Maitreya (Benjamin Creme)
Encyclopedia
In the Neo-Theosophical
teachings of Benjamin Creme
, founder of Share International
, it is promulgated that
the near-future coming of Maitreya
(meaning "friendly" in Sanskrit
) sometime in the 21st century will fulfill not only Buddhist prophecies about the appearance of a future great teacher named Maitreya, but also the prophecies of a number of other world religions - including Christianity
(the Second Coming of Christ), Hinduism
(the Kalki
avatar of Vishnu
), Islam
(the Imam Mahdi) and Judaism
(the Jewish Messiah
). Creme says along with Alice A. Bailey and C.W. Leadbeater that Maitreya manifested himself through (or overshadowed) Jesus
2,000 years ago during the three years of the Ministry of Jesus
.
This article provides the background of these teachings in the original teachings of Madame Blavatsky
, and the later teaching of C.W. Leadbeater and Alice A. Bailey as well as a general summary of Benjamin Creme’s teachings regarding Maitreya.
, is a being regarded by those adherent to Theosophy
to be the most spiritually advanced being of human origin that has so far evolved during this Earth
round
(period of spiritual evolution), except for Buddha
, in the Spiritual Hierarchy
of Earth. (Sanat Kumara
doesn't count, because he is said to be from the civilization that Theosophists believe exists on the etheric plane
of Venus
that already is hundreds of millions of years in advance of our civilization.) It is believed Maitreya has attained the seventh Level of Initiation
. In the teachings of Benjamin Creme
and Alice A. Bailey he is also referred to as Christ (see the section below called “Maitreya’s overshadowing of Jesus”). The Theosophical concept of the Maitreya is modeled on the Buddhist
Maitreya
.
Maitreya is also believed by Theosophists to hold an office in the Hierarchy of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom called The World Teacher, the function of which is to encourage and inspire the development of religious leaders
, and various world religions such that each people
or specific civilization
will have the religion
that is best suited for them.
In the Ascended Master Teachings
, Maitreya, besides being called Lord Maitreya, is also referred to as the Cosmic Christ.
spoke of a Christ Principle that is the force for good
in the Cosmos
and is within the “inner man”. Between the time of Madame Blavatsky’s death in 1891 and his discovery of Jiddu Krishnamurti
in 1909, C.W. Leadbeater formulated a Christology
in which he identified Christ
with the Buddhist
deity
known as Maitreya
and maintained that this deity held an office known as The World Teacher within the Hierarchy of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom
.
in Ancient Egypt
, as Krishna
, as a high priest in Ancient India
, and that he also incarnated in the body of the Master Jesus
during the three years of the Ministry of Jesus
.
and that he did so in Atlantis. No Theosophical guru
has specified the precise date when Maitreya resurrected
(i.e., reached the fifth level of Initiation
), but it is usually assumed to be in late Atlantean times. Assuming this to be the case, this means that in all the post-Atlantean incarnations of Maitreya mentioned above, he appeared as an avatar
.
and Alice A. Bailey believe in the Nestorian/Gnostic Christology
promulgated by C.W. Leadbeater which asserts that Maitreya overshadowed the Master Jesus during the Ministry of Jesus
, such that there were two beings (two soul
s) in one body—Maitreya was Christ
and the Master Jesus
was Jesus of Nazareth; the combination of the two beings—two entities in one body—functioned as Jesus Christ. Those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings
, a group of religions based on Theosophy, believe in the existence of Maitreya; however, they believe that although he encouraged the mission of Jesus, he did not actually overshadow Jesus.
, Jiddu Krishnamurti
. Krishnamurti was "discovered" by Leadbeater in April 1909, on the private beach that formed part of the Theosophical Society
Headquarters in Adyar, India. Krishnamurti and his family had been living next to the estate for a few months before this discovery. Leadbeater proclaimed that Krishnamurti was to be the vessel for the indwelling of the coming World Teacher
that many Theosophists were expecting. This new teacher would, in the pattern of Moses
, Buddha
, Zarathustra (Zoroaster)
, Christ
, and Muhammad
divulge a new dispensation, a new religious teaching for the coming Age of Aquarius
. Krishnamurti was extensively trained for his mission and a new organization, the Order of the Star in the East
, was set up to assist him in his expected mission. However, in 1929, Krishnamurti rebuffed attempts by Leadbeater and Besant to continue with the renamed Order of the Star. He dissolved the Order at its annual Star Camp at Ommen
, the Netherlands, on August 3, 1929, and repudiated the messianic
mission and role that Theosophists expected of him.
