 1999, p. 159.
- ^ Snell 1895b, p. 262.
- ^ Степанянц 2009, p. 822.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. 278; Snell 1895b, pp. 262–3.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. 270; Hammer 2003, p. 175.
- ^ Hammer 2003, p. 175.
- ^ Соловьёв 1914, p. 295.
- ^ Степанянц 2009, pp. 58–9.
- ^ Степанянц 2009, p. 445.
- ^ Snell 1895b, p. 263.
- ^ a b Snell 1895b, p. 264.
- ^ a b c Goodrick-Clarke 2008, p. 219.
- ^ Snell 1895b, p. 265.
- ^ a b c Bevir 2000.
- ^ Lopez 2009, p. 11.
- ^ Jones, Ryan 2006b, p. 242.
- ^ Hanson 1971, p. 102.
- ^ Skeen 2002.
- ^ Woodroffe 1974, p. 14.
- ^ Taimni 1969, pp. 189–90.
- ^ Sellon, Weber 1992, p. 323.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. 14; Percival 1905, p. 205; Santucci 2012, p. 234; Шабанова 2016, p. 91.
- ^ Taimni 1969.
- ^ Jones, Ryan 2006a, p. 87.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. 18.
- ^ Taimni 1969, p. 162.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. 15; Ellwood 2014, p. 57.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. 35.
- ^ Taimni 1969, pp. 50–1.
- ^ Woodroffe 1974, pp. 34–5.
- ^ Subba Row 1888, p. 8; Woodroffe 1974, p. 47.
- ^ Taimni 1969, p. 88.
- ^ Chajes 2017, p. 72.
- ^ Sinnett 1885, pp. 175–6; Lopez 2009, p. 189.
- ^ Driscoll 1912, p. 626.
- ^ Blavatsky 1879, p. 5; Kalnitsky 2003, pp. 66–7.
- ^ Kuhn 1992, p. 110; Goodrick-Clarke 2008, p. 219; Lopez 2009, p. 186; Rudbøg 2012, p. 425.
- ^ Kuhn 1992, p. 111; Santucci 2012, p. 236; Rudbøg 2012, p. 426.
- ^ Johnson 1995, p. 62.
- ^ Ransom 1989, p. 121; Дружинин 2012, p. 21.
- ^ Olcott 2011, pp. 396, 406; Lopez 2009, p. 186.
- ^ Goodrick-Clarke 2004, p. 12.
- ^ Godwin 1994, pp. 302, 329; Johnson 1995, p. 49; Kalnitsky 2003, p. 307; Goodrick-Clarke 2004, p. 12; Lopez 2009, p. 185.
- ^ Cranston 1993, p. 192; Stuckrad 2005, pp. 126–7.
- ^ Hammer 2003, p. 120.
- ^ Besant, Leadbeater 1913, p. 266; Hammer 2003, p. 123.
- ^ Ramanujachary 1993, p. 21.
- ^ Сенкевич 2012, p. 349.
- ^ Godwin 1994, p. 329.
- ^ Subba Row 1980, p. 364; Ramanujachary 1993, p. 22.
- ^ Ramanujachary 1993, p. 37.
- ^ Blavatsky 1973, p. 77; Ramanujachary 1993, p. 41.
- ^ Blavatsky 1973, p. 318; Ramanujachary 1993.
- ^ Ramanujachary 1993, p. 38.
- ^ Barker 1924, p. 70; Ramanujachary 1993, p. 24.
- ^ Subba Row 1888.
- ^ Ramanujachary 1993, p. 13.
- ^ Stuckrad 2005, p. 127.
- ^ Britannica.
- ^ Emblem.
- ^ a b Шабанова 2016, p. 130.
- ^ a b Purucker 1999.
- ^ Шохин 2010.
- ^ Blavatsky 1888, p. xli; Шабанова 2016, p. 123.
- ^ Шабанова 2016, p. 123.
- ^ Santucci 2012, p. 242.
- ^ Martin.
