Maitreya (Theosophy)

Development of the Theosophical concept of Maitreya

The first mention of Maitreya in a Theosophical context occurs in the 1883 work Esoteric Buddhism by Alfred Percy Sinnett (18401921), an early Theosophical writer. The concepts described by Sinnett were amended, elaborated, and greatly expanded in The Secret Doctrine (published 1888), a major work by Helena Blavatsky , a founder of the Theosophical Society and contemporary Theosophy. In it, the messianic Maitreya is linked to both Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions. Blavatsky also stated that there have been, and will be, multiple messianic instances in human

Maitreya and the spiritual hierarchy

Following Blavatsky's writings, other Theosophists progressively elaborated on the reputed spiritual hierarchy. Its members are presented as guardians and guides of Earth's total evolutionary process, known in Theosophical cosmology as the doctrine of Planetary Rounds. In Theosophy, evolution includes an occult or spiritual component considered more important than the related physical evolution. The hierarchy is said to consist of spiritual entities at various evolutionary stages; lower ranks are populated by individuals who can function more or less normally on the physical plane, while beings of the purest spiritual essence and consciousness occupy the highest known

According to the later Theosophical texts, Maitreya's position in the current stage of planetary evolution is that of the Boddhisatva, originally a Buddhist concept. Since this position is considered an exalted one, Maitreya may have no direct or sustained contact with the physical realm. At this evolutionary level, he is reputedly below only two others in the current hierarchy: at its apex, the Sanat Kumara (referred to as "The Lord of the World"), followed by the Buddha. Maitreya is additionally described as having, among other duties, overall responsibility for humanity's development, including its education, civilization, and

Blavatsky had stated that certain members of the hierarchy, often called "the Masters" or "the Mahātmās" in Theosophical literature, were the ultimate guides of the Theosophical Society. The Society itself was said to result from one of the hierarchy's regular "impulses" to help Humankind's evolution. Blavatsky further commented in her 1889 work The Key to Theosophy about the next impulse, the "effort of the XXth century" which would involve another "torch bearer of Truth". The Theosophical Society was poised to play a major role in this effort. More information regarding the future impulse was the purview of the Theosophical Society's Esoteric Section, founded by Blavatsky and originally led by her. Its members had access to occult instruction and more detailed knowledge of the society's inner order and mission and its reputed

Maitreya's manifestations

In Theosophical texts, Maitreya is said to have had numerous manifestations or incarnations: in the theorized ancient continent of Atlantis; as a Hierophant in Ancient Egypt; as the Hindu deity Krishna; as a high priest in Ancient India; and as Christ during the three years of the Ministry of Jesus.

Maitreya's reappearance

Annie Besant , another well-known and influential Theosophist (and future President of the Society), had also developed an interest in this area of Theosophy. In the decades of the 1890s and 1900s, along with Charles Webster Leadbeater (eventually a close associate) and others, she became progressively convinced that the next impulse from the hierarchy would happen sooner than Blavatsky's timetable; these Theosophists came to believe it would involve the imminent reappearance of Maitreya as World Teacher, a monumental event in the Theosophical scheme of things. Besant had started commenting on the possible imminent arrival of the next emissary in 1896, several years before her assumption of the Society's presidency in 1907. By 1909, the "coming Teacher" was a main topic of her lectures

After Besant became President of the Society, the belief in Maitreya's imminent manifestation took on considerable weight. The subject was widely discussed and became a commonly held expectation among Theosophists. However, not all Theosophical Society members accepted Leadbeater's and Besant's ideas on the matter; the dissidents charged them with straying from Theosophical orthodoxy and, along with other concepts developed by the two, the writings on Maitreya were derisively labeled Neo-Theosophy by their opponents. The Adyar (Chennai)-based international leadership of the Society eventually overcame the protests, and by the late 1920s, the organization had stabilized, but in the meantime, additional World Teacher-related trouble was brewing.

World Teacher Project

Main article: Order of the Star in the East

In 1909 Leadbeater encountered fourteen-year-old Jiddu Krishnamurti near the Theosophical Society headquarters at Adyar and came to believe the boy was a suitable candidate for the "vehicle" of the expected World Teacher. Soon after, he placed Krishnamurti under his and the Society's care. In Besant, by then President of the Society and head of its Esoteric Section, admitted Krishnamurti into both; in she became his legal guardian. Krishnamurti was subsequently groomed extensively for his expected role as the probable World Teacher, and a new organization, the Order of the Star in the East (OSE), was formed in 1911 to support him in this mission. The project received widespread publicity and enjoyed a worldwide following (mainly among Theosophists). It also faced opposition within and without the Theosophical Society, leading to years of upheaval, serious splits, and doctrinal schisms in Theosophy. The German Section, led by Rudolf Steiner, seceded from the Society and was eventually reorganized as the Anthroposophical Society. Additional negative repercussions occurred in 1929 when Krishnamurti repudiated the role the Theosophists expected him to fulfill, dissolved the Order of the Star, and completely disassociated himself from the World Teacher Project; soon after, he severed ties with the Society and Theosophy in general. These events reputedly prompted Leadbeater to declare, "the Coming has gone wrong", and damaged Theosophical organizations and the overall standing of