Alice Bailey
(1880–1949) left the Theosophical Society in the 1920s to establish the quasi-theosophical Arcane School. She expanded Leadbeater's work and his Christology, She referred to Maitreya as the Cosmic Christ
In the Alice A. Bailey material, she asserts that World War II
was a cosmic conflict between good
and evil
. The Masters of the Wisdom, representing the Forces of Light
, were on the side of the Allies
; the Dark Forces
were on the side of the Axis
. According to Bailey, Adolf Hitler
was possessed
by the Dark Forces. With the defeat of the axis by the allies in 1945, the stage was set for the appearance of Maitreya to inaugurate the New Age
.
In January 1946, Bailey prophesied that since, according to her view, "Krishnamurti had rejected being overshadowed", Christ would return himself by manifesting a physical body of his own on the physical plane
"sometime after AD 2025", and that this would be the New Age
equivalent of the Christian concept of the Second Coming of Christ.
She further stated that St. Germain
is the manager of the executive council of Christ. This executive council is a specific group of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom
charged with preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ and the consequent inauguration of the Age of Aquarius
. According to Bailey, when Christ returns, he will stay the entire approximately 2,158 year period of the Age of Aquarius, and thus the New Age equivalent of the Millennial Age will not be just a single millennium
but will be the Aquarian bimillennium. During this era, said Bailey, Christ (Maitreya) will reign as the spiritual leader of Earth, the Messiah
who will bring World Peace
.
In August 1946, Bailey prophesied that Christ would return in an airplane from "the place on Earth where He has been for many generations" and that after doing so, he would appear on worldwide television
.
(who was the vice-president of the Aetherius Society
from 1957 to 1959 ), is a follower of Alice A. Bailey who claimed, beginning in 1959, to have been contacted telepathically
by one of the Masters
(he was told not reveal which one, but Creme's Master is usually assumed to be one of the two unnamed "English Masters" mentioned by Alice A. Bailey) and prepared for his mission, which Creme said he was told was to receive messages from Maitreya
. Beginning in 1975 (the same year the crop circles began to appear), Creme says he started to actually telepathically
channel Maitreya. Creme stated that Maitreya telepathically communicated to him that he had decided to return to Earth earlier than the post-2025 date given by Alice A. Bailey. On 6 September 1977, Creme said that he began receiving messages from Maitreya regarding the process of his forthcoming emergence. These revelations are compiled in the book Messages from Maitreya. According to Creme, Maitreya informed him that he materialized a physical body for himself in early 1977 in the Himalayas
and then on Friday, 8 July 1977 he booked an airplane flight from Pakistan
to London
, just as had been prophesied in 1946 by Alice A. Bailey. When Maitreya landed in London, this was according to Creme the esoteric Second Coming of Christ (since Maitreya had not yet revealed himself to the world). Creme said that Maitreya then took up residence in secret in the Brick Lane
neighborhood of that city. According to Creme, Maitreya does not need to eat
because he is capable of living off prana
(thus he is a breatharian); however, he can eat if offered food
. Maitreya has no navel
and is 6 feet 3 inches tall.
Creme put advertisements in many of the world’s major newspaper
s in early 1982 stating that the Second Coming would occur on Monday, 21 June 1982 (summer solstice
in the northern hemisphere
), at which time Christ (Maitreya) would announce his Second Coming on worldwide television
. When this failed to occur, Crème’s organization regrouped as Share International
to prepare for the near-future Emergence of Maitreya, when, it is believed, the Day of Declaration to inaugurate the Age of Aquarius
will occur.
Creme asserts that Adolf Hitler
was the Anti-Christ and his defeat in World War II
made possible the return of Maitreya. According to Creme, the Age of Aquarius will be the "Age in which the love nature of God, [originally] revealed by Christ in Jesus, becomes manifest on a world scale".
Creme states that Maitreya manifests in visions to various people—an average of 26 different people per day. Maitreya, claims Creme, miraculously appears physically before gatherings of between a few dozen and several hundred people of various religious groups an average of about three times a month.http://www.share-international.org/maitreya/images/Maitreya1.jpg Sometimes when Benjamin Creme is lecturing, he says he allows Maitreya to briefly overshadow him, and when this happens, some of Creme's followers report seeing Creme surrounded by a golden
aura
.
Maitreya's main mission during the Age of Aquarius according to Creme will be to promulgate the Principle of Sharing, such that the technologically advanced nations share their wealth with the poorer nations so that everyone will have adequate sustenance. It is believed by the followers of Creme that Maitreya has vast superhuman powers
and also that he is in regular telepathic contact with the space brothers in their flying saucer
s; it has been asserted by Benjamin Crème that Maitreya is physically invulnerable and is capable of teleporting
anywhere in the solar system
. Creme's followers believe that Maitreya, in collusion with the flying saucers of the space brothers, are the cause of the crop circles (the modern manifestation of which began to appear in 1975, the year that Creme claims that Maitreya began to telepathically contact him); more crop circles appear in England
than any other country, it is asserted, because Maitreya spends a large percentage of his time in London.