- ^ Шабанова 2016, p. 29.
- ^ Ellwood 2014, p. 56.
- ^ Hammer 2003, pp. 185, 192.
- ^ Hammer 2003, p. 192.
- ^ Kuhn 1992, p. 113.
- ^ Woodroffe 1974, pp. 12–3.
- ^ Motoyama 2003, p. 189.
- ^ Eliade 1958, pp. 241–5.
- ^ Woodroffe 1974, p. 9.
- ^ Olcott 1910b, p. 61; Lopez 2009, p. 157.
- ^ Guénon 2004, p. 100.
- ^ Guénon 2004, pp. 197, 298.
- ^ Lopez 2009, p. 186.
- ^ Vivekananda 2018.
- ^ Woodroffe 1974, pp. 14, 19.
- ^ Hammer 2003, p. 124.
- ^ Дружинин 2012, p. 74.
- ^ Hartmann 1885, p. 176.
Sources
- "Emblem Or Seal". TS Adyar. The Theosophical Society Adyar. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-55700-141-2. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- "Swastika". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Besant, A.; Leadbeater, C. W. (1913). Man: Whence, How and Whither. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House. OCLC 871602.
- ISBN 9780195649581. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Blavatsky, H. P. (October 1879). "What Are The Theosophists?" (PDF). The Theosophist. 1 (1). Bombay: Theosophical Society: 5–7. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ———— (1888). The Secret Doctrine (PDF). Vol. 1. London: Theosophical Publishing Company.
- ———— (1897). Besant, A. (ed.). The Secret Doctrine (PDF). Vol. 3. London: Theosophical Publishing Society.
- ———— (1973) [1925]. The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett (Reprint ed.). Theosophical University Press. ISBN 1-55700-145-6. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Campbell, B. F. (1980). Ancient Wisdom Revived: A History of the Theosophical Movement. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520039681. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Chajes, J. (2017). "Reincarnation in H. P. Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine". Correspondences. 5 (1): 65–93. ISSN 2053-7158. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Chattopadhyaya, R. (1999). Swami Vivekananda in India: A Corrective Biography. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 9788120815865. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Cranston, S. L. (1993). HPB: the extraordinary life and influence of Helena Blavatsky, founder of the modern Theosophical movement. G.P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 9780874776881. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Driscoll, J. T. (1912). "Theosophy". In Herbermann, C. G. (ed.). The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company. pp. 626–8. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780691017648. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780835631457. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9781438433776. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780791421512. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 1-55643-457-X. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ———— (2008). The Western Esoteric Traditions: A Historical Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199717569. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780900588808. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9789004136380. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Hanson, V. (1971). H. P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine. Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Hartmann, E. (May 1885). "Criticism of Esoteric Buddhism" (PDF). The Theosophist. 6 (8). Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House: 175–6.
- ISBN 0791425568. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Jones, C.; Ryan, J. (2006a). "Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna". In ISBN 9780816075645. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ————; ———— (2006b). "Krishnamurti, Jiddu". In ISBN 9780816075645. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ————; ———— (2006c). "Tingley, Katherine". In ISBN 9780816075645. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Judge, W. Q. (1891-03-15). "Tenets of Theosophy: Mr. W. Q. Judge Replies to the Strictures of Prof. Snell". The Washington Post. Washington: Beriah Wilkins. 0190-8286. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Kalnitsky, Arnold (2003). The Theosophical Movement of the Nineteenth Century: The Legitimation of the Disputable and the Entrenchment of the Disreputable (D. Litt. et Phil. thesis). Promoter Dr H. C. Steyn. Pretoria: University of South Africa (published 2009). OCLC 732370968.
- ISBN 978-1-56459-175-3.
