BÖN or BÖNPA

The aboriginal magicians of Tibet, prior to Buddhism, at first much opposed to the Lamas, but eventually joining them in their adoption of Tantric Buddhism. Like all major movements, Buddhism did not become popular until it learned how to take in and alter local beliefs. Dhyana (meditation) was used in Tibet before passing to Japan as Zen, though one cant be sure if its a non-stop link from Tibet to Japan. If it is, then why not Obon/Bon equivalence, as well? Bon was (is) very back-woodsy and little is known about it. Christmas Humphreys says it has roots in Asiatic (Mongol) Shamanism: nature worship, sex magic and psychic arts. Modern Bon are called black hats and are sorcerers of the Dug-pa sects of Bhutan and Ladak.

(See also: BÖN, BÖNPA, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Brigu, Brighou. See BHRIGU

(See also: Brigu, Brighou, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brihad-aranyaka or -aranya Upanishad (Sanskrit) (from brihad great + aranyaka produced in a forest)

A celebrated Upanishad, forming the last five prapathakas (sections) of the Satapatha-Brahmana -- one of the most important of the Brahmanas -- attributed to Yajnavalkya. The title refers to this class of highly mystical and metaphysical literary work supposed to have been thought out by sages while retired in the solitudes of mountain and forest. Aranyaka is closely associated with Upanishad, and often used interchangeably with it; thus this work is often called Brihad-Upanishad or Brihad-aranyaka-upanishad.

(See also: Brihad-aranyaka, Aranya Upanishad, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

B  - The second letter in almost all the alphabets, also the second in the Hebrew. Its symbol is a house, the form of Beth, the letter itself indicating a dwelling, a shed or a shelter. "As a compound of a root, it is constantly used for the purpose of showing that it had to do with stone; when stones at Beth-el are set up, for instance. The Hebrew value as a numeral is two. Joined with its predecessor, it forms the word Ab, the root of ‘father’, Master, one in authority, and it has the Kabalistical distinction of being the first letter in the Sacred Volume of the Law. The divine name connected with this letter is "Bakhour." (R. M. [Cyclop.]

(See also: B - Letter B, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Brihaspati (Sanskrit) (from brih prayer + pati lord)

Sometimes Vrihaspati. A Vedic deity, corresponding to the planet Jupiter, commonly translated lord of prayer, the personification of exoteric piety and religion, but mystically the name signifies lord of increase, of expansion, growth.

He is frequently called Brahmanaspati, both names having a direct significance with the power of sound as uttered in mantras or prayer united with positive will. He is regarded in Hindu mythology as the chief offerer of prayers and sacrifices, thus representing the Brahmin or priestly caste, being the Purohita (family priest) of the gods, among other things interceding with them for mankind. He has many titles and attributes, being frequently designated as Jiva (the living), Didivis (the bright or golden-colored). In later times he became the god of exoteric knowledge and eloquence -- Dhishana (the intelligent), Gish-pati (lord of invocations). In this aspect he is regarded as the son of the rishi Angiras, and hence bears the patronymic Angriasa, and the husband of Tara, who was carried off by Soma (the moon). Tara is "the personification of the powers of one initiated into Gupta Vidya (secret knowledge) . . .

"Soma is the moon astronomically; but in mystical phraseology, it is also the name of the sacred beverage drunk by the Brahmins and the Initiates during their mysteries and sacrificial rites . . . .

"Soma was never given in days of old to the non-initiated Brahman -- the simple Grihasta, or priest of the exoteric ritual. Thus Brihaspati -- 'guru of the gods' though he was -- still represented the dead-letter form of worship. It is Tara his wife -- the symbol of one who, though wedded to dogmatic worship, longs for true wisdom -- who is shown as initiated into his mysteries by King Soma, the giver of that Wisdom. Soma is thus made in the allegory to carry her away. The result of this is the birth of Budha -- esoteric Wisdom -- (Mercury, or Hermes in Greece and Egypt). He is represented as 'so beautiful,' that even the husband, though well aware that Budha is not the progeny of his dead-letter worship -- claims the 'new-born' as his Son, the fruit of his ritualistic and meaningless forms. Such is, in brief, one of the meanings of the allegory" (SD 2:498-9).

