神智学
神智学（英语：Theosophy），又称证道学，是一种涉及宗教哲学和神秘主义的新兴宗教，混合了一些西方哲学思想如新柏拉图主义和东方的印度教、佛教元素。神智学认为，史上所有宗教都是由久已失传的“神秘信条”演化出来的。神智学的创始人物有海伦娜·布拉瓦茨基，亨利·斯太尔·奥尔科特，以及威廉·关·贾奇。他们于1875年在纽约市创立了神智学协会。
词源
神智学原文为“Theosophy”，这一词来自希腊语“theos”（神）与“sophia”（智慧）的结合，意为“神的智慧”。
定义
海伦娜·布拉瓦茨基坚称它并不是宗教[1]，但她也说过神智学是“曾经普世的宗教”的现代形态[2]。“不是宗教”这一点体现在它对其他信仰以及哲学[3]、科学的包容性上，它并不禁止信徒信仰其他的学说[4]。
但宗教学家认为它就一种宗教[5]，它传播的是一种宗教式的世界观，使用的也是很明显的宗教术语，依赖的是信仰而非事实[6]。奥拉夫·哈默（Olav Hammer）和迈克尔·罗特施泰因（Mikael Rothstein）认为它是现代最重要的宗教传统之一[7]，乔斯林·戈德温（Joscelyn Godwin）说它是一个具有包容性的宗教运动[8]，J·杰弗里·富兰克林（J. Jeffrey Franklin）认为它是一个“杂交的宗教”（hybrid religion）[9]。总而言之，它必定属于新兴宗教[10]。
其源头是西方秘契主义[11]，它对西方秘契主义在20世纪的复兴奠定了基石[12]。虽然它混合了不少印度宗教元素，但社会学家克里斯托弗·帕特里奇仍然认为它本质上仍是西方的，它所表达的东方只是西方人眼中的东方[13]。
信仰
神智学会说并不存在官方的信条[14]，只有一些所有成员都同意的“原则”[15]，存在怀疑着神智学但同意其基本的普世理念的教友[16]。
神智学基本是从布拉瓦茨基的作品中诞生的[17]，由后来的神智学家改进[18]。虽然布拉瓦茨基本人不认为神智学是她自己的发明，而是一些神秘的精神体（即所谓的“大师”）传授给她的[19]。
大师
神智学的核心是一类名叫“大师”（Masters）的精神体[20]，它们被视为神智学理论的源头[21]，也可以被称为Mahatmas、 Adepts、 Masters of Wisdom、 Masters of Compassion、Elder Brothers[21]。它们本来是人类，但由于道德、智力的完美而升为“大师”[21]。经过多年的锻炼，它们有远超人类的寿命[21]，拥有超自然的力量，比如千里眼和灵魂投射[22]。布拉瓦茨基说它们主要生活在喜马拉雅的“西藏王国”[21]。
它们拥有古代世界的知识[22]，组成了“大白兄弟会”（Great White Brotherhood），观察、指导人类[22]。神智学者宣称亚伯拉罕、摩西等圣经人物和乔达摩·悉达多、孔子、老子等东方古人以及雅各·波墨、亚历山德罗·卡格里奥斯特罗、弗朗兹·麦斯迈等现代人物都是“大师”[22]。但最重要是布拉瓦茨基宣称曾接触过的“库特忽米”和“莫里亚”[23]。在传授知识之前，被选中者要经历一个考核期[24]，需要禁欲多年[24]。
神智学并不禁止偶像崇拜，布拉瓦茨基甚至鼓励信徒制作大师的肖像[25]，有很多“大师”肖像是德国画家赫尔曼·施米兴绘制的[26]，这些肖像得到了神智学者的认可[27]和崇拜[28]。
这种“大师”学说其实不是神智学首创，玫瑰十字会就有类似的理念[29]。
世界观
神智学的世界观属于流溢说[30]，认为人类眼中的世界只是幻觉，即摩耶[31]。
布拉瓦茨基认为每个行星系都有一个太阳神（Solar Deity，或Logos）主宰[32]，其下又有七个行星神[32]。每个行星上的进化速度不同，基本顺序矿石-植物-动物-人类-超自然生物[33]。其中人类又有七个“根种族”（Root Race），每个根种族又能划分出七个“亚种族”（Sub-Race）[34]。
她认为现在人类已经进化到第五种族，即取代了第四种族亚特兰蒂斯人的雅利安人[35]。而随着先知弥勒佛的到来，他们也将被第六种族取代[36]。而当人类进化到第七种族时，就会离开地球[37]。
仪式
神智学会并没有给出任何可供实践的宗教仪式[38]，但不同的神智学团体可能会有自己的仪式，如自由天主教会[38]和联合神智学舍（United Lodge of Theosophy）[39]。
参考文献
脚注
- ^ Lachman 2012，第137页.
- ^ Franklin 2018，第193页.
- ^ Santucci 2012，第234页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第196页; Dixon 2001，第4页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第38, 72页; Godwin 1994b，第xix页; Hammer & Rothstein 2013，第2页; Franklin 2018，第192页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第72, 196页.
- ^ Hammer & Rothstein 2013，第2页.
- ^ Godwin 1994b，第xix页.
- ^ Franklin 2018，第xiv, 192页.
- ^ Lowry 2019，第70页.
- ^ Hanegraaff 2013，第130–31页.
- ^ Hanegraaff 2013，第131页.
- ^ Partridge 2004，第90–91页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第191页; Dixon 2001，第4页.
- ^ Dixon 2001，第3–4页.
- ^ Dixon 2001，第4页.
- ^ Santucci 2006，第1114页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第191页.
- ^ Johnson 1994，第1页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第61页.
- ^ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Campbell 1980，第53页.
- ^ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Campbell 1980，第54页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第55–56页.
- ^ 24.0 24.1 Campbell 1980，第55页.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第206页.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第212页.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第214页.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第220页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第56页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第62页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第47页.
- ^ 32.0 32.1 Campbell 1980，第63页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第43页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第44页; Lachman 2012，第256页.
- ^ Lachman 2012，第256页.
- ^ Goodrick-Clarke 2008，第223页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第45页.
- ^ 38.0 38.1 Campbell 1980，第196页.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第196–197页.
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