70. “The Four Major Religions” by Annie Besant

A broad picture of contemporary culture “as reflected in ‘Theosophy’ ‘ is presented in Annie Besant's four lectures on the ’four major religions”. The same were held before the twenty-first annual meeting of the “Theosophical Society” at Adyar near Madras. They have now been translated into German by the tireless worker and helper of the theosophical cause in our country, Günther Wagner (published by Altmann in Leipzig).

In the preface, Annie Besant explains the aim she had in mind with these lectures. “The following four lectures do not claim to be more than a popular explanation of the four great belief systems and are not written for an actual study of them.” They were given to an audience that consisted almost entirely of Hindus, with only a few Zoroastrians and Christians among them. “Their purpose is to make it easier for the followers of each of the four religions to recognize the value and beauty of the three other faiths and to explain the common ground they all share.” This must be kept in mind. Had Annie Besant been speaking to an audience composed mostly of Christians, she would certainly have structured the lectures differently. Nevertheless, every member of a European nation who delves into these lectures will find plenty of food for thought and for the heart. And the fact that she approaches her reflections from a point of view that is not immediately his own will only serve to broaden his own horizons. The basic truths of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Christianity are explained. A spirit speaks about these four great religions, which has their truth in clear ideas before the soul and which feels the fire that flows from them in its own heart as its own fire. And this fire also radiates from the lectures, and, through the way of contemplation, leaves calm clarity in the soul of the reader. Annie Besant's relationship to the great religions is beautifully expressed in the end of the preface: “May this little book, which I am now sending out in respect for all religions that purify the life of man, uplift his feelings and comfort him in suffering, may it be a messenger of peace and not a fomenter of strife; for I have endeavored to outline each religion in its best, its purest, its most occult form, and each as if belonging to myself and proclaiming it as my own. To the Theosophist nothing human is alien, and he has only respectful sympathy for every expression of human yearning for God. He tries to understand all, not to convert any; he seeks to share the knowledge that has come to him with others, and hopes thereby to deepen the faith of each by adding understanding to faith and revealing the foundation that is common to all religions."

This sentence could characterize the tenor of every true theosophical lecture and every theosophical book. The theosophist does not create sects; he does not want to force anything alien upon anyone. He knows that the divine original spirit loves and dwells in all its creatures. Therefore, Theosophy does not preach individual dogmas, but becomes a guide to each person's own heart; it helps each person to find within themselves that which is divine. And truly, we need such guidance. For, as right as it is that we have the deepest source of truth in our own hearts, self-knowledge is difficult, and the wrong turns we take in it can be disastrous. We should never be overcome by pride and arrogance, which tell us: you do not need an external guide, you can find everything through yourself. However high a person's level of knowledge, if he searches in the right way, he will always find someone higher still who will open the paths to what he possesses himself but cannot find without help. Those who rely solely on intellectual scholarship will have many objections to this book by Annie Besant. For the author relies not only on such scholarship, but on two other, much more important foundations. One is the ancient records of secret researchers and secret teachers, which are well kept and inaccessible to secular research, and which will remain inaccessible to such research as long as it clings to its materialistic prejudices and to its purely external comparison of religions. There are those among us to whom these documents are accessible. But they have acquired the right to them by purifying their souls from all materialistic prejudices, by devotion to the demands of the spirit. Why access is only granted to such people is explained in the preface to H.P. Blavatsky's “Secret Doctrine” (Volume 1). In addition to this source, Annie Besant relies on the “Akasha Chronicle,” that eternal, living book that can be read by those who are able to leave the physical plane and go to the higher worlds to read the eternal in things.

Thus, in Annie Besant's account, some things must be different from those in the intellectual scholars'. “This world of scholars will, of course, describe the occult view as completely wrong. There is nothing that can be done about this; occultism can wait until it is justified by discoveries, as has already happened with many a much-laughed assertion regarding great antiquity. The earth is a faithful custodian, and when the archaeologist rediscovers the cities buried in her womb, he will find many an unexpected testimony confirming the claimed great age.” (Preface, page vii.)

Those who “have eyes to see” need only observe what religious research, cultural history and natural science are bringing to light today. They will find confirmation everywhere of assertions that occultists have long since made. And the fact that such confirmations are not noticed by so many today is only because they are not trained in spiritual observation. What Annie Besant says about the true nature of Hinduism and Zoroastrianism in their advanced age is particularly important. The wisdom religion of Hinduism takes hold of the heart and mind of the simplest person, and leads the spiritual one up into the highest metaphysical realms. It gives man guidance for his everyday behavior, and leads him up the narrow but exalted paths that lead to participation in the life of the Eternal. It is wisdom that takes hold of the whole person through its fire, and it is religion that leads to wisdom through devotion. “When we examine the religion given to the ancient Indian people, we find that it contains a training for all of human nature at its various stages of development, and that it guides him not only in his spiritual and intellectual life, but in all his relationships with fellow human beings in national and family life.” (Page 4.)