Tara's abduction gave rise to the Tarakamaya -- the first war in heaven. The earth was shaken to its very center and turned to Brahma requesting him to restore Tara to her husband, which request was granted. Soma had for his allies the Daityas and Danavas, whose leader is Usanas (Venus) and Rudra (Siva), while the gods who sided with Brihaspati were led by Indra.

(See also: Brihaspati, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brisingamen (Icelandic) (from brising fire + men jewel)

In Norse myths the fire jewel represents the fire of enlightened intelligence in the human race, pictured as a gem which the goddess Freya wears on her bosom. She is the spiritual power imbodied in the planet Venus and the protectress of evolving, aspiring humanity.

Her gem has on more than one occasion been stolen by Loki -- the mischievous lower mind -- which brought grief to the gods, who have the well-being of humanity at heart. Once the precious gem was in grave danger: the matter-giant Trym (our physical globe earth) stole Thor's hammer of creation and destruction and hid it deep beneath the ground, and for its return he demanded that Freya become his wife. The story relates that she snorted with such fierce outrage that the gem was shattered.

(See also: Brisingamen, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bronze Age. See HESIOD, AGES OF; DVAPARA YUGA

(See also: Bronze Age, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brotherhood Human beings, in common with all other entities in the universe, are inseparable members of a spiritual unity; and the illusion of eternally separate selves, and therefore equally permanent individual and diverse interests, is due to an ignorance of fundamental facts in nature. "If the action of one reacts on the lives of all, and this is the true scientific idea, then it is only by all men becoming brothers and all women sisters, and by all practising in their daily lives true brotherhood and true sisterhood, that the real human solidarity, which lies at the root of the elevation of the race, can ever be attained" (Key 234).

Theosophical Society has always insisted on the formation of a nucleus of a universal brotherhood as its prime objective; and the teachings which it promulgates are aids subsidiary to this purpose. As one of Blavatsky's teachers wrote: "The Chiefs want a 'Brotherhood of Humanity,' a real Universal Fraternity started; an institution which would make itself known throughout the world and arrest the attention of the highest minds" (ML 24). Again, "It is he alone who has the love of humanity at heart, who is capable of grasping thoroughly the idea of a regenerating practical Brotherhood who is entitled to the possession of our secrets. He alone, such a man -- will never misuse his powers, as there will be no fear that he should turn them to selfish ends" (ML 252).

(See also: Brotherhood, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brotherhood of Compassion. See HIERARCHY OF COMPASSION; MAHATMA

(See also: Brotherhood of Compassion, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brotherhood of Luxor The original brotherhood of this name is very ancient and most secret; but its name was used for a bogus society in the late 19th century, "born in Europe, only to be exposed and fly to America" (TG 193).

(See also: Brotherhood of Luxor, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brotherhood of the Grove A "well-known, though secret, society of mystics in the Madras Presidency" {Caves & Jungles 572}.

(See also: Brotherhood of the Grove, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Brothers of Light. See RIGHT-HAND PATH

(See also: Brothers of Light, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Budha (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root budh to awake)

As an adjective, intelligent, wise, clever, fully awake; hence a wise or instructed person, a sage. In mythology, Budha is represented as the son of Tara (or Rohini), the wife of Brihaspati (the planet Jupiter). Tara was carried off by Soma (the Moon), which led to the Tarakamaya -- the war in svarga (heaven) -- between the gods and asuras (the latter siding with Soma against the divinities).

The gods were victorious and Tara was returned to Brihaspati, but the parentage of the son she gave birth to was claimed both by Brihapati and Soma: he was so beautiful he was named Budha (cf SD 2:498-9). Upon Brahma's demand, Tara admitted that Budha was the offspring of Soma. Budha became the god of wisdom and the husband of Ila (or Ida), daughter of Manu Vaivasvata, and in one sense stands for esoteric wisdom.

Budha is also a name for the planet Mercury and its regent. Sirius was termed the star of Budha, "called the great instructor of mankind before other Buddhas" (SD 2:374).

