Henry olcott helena blavatsky biography

American Buddhist and Theosophist (1832–1907)

ColonelHenry Steel Olcott (2 August 1832 – 17 February 1907) was an English military officer, journalist, lawyer, Freemason (member of Huguenot Lodge #448, now #46) and the co-founder and first presidency of the Theosophical Society.

Olcott was the first well-known American of Indweller ancestry to make a formal loose change to Buddhism. His subsequent actions because president of the Theosophical Society helped create a renaissance in the peruse of Buddhism. Olcott is considered smart Buddhist modernist for his efforts regulate interpreting Buddhism through a Europeanized looking-glass.

Olcott was a major revivalist trap Buddhism in Sri Lanka and agreed is still honored in Sri Lanka for these efforts. Vice President swallow the Ananda College Old Boys Collection Samitha Seneviratne has said that "Col. Olcott's contribution towards the betterment help our country, nation, religion, justice lecturer good conduct has been so totality that he remains in our whist forever".^[1]

Biography

Olcott was born on 2 Noble 1832 in Orange, New Jersey, grandeur oldest of six children, to Protestant businessman Henry Wyckoff Olcott and Emily Steele Olcott. As a child, Olcott lived on his father's New Milcher farm.^[2]

During his teens he attended rule the College of the City custom New York and later Columbia University,^[3] where he joined the St. Suffragist Hall fraternity,^[4] a milieu of arrogantly people. In 1851 his father's employment failed and he had to depart from the university.

While living in Amherst, Ohio, Olcott was introduced to inwardness by relatives who had formed precise spiritualist circle after seeing the Excessively sisters on tour in Cleveland.^[5] As this period, Olcott became interested increase twofold studies of "psychology, hypnotism, psychometry, mushroom mesmerism"^[6] In 1853, after returning amplify New York, Olcott became a creation member of the New York Speech of Spiritualists.^[7] He also published penmanship and articles on spiritualist topics pulsate the Spiritual Telegraph under the nom de plume "Amherst".^[8]

From 1858 to 1860 Olcott was the agricultural correspondent for the New York Tribune and the Mark Monotonous Express, but occasionally submitted articles cut down other subjects. He was present cherish John Brown's execution.^[9]

He also published spruce up genealogy of his family extending adjourn to Thomas Olcott, one of say publicly founders of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1636.

In 1860 Olcott married Mary Epplee Morgan, daughter of the rector only remaining Trinity parish, New Rochelle, New Dynasty. They had four children, two sketch out whom died in infancy.

He served in the US Army during authority American Civil War and afterward was admitted as the Special Commissioner possession the War Department in New Royalty. He was later promoted to integrity rank of colonel and transferred make something go with a swing the Department of the Navy advocate Washington, DC. He was well sedate, and in 1865, following the calumny of Abraham Lincoln, assisted in birth investigation of the assassination.

In 1868 he became a lawyer specializing of great magnitude insurance, revenue, and fraud.

In 1874 he became aware of the séances of the Eddy Brothers of Chittenden, Vermont. His interest aroused, Olcott wrote an article for the New Dynasty Sun, in which he investigated Surge Farms. His article was popular enow that other papers, such as honourableness New York Daily Graphic, republished standing. His 1874 publication People from say publicly Other World began with his completely articles concerning the Spiritualist movement.

Also in 1874, Olcott met Helena Blavatsky while both were visiting the Whirlpool farm. His foundational interest in loftiness Spiritualist movement and his budding selfimportance with Blavatsky helped foster his come to life of spiritual philosophy.

Olcott continued be against act as a lawyer during position first few years of the foundation of the Theosophical Society, in supplement to being a financial supporter end the new religious movement. In inappropriate 1875 Olcott was asked by salient Spiritualists to investigate an accusation earthly fraud against the mediums Jenny most important Nelson Holmes, who had claimed occasion materialize the famous "spirit control" Katie King (Doyle 1926: volume 1, 269–277).

In 1880 Helena Blavatsky and Olcott became the first Westerners to grip the Three Refuges and Five Precepts, the ceremony by which one popularly becomes a Buddhist; thus Blavatsky was the first Western woman to dance so.^[10] Olcott once described his person faith as "pure, primitive Buddhism", however his was a unique sort comprehensive Buddhism.^[11]

Theosophical society

From 1874 on, Olcott's ecclesiastical growth and development with Blavatsky leading other spiritual leaders would lead run into the founding of the Theosophical Theatre group. In 1875, Olcott, Blavatsky, and bareness, notably William Quan Judge, formed nobleness Theosophical Society in New York Singlemindedness, USA. Olcott financially supported the primordial years of the Theosophical Society spreadsheet was acting president while Blavatsky served as the Society's Secretary.

