Printed in the Winter 2020 issue of Quest magazine.
Citation: Hebert, Barbara, "The Second Object and Its Relevance Today" Quest 108:1, pg 10-11
By Barbara Hebert
National President
The Second Object of the Theosophical Society—“to encourage the comparative study of religion, philosophy, and science”—provides the theme of Science for this issue of Quest. The late TSA president Joy Mills writes:
Freedom of inquiry, the second principle enunciated at the Society’s founding, is encapsulated in the Second Object, encouraging us to expand our horizons, broaden our sympathies, deepen our appreciation for the paths of others, by studying all the fields of human endeavor as represented by the three major categories of religion, philosophy and science. Such study, undertaken not that we may become “walking encyclopedias” or scholastic giants, but rather that we may deepen our understanding of the numerous ways that lead to a knowledge of the One Reality, requires a genuine freedom of thought. The study must be without preconceived ideas, without prejudice or bias, and without blind belief in the superiority of one way over another, if it is to support the first principle of brotherhood. And there can be no other reason for such study, for that ideal is surely the overarching principle for which the Society was founded.
Our study, as encouraged by the Second Object, provides the direction for our spiritual growth: to move toward “a knowledge of the One Reality” so that we may recognize the unity of all. That study cannot simply be a shallow review of religions, philosophies, and sciences, but must focus on the deeper aspects that may guide us toward knowledge of the One Reality: the Truth behind the illusory perception of division and separation. Therefore, we study!
However, let’s not forget the statement in The Voice of the Silence that says: “The mind is the great slayer of the Real. Let the disciple slay the slayer.”
In the first part of this Theosophical classic, we learn about three halls through which the disciple must pass. The first hall is the Hall of Ignorance. “It is the hall in which thou saw’st the light, in which thou livest and shalt die” (I, 25). We have, on some level, seen the light. We know it’s there, and we are striving to reach it. Yet we continue to live and die, remaining on the wheel of rebirth.
The second hall is the Hall of Learning. The Voice of the Silence says that here we “will find the blossoms of life, but under every flower a serpent coiled” (I, 26). We “must stop not the fragrance of its stupefying blossoms to inhale. If freed thou wouldst be from the karmic chains, seek not for thy guru in those mayavic regions. The wise ones tarry not in pleasure grounds of senses. The wise ones heed not the sweet-tongued voices of illusion” (I, 29–31).
We are warned not to get caught up in the Hall of Learning. Going through it is part of our journey, but it is not the end! How often do we find seekers who are happy to go into long discussions about the role of the Lipikas or about the intricacies of the Rounds and Chains in the evolutionary journey? How many do we know who study for the excitement of acquiring knowledge and the pride in knowing what others may not know? These are some of the serpents coiled under the flowers—the stupefying blossoms that will keep us in illusion. If we remain in the Hall of Learning, we risk being trapped in maya. We must continue our journey into the Hall of Wisdom.
If there are such dangers, why are we encouraged to study comparative religion, philosophy, and science? Rohit Mehta, a prominent twentieth-century Theosophical writer, observes:
Religion, science and philosophy reveal certain Laws of Life. A study of these branches of knowledge enables one to understand them in terms of the mind . . . Study is essentially a mental process . . . In other words, the Second Object seeks to give breadth to the mind. We are using here the word mind in its meaning of the composite process of thought and emotion. The purpose of the Second Object is to enlarge the horizons of the mind, to extend its range so that there is no avenue of the mind which remains unexplored. Even though the mind’s process of acquiring knowledge is indirect, it is necessary if one is to move on the pathway to direct or unveiled perception . . . It is undoubtedly necessary for [hu]man[s] to observe outer structures as that is what attracts [our] attention at first. In observing the manifested universe and examining its structural laws, [the] mind becomes alert and active. It is this which is indicated in the Second Object of the Theosophical Society. To explore the possibilities of the mind—that indeed is the purpose of the study of comparative religion, science, and philosophy. Curiously enough, he who knows the possibilities of the mind, knows at the same time the limitations of the mind.