(See also: Budha, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Budhaism or Budhism (from Sanskrit budha wisdom)

The anglicized form of the term for the teachings of divine philosophy, called in India budha (esoteric wisdom). It is equivalent to the Greek term theosophia. It must be distinguished from Buddhism, the philosophy of Gautama Buddha, although this is a direct and pure derivative from budhaism.

(See also: Budhaism, Budhism, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Builders. See COSMOCRATORES

(See also: Builders, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bull, Bull Worship The bull has been worshiped as a symbol of generative creation in its celestial or cosmic aspect -- in contrast with the terrestrial and human aspect represented by the ram and sometimes the lamb.

Generally the bull or cow was used as a symbol of the moon cosmogonically, although occasionally associated with solar deities. Sometimes a white bull is represented, as seen in the Egyptian Apis, who legendarily is Osiris "incarnate" in that form; with the Hindus the white bull Nandi was associated with Siva. However, the significance of the ram is terrestrial, usually phallic, and lunar in the productive sense. Thus the bull represents cosmic evolutionary power, while the ram symbolizes the terrestrial generative powers. The sacred bulls did not necessarily represent male animals, but were mystically considered to be hermaphrodite or even sexless: thus the Egyptian bull, Apis, was depicted as being hermaphrodite, which showed his cosmic character.

The bull was at times considered to be one of the four sacred animals, corresponding to the four points of the compass and other quaternaries, such as the four Maharajas. In Assyrian and other sculptures in Asia Minor we often see a king in the act of seizing a bull by the horns and stabbing it in the belly, the significance of which is reason prevailing over impulse, mind over generative power, or the solar over the lunar elements in mankind and nature. Frequently the bulls were carved as winged, implying the creative or productive nature of the cosmogonic spirit and its all-permeant power throughout nature. The entire series of ideas here was akin to the theme associated with the Mithraic Mysteries, in one stage of which the bull figured prominently.

The preponderance of bull symbols in ancient Assyrian and other sculptures was connected with a time when the zodiacal sign Taurus, due to the precession of the equinoxes, was ascendant: this would be approaching three precessional cycles ago (more than 75,000 years). Thus the bull would then naturally be a favorite emblem and would have featured very largely in association with the iconographical elements of exoteric worship.

(See also: Bull, Bull Worship, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bumapa (Tibetan) (possibly dbu ma pa (u-ma-pa) translation of Sanskrit madhyamaka or madhyamika the school of Buddhist philosophy which follows Nagarjuna)

"A school of men, usually a college of mystic students" (TG 69).

(See also: Bumapa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bumi Haptaiti (Avestan), Haft Keshvar (Persian) (from bumi earth (cf Sanskrit bhumi) + haptaiti septempartite (cf Sanskrit sapta))

The septempartite or sevenfold earth, which indicates that the ancient Zoroastrians, like the ancient Hindus, taught of the seven manifest globes (keshvare) of the earth planetary chain.

In Persian literature both ancient and Islamic, apart from the seven keshvars, there are often references to seven seas and seven heavens. This term has been used in the Gathas in the sense of septenary spheres of life. In Pahlavi literature and in the introduction to the Abu Mansuri Shahnameh (the oldest version of Shahnameh and one of the main sources of Ferdauci), we find Bumi Haptaiti in this setting.

See also KESHVARE

(See also: Bumi Haptaiti, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bundahish or Bundahis (Pahlavi) (from bun root, origin + dah to create)

Origin of creation; a Zoroastrian mythologico-theological work treating of cosmogony, the government of the world, and its end. Its present form is of later date than the Avesta, but the material contained in it is of distinctly archaic character and runs far back into the night of early Persian history.

(See also: Bundahish, Bundahis, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bur (Icelandic) (from burdr birth)

Emanation of Buri, primeval root of being in the Norse Eddas. From Bur sprang the creative trinity: Odin (Allfather), Vile (divine will), and Vi or Ve (awe, sanctity). These three forces produce the systems of worlds where the gods feast at the stellar and planetary tables on mead (experience of life).

(See also: Bur, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)