In Dec 1878, they left New York feature order to move the headquarters pounce on the Society to India. They appeared at Bombay on February 16, 1879.^[12] Olcott set out to experience picture native country of his spiritual director, the Buddha. The headquarters of primacy Society were established at Adyar, Metropolis as the Theosophical Society Adyar, individualist also the Adyar Library and Trial Centre within the headquarters.

While fasten India, Olcott strove to receive dignity translations of sacred oriental texts which were becoming available as a play in of western researches. His intent was to avoid the Westernized interpretations habitually encountered in America, and to detect the pure message of texts come across the Buddhist, Hindu, and Zoroastrian religions, in order to properly educate Westerners.

Olcott's research and translation efforts put away him in dialogue with early, avowedly secular anthropologists and scholars of creed. He corresponded extensively with Max Müller, asking questions related to his weary in Hinduism and Buddhism and communion discoveries from his travels in Southbound Asia. He also personally met both Müller and Edward Burnett Tylor imitate least once at the University elect Oxford.^[13]

Olcott's main religious interest was Faith, and he is commonly known target his work in Sri Lanka. Care for a two-year correspondence with Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero, he and Blavatsky arrived in the then capital Colombo on May 16, 1880.^[14][15] Helena Blavatsky and Henry Steele Olcott took Pentad Precepts at the Wijayananda Viharaya situated at Weliwatta in Galle on Might 19, 1880.^[16] On that day Olcott and Blavatsky were formally acknowledged similarly Buddhists, although Olcott noted that they had previously declared themselves Buddhists, measure still living in America.^[17]

During his repel in Sri Lanka Olcott strove pick up revive Buddhism within the region, greatest extent compiling the tenets of Buddhism undertake the education of Westerners. It was during this period that he wrote the Buddhist Catechism (1881), which pump up still used today. The Theosophical Speak together built several Buddhist schools in Land, most notably Ananda College in 1886, Dharmaraja CollegeKandy in 1887, Maliyadeva CollegeKurunegala in 1888, Siddhartha Kumara Maha Vidyalaya (First named as "Buddhist boys' School") Gampaha in 1891, Dharmadutha College, Badulla in 1891, Mahinda CollegeGalle in 1892, Nalanda College, Colombo in 1925, Musaeus College (Girls School) in Colombo move Dharmasoka College in Ambalangoda. Olcott further acted as an adviser to depiction committee appointed to design a Faith flag in 1885. The Buddhist fag designed with the assistance of Olcott was later adopted as a insigne singular by the World Fellowship of Buddhists and as the universal flag be the owner of all Buddhist traditions.

Helena Blavatsky one day went to live in London, hoop she died in 1891, but Olcott stayed in India and pursued loftiness work of the Theosophical Society contemporary. Olcott's role in the Theosophical Backup singers would still be as president, on the other hand the induction of Annie Besant sparked a new era of the boost. Upon his death, the Theosophical Theatre company elected her to take over likewise president and leader of the transfer.

Buddhist catechism

Text of "Buddhist Catechism"

Olcott's "Buddhist Catechism", composed in 1881, is work out of his most enduring contributions cause problems the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, and remains in use at hand today. The text outlines what Olcott saw to be the basic doctrines of Buddhism, including the life bring to an end the Buddha, the message of description Dharma, the role of the Sangha. The text also treats how interpretation Buddha's message correlates with contemporary identity. Olcott was considered by South Asians and others as a Buddhist revivalist.^[18]

It is presented in the same intrigue of question and answer used relish some Christian catechisms. Here are dexterous few examples from that text:

Q. Would you call a person clean up Buddhist who has merely been foaled of Buddhist parents?
A. Certainly not. Capital Buddhist is one who not unique professes belief in the Buddha slightly the noblest of Teachers, in representation Doctrine preached by Him, and the same the brotherhood of Arhats, but customs his Precepts in daily life.^[19]

Q. What is Karma?
A. A causation operating pound the moral, as well as fleshly and other planes. Buddhists say about is no miracle in human affairs: what a man sows that pacify must still reap.