Mehta tells us that we need to study in order to explore the possibilities of the mind, push it to its limits, and then move beyond it. The true Self does not exist in this world of illusion, although the mind and brain do. Therefore, as long as we continue to live in this mayavic region, we must hone the mind so that it serves us in our search for an understanding of the One Truth.
Truth can only be experienced. It cannot be put into words, which are the playthings of the mind. We will not find Truth through the study of books or through discussion groups. We must go beyond, as Mehta recommends.
The Second Object provides direction for us. We are encouraged to study religion, philosophy, and science at their core, not simply to gain knowledge but to push our minds to their limits. Once we have done this, we may expand beyond the mind, allowing us to potentially experience some aspect of the One Reality.
What is that One Reality? We don’t really know, but it is seemingly a realization of the unity of all life. We may believe that all life is one, but that is a function of the mind. It’s a cognitive concept that we grasp, but most of us haven’t truly experienced it beyond brief intuitive glimpses.
As we continue our spiritual journey toward experiencing the One Reality, all three of the Objects provide us with guidance. The late TSA president John Algeo writes:
In their inner sense, the Objects are calling us to join the band of servers by seeking to assist in transmitting the Divine Wisdom of Theosophy to the world by understanding its mysteries and by transforming ourselves. In that inner sense, the Objects are not about different activities, but rather about three aspects of one activity: acting out the bodhisattva vow or living altruistically . . . The outer Objects are good and useful. But for those who hear the call of an inner reality, the inner meaning of the Objects awaits their exploration. Those who look to the inner sense will not all find the same meaning, or at least will not articulate it in the same way. The inner sense is highly personal. Each Theosophist will perceive it in a unique way that is individually applicable. Yet, however it is perceived and however it is articulated, the inner meaning of the three Objects is a call to live the theosophical life. The Objects are not just about forming groups, encouraging the study of human learning, and investigating the unexplained. They are about doing Theosophy.
What does it mean to “do Theosophy?” Theosophical author and lecturer Ed Abdill writes:
The Theosophical Society was meant to be an organization of people from every culture who have some sense of the underlying unity of all. It was meant to be an organization of people who work together to help others realize their underlying unity with humanity as a whole. Far as we may be from it, that is our ultimate goal . . . From an awareness of underlying unity comes an altruistic way of life that is compassionate, wise, and practical. That is the sacred mission of the Theosophical Society, made clear by KH when he wrote: “The chief object of the T.S. is not so much to gratify individual aspirations as to serve our fellow men” (Letter 2, Barker).
Doing Theosophy, then, means living an altruistic life by serving others. Does this mean that we go out and feed the hungry? Maybe, but it is something far deeper than this. (Please note that I’m not discouraging anyone from working on social-service projects. We need to do these things, but here we are talking about something that falls purely into the purview of Theosophy.)
We are all One; therefore, when one part changes, the whole must change. Think of a glass of water. If I put a drop of blue dye into the water, it will take on a slightly bluish tint: it has changed. If I continue putting drops into the water, eventually it will turn a darker and darker blue. We are like that water. If one of us changes, then all of us change. It might not be noticeable at first, but eventually the whole of humanity will transform. This is our great task, and it is the task to which the Second Object points us. By transforming ourselves and traveling the spiritual path, we are serving all beings by facilitating their spiritual transformation.
Sources
Abdill, Edward. “The Universal Brotherhood of Humanity.” Quest 96, no. 5 (Sept.-Oct. 2008): 177–79, 191.
Algeo, John. “The Objects and Their Relevance to the Theosophical Life.” The Theosophist 118 (Nov. 1996): https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/articles/Objects.pdf, accessed Sept. 27, 2019.
Blavatsky, H.P. The Voice of the Silence. In Inspirations from Ancient Wisdom. Wheaton: Quest Books, 1999: 66–121.
Mehta, Rohit. “The Three Objects”: http://hpb.narod.ru/TheThreeObjectsRM.htm#, accessed Sept. 27, 2019.
Mills, Joy. “The Purpose of the Society’s Objects.” The Theosophist 118 (Nov. 1996): http://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/articles/PurposeObjects.pdf, accessed Oct. 1, 2019.