Later concepts of Maitreya

Following the Krishnamurti debacle, major Theosophical organizations and writers became increasingly muted, at least publicly, on the subject of the reappearance of Maitreya and the possible next impulse of the reputed spiritual hierarchy. However the concepts of World Teacher, of a hidden spiritual hierarchy, and of masters of occult wisdom continued to have supporters. Some were Theosophical Society members, but increasingly such beliefs were found among near-Theosophical and non-Theosophical New Age

Alice A. Bailey

A major proponent was Alice Bailey , who left the Theosophical Society in the 1920s to establish the quasi-Theosophical Arcane School. She expanded Leadbeater's work and his Christology, and referred to Maitreya as the "Cosmic Christ", stating his Second Coming would occur sometime after

Ascended Master Teachings

The Theosophical Maitreya holds a prominent position in the Ascended Master Teachings. These encompass original Theosophical literature as well as later additions and interpretations by various non-Theosophical commentators and groupssuch as the I AM Activity and

Benjamin Creme and Share International

Benjamin Creme founder of Share International, a Maitreya-promoting organization, made a number of extraordinary statements and predictions based on reputed telepathic messages from Maitreya that failed to come true; as a result he had been considered a figure of amusement in

Notes

References

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References

1. {{harvnb. Bailey. 1989.
2. {{harvnb. Bailey. 1996.
3. {{harvnb. King. 1934; {{harvnb. Prophet. Prophet. 1986.
4. {{harvnb. Wheen. 1991."Alas and alack, on the great issue of the day poor Mr Maitreya seems to have stubbed his toe rather badly. After Saddam sent his tanks across the border last August, Maitreya suggested that 'a mystical power and force in nature will make Iraq withdraw totally and unconditionally from Kuwait'. In November, his message was unequivocal: 'The Gulf Crisis: Maitreya has made it clear from the beginning that there will be no war{{' "; {{harvnb. The Evening Post. 1995. "But it's not just the eruptions at issue. Benjamin Creme, based in London and a five-time visitor to New Zealand as ambassador for Maitreya, the saviour he claims is awaited by all religions, has extended the connection. John O'Donnell of the New Zealand Transmission Meditation Network said Mr Creme had told him the 5.9 South Island quake on Friday, November 24 had been caused by the fourth French atomic test two days before. Nobody has yet predicted plagues of locusts, frogs, flies, rivers of blood or other disasters for the fifth and subsequent tests"; {{harvnb. Rosenbaum. 2005.
5. {{harvnb. Blavatsky. 2002. Blavatsky. 1930. ¶ "Chréstos"
6. {{harvnb. Wessinger. 2013
7. {{harvnb. Leadbeater. 2007. 31. 32, 36, 74, 251, 277{{en dash278, "Diagram 8" {{p.. 256 and "Chapter XIV: The Wisdom in the Triangles" {{pp.. 261. 295. Like other aspects of Theosophy, the doctrine of Earth's spiritual hierarchy expands or interprets many Buddhist and Hindu concepts within an [[occult]] or [[esoteric]] framework.
8. {{harvnb. Leadbeater. 2007. pp. 31, 192, 232 and "Chapter XII: The Trinity and the Triangles" {{pp.. 250. 260.
9. {{harvnb. Leadbeater. 2007. 4. 5, 10, 34 and "Part IV: The Hierarchy" {{pp.. 211. 301.
10. {{harvnb. Leadbeater. 2007
11. {{harvnb. Sinnett. 1883. 45. 65; {{harvnb. Blavatsky. 1888. §§ "Our world, its growth and development", "Theosophical misconceptions", "Explanations concerning the Globes and Monads" {{pp.. 136. 191 {{interp. cumulative. {{retrieved
12. {{harvnb. Tillett. 1986. Volume I, "Chapter 15: Conflict over Krishnamurti" {{pp.. 506. 553. Information on contemporary controversies regarding Krishnamurti, inside and outside the Theosophical Society.
13. {{harvnb. Blavatsky. 1888. 470. {{retrieved. Kali yug, our present terrifically materialistic age of Darkness, the 'Black Age,' that a new Saviour of Humanity can ever appear." {{interp. Emphasis in original.
14. {{harvnb. Blavatsky. 2002. 304. 307. {{retrieved. 306. 307).
15. {{harvnb. Lutyens. 1975. Wood. 1964. Eyewitness account of Krishnamurti's "discovery", and comments on related events and controversies, by one of Leadbeater's close associates.
16. {{harvnb. Pokorny. 2021
17. {{harvnb. Besant. Leadbeater. 1913. Leadbeater. 2007
18. {{harvnb. Thomas. c. 1930. 1. 34. {{retrieved
19. {{harvnb. Lutyens. 1975
20. {{harvnb. Lutyens. 1975
21. {{harvnb. Lutyens. 1975. page278–279".
22. {{harvnb. Vernon. 2001
23. {{harvnb. Oppenheim. 2004; {{harvnb. Sinnett. 1883
24. {{harvnb. Campbell. 1980. Vernon. 2001. Schuller. 2001.
25. {{harvnb. Lutyens. 1975. Blavatsky. 1931.