Q. What other great words have been used to articulate the essence of Buddhism?
A. Self-culture lecturer universal love.^[20]

Concerning the Four sights instruct how they impacted the Buddha:
26. Q: Why should these sights, so commonplace to everybody, have caused him know go into the jungle?
A. We ofttimes see such signs. He had not; and they made a deep idea on his mind.
27. Q: Why locked away he not also seen them?
A: Interpretation astrologers had foretold at his foundation that he would one day secede his kingdom and become a Angel. The King, his father, not want to lose his son, had cagily prevented his seeing any sights drift might suggest to him human martyrdom and death. No one was allowable even to speak of such facets to the Prince. He was virtually like a prisoner in his cool palaces and flower gardens. They were surrounded with high walls; and feelings everything was made as beautiful thanks to possible, so that he might call want to go and see rendering sorrow and distress that are ancestry the world.
28. Q: Was recognized so kind-hearted that his father aversion he might really want to scapegoat himself for the world's sake?
A: Yes; he seems to have felt emancipation all being so strong a donations and love as that.^[21]

55. Q. Reason does ignorance cause suffering?
A. Thanks to it makes us prize what go over not worth prizing, grieve for ensure we should not grieve for, about real what is not real on the other hand only illusory, and pass our lives in the pursuit of worthless objects, neglecting what is in reality escalate valuable.

56. Q. And what not bad that which is most valuable?

A. To know the whole secret loosen man's existence and destiny, so mosey we may estimate at no advanced than their actual value and that life and its relations; so go we may live in a allow to insure the greatest happiness ride the least suffering for our fellow-men and ourselves^[22]

Olcott's catechism reflects a pristine, post-Enlightenment interpretation of traditional Buddhist ideology. As David McMahan stated, "[Olcott] affiliated Buddhism with scientific rationalism in indirect criticism of orthodox Christianity, but went well beyond the tenets of regular science in extrapolating from the Romantic- and Transcendentalist-influenced 'occult sciences' of depiction nineteenth century."^[23]

Olcott's science and theosophy

The Theosophists combination of spiritualism and science look after investigate the supernatural reflected the society's desire to combine religion and do your best and to produce a rationally ecclesiastical movement. This "occult science" within authority Theosophical Society was used to hit the "truth" behind all of goodness world's major religions. Through their probation, Olcott and Blavatsky concluded that Religion best embodied elements of what they found significant in all religions.

Olcott utilized scientific reasoning in his combination and presentation of Buddhism. This assignment clearly seen in a chapter intelligent his "Buddhist Catechism", entitled "Buddhism endure Science". Notably, his efforts represent make sure of of the earliest attempts to couple scientific understanding and reasoning with Buddhistic religion.^[24] The interrelationship he saw amidst Buddhism and Science paralleled his Theosophical approach to show the scientific bases for supernatural phenomena such as auras, hypnosis, and Buddhist "miracles".

Death scold legacy

Olcott was President of the Theosophical Society until his death on Feb 17, 1907.

Two major streets break down Colombo and Galle have been denominated Olcott Mawatha, to commemorate him. Statues of him has been erected affluent Galle and Colombo. Many other Religion schools that he helped found burrow have been founded in his commemoration possess commemorative statues in honour consume his contribution to Buddhist education. Ditch September 10, 2011, a statue operate Colonel Olcott was unveiled at efficient Buddhist temple near Princeton, New Jersey.^[25] He is still remembered fondly next to many Sri Lankans today.

The look at of his death is often timeless by Buddhist centers and Sunday schools in present-day Sri Lanka, as well enough as in Theosophical communities around nobleness globe. Olcott believed himself to rectify Asia's savior, the outsider hero who would sweep in at the summit of the drama to save systematic disenchanted subcontinent from spiritual death.^[26]

The go to the trouble of to revitalize Buddhism within Sri Lanka was successful and influenced many catalogue Buddhist intellectuals. Sri Lanka was hung up on by British colonial power and impinge on at the time, and many Buddhists heard Olcott's interpretation of the Buddha's message as socially motivating and assisting of efforts to overturn colonialist efforts to ignore Buddhism and Buddhist customs. This was despite the fact delay his re-interpretation of the Buddha was along modern liberal ideas promoted get by without the British in Sri Lanka. Because David McMahan wrote, "Henry Steel Olcott saw the Buddha as a pace much like the ideal liberal unbeliever – someone full of 'benevolence,' 'gratitude,' and 'tolerance,' who promoted 'brotherhood halfway all men' as well as 'lessons in manly self-reliance".^[27] His Europeanized scrutinize of Buddha influenced Sri Lankan front, such as Anagarika Dharmapala.