- Kuthumi; et al. (1924). Barker, A. T. (ed.). The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas M. & K. H.New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company Publishers. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780226493244. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Martin, A. (2018). "The Celibacy Question". Non-duality magazine. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9788178220239. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Olcott, H. S. (1910a). "Ch. II. The Fears Of H. P. B.". Old Diary Leaves 1887-92. Theosophical Publishing House. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ———— (1910b). "Ch. IV. Formation of the Esoteric Section". Old Diary Leaves 1887-92. Theosophical Publishing House. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ———— (2011). Old Diary Leaves 1875-8. Cambridge Library Collection. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108072939. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Percival, H. W. (1905). "Theosophy". In Gilman, D. C. (ed.). The New International Encyclopaedia. Vol. 19. New York: Dodd, Mead. pp. 204–6.
- Ramanujachary, N. C. (1993). A lonely disciple. Adyar: Theosophical Pub. House. OCLC 30518824.
- ISBN 9788170591221. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Rudbøg, Tim (2012). H. P. Blavatsky's Theosophy in Context (PDF) (PhD thesis). Exeter: University of Exeter. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Santucci, J. A. (2012). "Theosophy". In ISBN 9781107493551. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Sellon, E. B.; Weber, R. (1992). "Theosophy and The Theosophical Society". In ISBN 0-8245-1145-X. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Sinnett, A. P. (1885) [1883]. Esoteric Buddhism (5th ed.). London: Chapman and Hall Ltd.
- Skeen, James (2002). Foutz, S. D. (ed.). "Theosophy: A Historical Analysis and Refutation" (PDF). OCLC 42345714. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Snell, M. M. (March 1895). "Modern Theosophy in Its Relation to Hinduism and Buddhism. I". The Biblical World. 5 (3). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press: 200–5. S2CID 145176680.
- ———— (April 1895). "Modern Theosophy in Its Relation to Hinduism and Buddhism. II". The Biblical World. 5 (4). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press: 258–65. ISSN 0190-3578.
- ISBN 9781845530334. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Subba Row, T. (1888). Discourses on the Bhagavat gita (PDF). The Theosophical Society's Publications. Bombay: Bombay Theosophical Fund. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ———— (1980). Esoteric Writings. Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House.
- ISBN 9780722971222. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9782377879212. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Wakoff, Michael B. (2016). "Theosophy". In ISBN 9780415250696. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ISBN 9780486230580. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- In Russian
- Дружинин, Д. (2012). Блуждание во тьме: основные положения псевдотеософии Елены Блаватской, Генри Олькотта, Анни Безант и Чарльза Ледбитера [Wandering in the Dark: The Fundamentals of the Pseudo-theosophy by Helena Blavatsky, Henry Olcott, Annie Besant, and Charles Leadbeater] (in Russian). Нижний Новгород. ISBN 978-5-90472-006-3. Retrieved 13 November 2018.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - Канаева, Н. А. (2009). "Индуизм" [Hinduism]. In ISBN 978-5-02-036357-1. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Митюгова, Е. Л. (2010). "Блаватская Елена Петровна" [Blavatsky Helena Petrovna]. In Стёпин, В. С.; Гусейнов, А. А. (eds.). Новая философская энциклопедия (in Russian). Vol. 1 (2nd add. and corr. ed.). Москва: Мысль. OCLC 756276342. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- OCLC 852503157. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Соловьёв, В. С. (1914). "Веданта" [Vedanta]. In Соловьёв, С. М. (ed.). Собрание сочинений [Collected Writings] (in Russian). Vol. 10. СПб.: Книгоиздательское Товарищество "Просвещение". pp. 294–7.
- ISBN 978-5-02-036357-1. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Шабанова, Ю. А. (2016). Теософия: история и современность [Theosophy: History and contemporaneity] (PDF) (in Russian). Харьков: ФЛП Панов А. Н. ISBN 978-617-7293-89-6. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- Шохин, В. К. (2010). "Дхарма" [Dharma]. In Стёпин, В. С.; Гусейнов, А. А. (eds.). Новая философская энциклопедия (in Russian). Vol. 1 (2nd add. and corr. ed.). Москва: Мысль. OCLC 756276342. Retrieved 13 November 2018.