The Zoroastrianism is shown in its most ancient form, the one that the learned world has not yet been able to penetrate because its judgment is clouded by materialistic shadows. Annie Besant shows how, over time, advancing science is forced to admit more and more of what the occultist says. And through these explanations, she opens up the prospect of how Western science will continue to fare in this regard. Through its discoveries, it will gradually approach the teachings presented by occult science. But it is in its nature that it will deny everything that it has not come up with itself until it is forced to accept it. This is how it has happened so far, and this is how it will continue to be. The occultist does his duty, points out the similarities between science and his teachings, and otherwise lets the great law of time prevail, which brings everything that is to be brought and which he serves. The materialistic form that Western research has given to Zoroastrianism can no longer be sustained in the light of the documents that this research itself has brought. Annie Besant also shows this most convincingly.

The lecture on Buddhism should be followed with particular attention. It is shown here how little justification there is for giving this form of religion the character of atheism and for claiming that it denies the continuation of the human soul. Annie Besant explains how these two basic truths are precisely the deepest source from which the Buddha drew. She shows how he gained from them the high moral philosophy to which so many millions of people still profess to be held. She shows that there is no antagonism between ancient Brahmanism and Buddhism. Annie Besant describes in a most moving way the path of knowledge of the Buddha and the way in which he spoke to the people. The image of the great teacher must come alive in the soul of every person who allows himself to be touched by it in this way. “In the lecture on Buddhism, I was particularly concerned with the misconception that the Buddha is alienated from the hearts of his countrymen, and I tried to dispel it with quotations from the traditional scriptures that contain recognized accounts of his own sayings. There is no greater service that can be done for any religion than to attempt a rapprochement of these separate systems of belief that divide the Oriental world in two.” (Preface page 1.)

It is of course difficult to exhaust the theosophical depth of Christianity in a lecture; but for this part of the book there is a nice supplement in Annie Besant's “Esoteric Christianity” (published by Fernau in Leipzig). But even what is said in this lecture can show, for those who understand it correctly, how little foundation there is for the prejudices that teachers of the various Christian denominations have against Theosophy. None of these denominations is opposed by Theosophy. Theosophy seeks to bring to light the deep, occult content of Christianity. It does this by reviving the understanding of the great Christian mystics of all times. No one who finds the right path here can be alienated from the Christian religion. Nothing is taken from anyone that they have. And if the appointed teachers of the Christian denominations would just engage in a real examination, they would soon see that they have the best ally in Theosophy. It is only the false image of Theosophy that is being fought from this side. No one needs to deny his faith to become a 'Theosophist'. Attempts to convert or to make apostates are completely outside the Theosophical tasks. Christian warmth and Christian truth also radiate from this book by Annie Besant. And they radiate not only from the lecture on Christianity, but also from the others.

This warmth and truth are drawn from the high teachings of the first Christian writers. Understanding in the truest sense is sought; and the spiritual eye is fixed solely on the truth. 'Hatred is of the evil one, in whatever religion it may be found. Let each preach his own faith to those who desire to receive it; let each freely express his views of God to all who are willing to listen to him. We reflect back only as small facets of the Eternal, our poor minds are narrow channels through which the life and love of God flow. Let us make our own person a channel, but let us not deny that others can be channels as well as we, and that divine life and divine love flow through them as well as through us. Then peace will come, and there will be no more separation; then unity will come, harmony, which is something different, something higher, than monotony. If his children live in love, then they can hope to experience something of God's love, for, as a Christian teacher truly said: 'He who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see?' (1 John 4: 20). Thus the lecture on Christianity concludes, and with it the entire book. Annie Besant's presentation of Christianity cannot alienate anyone from this Christianity; but it can lead those who believe that their modern way of thinking and scientific spirit cannot be reconciled with this form of religion back to Christianity. And this has truly happened more often since the theosophical movement began. Through Theosophy one can become a good Christian again. If only this could be understood, and if only the wrong views could disappear, as if it were in the nature of Theosophy to propagate foreign religious systems; for example, to want to spread Buddhism in Europe. The true theosophist knows only too well what he would take away from the European if he wanted to make him a Buddhist. And the goal of Theosophy is not 'taking', but 'giving'. Precisely because Annie Besant's lectures are not intended for Europeans, they will be able to learn a lot from them.