The Ancient Wisdom

This book is intended to place in the hands of the general reader an epitome of theosophical teachings,
sufficiently plain to serve the elementary student, and sufficiently full to lay a sound foundation for further
knowledge. It is hoped that it may serve as an introduction to the profounder works of H.P.Blavatsky, and
be a convenient steppingstone to their study.
Those who have learned a little of the Ancient Wisdom know the illumination, the peace, the joy, the
strength, its lessons have brought into their lives. That this book may win some to con its teachings,and
to prove for themselves their value, is the prayer with which it is sent forth into the world.
Annie Besant,
August 1897

"Man is regarded as a trinity, Taoism, recognising in him the spirit, the mind, and the body. This division comes out clearly in the Classic of Purity, in the teaching that man must get rid of desire to reach union with the One :

Now the spirit of man loves purity, but his mind disturbs it. The mind of man loves stillness, but his
desires draw it away. If he could always send his desires away, his mind of itself would be still. Let his
mind be made clean, and his spirit of itself becomes pure ….The reason why men are not able
to attain to this is because their minds have not been cleansed, and their desires have not been sent
away. If one is able to send the desires away, when he then looks at his mind it is no longer his: when he
looks out at his body it is no longer his ; and when he looks farther off at external things, they are things
which he has nothing to do with ...."



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