神智學
神智學（英語：Theosophy），又稱證道學，是一種涉及宗教哲學和神秘主義的新興宗教，混合了一些西方哲學思想如新柏拉圖主義和東方的印度教、佛教元素。神智學認為，史上所有宗教都是由久已失傳的「神秘信條」演化出來的。神智學的創始人物有海倫娜·布拉瓦茨基，亨利·斯太爾·奧爾科特，以及威廉·關·賈奇。他們於1875年在紐約市創立了神智學協會。
詞源
編輯神智學原文為「Theosophy」，這一詞來自希臘語「theos」（神）與「sophia」（智慧）的結合，意為「神的智慧」。
定義
編輯海倫娜·布拉瓦茨基堅稱它並不是宗教[1]，但她也說過神智學是「曾經普世的宗教」的現代形態[2]。「不是宗教」這一點體現在它對其他信仰以及哲學[3]、科學的包容性上，它並不禁止信徒信仰其他的學說[4]。
但宗教學家認為它就一種宗教[5]，它傳播的是一種宗教式的世界觀，使用的也是很明顯的宗教術語，依賴的是信仰而非事實[6]。奧拉夫·哈默（Olav Hammer）和麥可·羅特施泰因（Mikael Rothstein）認為它是現代最重要的宗教傳統之一[7]，喬斯林·戈德溫（Joscelyn Godwin）說它是一個具有包容性的宗教運動[8]，J·傑弗里·富蘭克林（J. Jeffrey Franklin）認為它是一個「雜交的宗教」（hybrid religion）[9]。總而言之，它必定屬於新興宗教[10]。
其源頭是西方秘契主義[11]，它對西方秘契主義在20世紀的復興奠定了基石[12]。雖然它混合了不少印度宗教元素，但社會學家克里斯多福·帕特里奇仍然認為它本質上仍是西方的，它所表達的東方只是西方人眼中的東方[13]。
信仰
編輯神智學會說並不存在官方的信條[14]，只有一些所有成員都同意的「原則」[15]，存在懷疑著神智學但同意其基本的普世理念的教友[16]。
神智學基本是從布拉瓦茨基的作品中誕生的[17]，由後來的神智學家改進[18]。雖然布拉瓦茨基本人不認為神智學是她自己的發明，而是一些神秘的精神體（即所謂的「大師」）傳授給她的[19]。
大師
編輯
神智學的核心是一類名叫「大師」（Masters）的精神體[20]，它們被視為神智學理論的源頭[21]，也可以被稱為Mahatmas、 Adepts、 Masters of Wisdom、 Masters of Compassion、Elder Brothers[21]。它們本來是人類，但由於道德、智力的完美而升為「大師」[21]。經過多年的鍛鍊，它們有遠超人類的壽命[21]，擁有超自然的力量，比如千里眼和靈魂投射[22]。布拉瓦茨基說它們主要生活在喜馬拉雅的「西藏王國」[21]。
它們擁有古代世界的知識[22]，組成了「大白兄弟會」（Great White Brotherhood），觀察、指導人類[22]。神智學者宣稱亞伯拉罕、摩西等聖經人物和喬達摩·悉達多、孔子、老子等東方古人以及雅各·波墨、亞歷山德羅·卡格里奧斯特羅、弗朗茲·麥斯邁等現代人物都是「大師」[22]。但最重要是布拉瓦茨基宣稱曾接觸過的「庫特忽米」和「莫里亞」[23]。在傳授知識之前，被選中者要經歷一個考核期[24]，需要禁慾多年[24]。
神智學並不禁止偶像崇拜，布拉瓦茨基甚至鼓勵信徒製作大師的肖像[25]，有很多「大師」肖像是德國畫家赫爾曼·施米興繪製的[26]，這些肖像得到了神智學者的認可[27]和崇拜[28]。
這種「大師」學說其實不是神智學首創，玫瑰十字會就有類似的理念[29]。
世界觀
編輯神智學的世界觀屬於流溢說[30]，認為人類眼中的世界只是幻覺，即摩耶[31]。
布拉瓦茨基認為每個行星系都有一個太陽神（Solar Deity，或Logos）主宰[32]，其下又有七個行星神[32]。每個行星上的進化速度不同，基本順序礦石-植物-動物-人類-超自然生物[33]。其中人類又有七個「根種族」（Root Race），每個根種族又能劃分出七個「亞種族」（Sub-Race）[34]。
她認為現在人類已經進化到第五種族，即取代了第四種族亞特蘭蒂斯人的雅利安人[35]。而隨著先知彌勒佛的到來，他們也將被第六種族取代[36]。而當人類進化到第七種族時，就會離開地球[37]。
儀式
編輯神智學會並沒有給出任何可供實踐的宗教儀式[38]，但不同的神智學團體可能會有自己的儀式，如自由天主教會[38]和聯合神智學舍（United Lodge of Theosophy）[39]。
參考文獻
編輯腳註
編輯- ^ Lachman 2012，第137頁.
- ^ Franklin 2018，第193頁.
- ^ Santucci 2012，第234頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第196頁; Dixon 2001，第4頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第38, 72頁; Godwin 1994b，第xix頁; Hammer & Rothstein 2013，第2頁; Franklin 2018，第192頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第72, 196頁.
- ^ Hammer & Rothstein 2013，第2頁.
- ^ Godwin 1994b，第xix頁.
- ^ Franklin 2018，第xiv, 192頁.
- ^ Lowry 2019，第70頁.
- ^ Hanegraaff 2013，第130–31頁.
- ^ Hanegraaff 2013，第131頁.
- ^ Partridge 2004，第90–91頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第191頁; Dixon 2001，第4頁.
- ^ Dixon 2001，第3–4頁.
- ^ Dixon 2001，第4頁.
- ^ Santucci 2006，第1114頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第191頁.
- ^ Johnson 1994，第1頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第61頁.
- ^ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Campbell 1980，第53頁.
- ^ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Campbell 1980，第54頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第55–56頁.
- ^ 24.0 24.1 Campbell 1980，第55頁.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第206頁.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第212頁.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第214頁.
- ^ Introvigne 2018，第220頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第56頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第62頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第47頁.
- ^ 32.0 32.1 Campbell 1980，第63頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第43頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第44頁; Lachman 2012，第256頁.
- ^ Lachman 2012，第256頁.
- ^ Goodrick-Clarke 2008，第223頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第45頁.
- ^ 38.0 38.1 Campbell 1980，第196頁.
- ^ Campbell 1980，第196–197頁.
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- Laramie, Moon. Blavatsky Unveiled: The Writings of H.P. Blavatsky in modern English. Volume I.. London: Martin Firrell Company Ltd. 2020. ISBN 978-0993178696.
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