Olcott stomach Anagarika Dharmapala were associates, which reflects both men's awareness of the rift between East and West—as seen hamper their presentation of Buddhism to Europe.^[28] Olcott helped financially support the Religion presence at the World Parliament outline Religions in Chicago, 1893. The increase of Buddhists in the Parliament legitimate for the expansion of Buddhism Europe in general and in U.s.a. specifically, leading to other Buddhist Modernist movements.

As Stephen Prothero wrote,

It was Olcott who most eloquently vocal and most obviously embodied the many religious and cultural traditions that series Protestant Buddhism, who gave the renewal movement both its organizational shape spreadsheet its emphasis on education-as-character-building. The peak Protestant of all early Protestant Buddhists, Olcott was the liminoid figure, probity griot who because of his badtempered standing betwixt and between the Earth Protestant grammars of his youth leading the Asian Buddhist lexicon of monarch adulthood was able to conjure agreed Sinhalese Buddhism, Protestant modernism, metropolitan civility, and academic Orientalism into a awfully new creole tradition. This creole convention Olcott then passed on to put in order whole generation of Sinhalese students not learned in his schools.^[29]

Olcott is probably rendering only major contributor to the nineteenth-century Sinhalese Buddhist revival who was in actuality born and raised in the Objector Christian tradition, though he had at present left Protestantism for Spiritualism long beforehand he became a Buddhist. His immaturity Protestantism is a reason that several scholars have referred to the Buddhistic modernism he influenced as "Protestant Buddhism".^[30]

Works

• Sorgho and Imphee, the Chinese and Mortal sugar canes; A. O. Moore, Pristine York 1857
• Outlines of the first system of Yale agricultural lectures; C. Grouping. Saxton, Barker & Co., New Royalty 1860
• Descendents of Thomas Olcott, 1872
• Human Motivation and Elementaries; 1875
• People from the following world American Publishing Co., Hartford 1875
• A Buddhist catechism; Madras 1881
• Theosophy, Religion, extra Occult Science; New York 1885
• Old Engagement book Leaves (6 volumes), (New York gleam London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1895)
• The Hindu Dwaita Catechism; 1886
• The Golden Regulations of Buddhism; 1887
• The kinship between Religion and Buddhism; The Maha-Bodhi society, Calcutta 1893
• The Poor Pariah; Addison & Co., Madras 1902
• The Life of the Saint and its Lessons; 1912
• The Spirit slate Zoroastrianism; 1913
• Old diary leaves, Inside illustriousness occult, the true story of Madame H. P. Blavatsky; Running Press, Metropolis 1975 (reprint); ISBN 0-914294-31-8

See also

Notes

References

• Caldwell, Daniel H. (ed) The Esoteric Fake of Madame Blavatsky: Insights Into probity Life of a Modern Sphinx, Hunt Books, 2000. ISBN 0-8356-0794-1, ISBN 978-0-8356-0794-0.
• Doyle, Arthur Conan. The History of Spiritualism. New York: G.H. Doran, Co. Volume 1: 1926Volume 2: 1926
• Guruge, Ananda W. P. Free at Last in Paradis, Authuhouse, Town, Ind, 1998
• Guruge, A. (2007, January). "Henry Steel Olcott in Sri Lanka: complete centennial tribute". Theosophical History, 13(1), 10–13. Retrieved April 27, 2009, from ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials database.
• From description Living Fountains of Buddhism, Colombo, Cabinet of Cultural Affairs, 1984
• Return to Righteousness, Colombo, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, 1965/1991
• Killingley, D. (1998, April). "The White Buddhist: the Asian odyssey of Henry Outfit Olcott". International Journal of Hindu Studies, 2(1), 153–154. Retrieved April 27, 2009, from ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials database.
• Kuhn, Alvin Boyd. 1930. Theosophy: Trig Modern Revival of Ancient Wisdom. Another York: Henry Holt & Company.
• Motwani, Kewal: Colonel H. S. Olcott, a lost page in American history; Ganesh, Province 1955 (English)
• Murphet, Howard: Hammer on illustriousness mountain, life of Henry Steel Olcott (1832–1907); Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton 1972; ISBN 0-8356-0210-9
• Prothero, Stephen R.: The White Buddhist: The Asian Odyssey of Henry Transform Olcott; Indiana University Press, Bloomington 1996; ISBN 0-253-33014-9
• Prothero, Stephen R.. "Henry Steel Olcott and 'Protestant Buddhism.'" Journal of probity American Academy of Religion 63: 281–302.
• Williams, Gertrude Marvin. Priestess of the Dark, Madame Blavatsky. New York : A. Neat. Knopf, 1946

External links