Neo-Theosophy
The term Neo-Theosophy is a term, originally derogatory, used by the followers of Blavatsky to denominate the system of Theosophical ideas expounded by Annie Besant and Charles Webster Leadbeater following the death of Madame Blavatsky in 1891...
teachings of Benjamin Creme
Benjamin Creme
Benjamin Creme is a Scottish artist, author, esotericist, and editor of Share International magazine, a monthly non-profit magazine and website....
, founder of Share International
Share International
Share International Foundation is a spiritual movement founded by Benjamin Creme with its main offices in London, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Los Angeles...
, it is promulgated that
the near-future coming of Maitreya
Maitreya (Theosophy)
Maitreya or Lord Maitreya is described in Theosophical literature of the late 19th-century and subsequent periods as an advanced spiritual entity and high-ranking member of a hidden Spiritual Hierarchy, the so-called Masters of the Ancient Wisdom...
(meaning "friendly" in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
) sometime in the 21st century will fulfill not only Buddhist prophecies about the appearance of a future great teacher named Maitreya, but also the prophecies of a number of other world religions - including Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
(the Second Coming of Christ), Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
(the Kalki
Kalki
In Hinduism, Kalki is the tenth and final Maha Avatar of Vishnu who will come to end the present age of darkness and destruction known as Kali Yuga. The name Kalki is often a metaphor for eternity or time...
avatar of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
), Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
(the Imam Mahdi) and Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
(the Jewish Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
). Creme says along with Alice A. Bailey and C.W. Leadbeater that Maitreya manifested himself through (or overshadowed) Jesus
Master Jesus
The Master Jesus in Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings, refers to the theosophical concept of Jesus as opposed to the Jesus Christ of the Christian religion.-Position in the Hierarchy of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom:...
2,000 years ago during the three years of the Ministry of Jesus
Ministry of Jesus
In the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism in the countryside of Judea, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry...
.
This article provides the background of these teachings in the original teachings of Madame Blavatsky
Madame Blavatsky
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky , was a theosophist, writer and traveler. Between 1848 and 1875 Blavatsky had gone around the world three times. In 1875, Blavatsky together with Colonel H. S. Olcott established the Theosophical Society...
, and the later teaching of C.W. Leadbeater and Alice A. Bailey as well as a general summary of Benjamin Creme’s teachings regarding Maitreya.
Maitreya’s place in the Spiritual Hierarchy
Maitreya, said to be one of the Masters of the Ancient WisdomMasters of the Ancient Wisdom
The Masters of the Ancient Wisdom are reputed to be enlightened beings originally identified by the Theosophists Helena Blavatsky, Henry S. Olcott, Alfred P. Sinnett, and others. These Theosophists claimed to have met some of the so-called Masters during their lifetimes in different parts of the...
, is a being regarded by those adherent to Theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
to be the most spiritually advanced being of human origin that has so far evolved during this Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
round
Round (Theosophy)
A round in the esoteric cosmology of Theosophy, Anthroposophy and Rosicrucianism is a cosmic cycle or sequence by which an evolving reincarnating being passes through the various stages of existence as the Earth, the Solar System or the Cosmos comes into and passes out of manifestation.-The...
(period of spiritual evolution), except for Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
, in the Spiritual Hierarchy
Spiritual Hierarchy
Spiritual Hierarchy is a term often used in Neo-Theosophy, and the Ascended Master Teachings, a group of religions based on Theosophy. It represents the concept of a group of self-realised Masters of the Ancient Wisdom, referred to by those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings as Ascended...
of Earth. (Sanat Kumara
Sanat Kumara
According to the post-1900 publications of Theosophy, i.e. the writings of C. W. Leadbeater, Alice A. Bailey, and Benjamin Creme, as well as the Ascended Master Teachings of Guy Ballard, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Geraldine Innocente, Joshua David Stone, and other Ascended Master Teachings teachers,...
doesn't count, because he is said to be from the civilization that Theosophists believe exists on the etheric plane
Etheric plane
The etheric plane is a term introduced into Theosophy by Charles Webster Leadbeater and Annie Besant to represent one of the planes of existence in neo-Theosophical and Rosicrucian cosmology. It represents the fourth[higher] subplane of the physical plane , the lower three being the states of...
of Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
that already is hundreds of millions of years in advance of our civilization.) It is believed Maitreya has attained the seventh Level of Initiation
Initiation (Theosophy)
Initiation is a concept in Theosophy that there are nine levels of spiritual development that beings who live on Earth can progress upward through. Within these levels, there are four basic levels of spiritual development that human beings on Earth progress through as they reincarnate, although...
. In the teachings of Benjamin Creme
Benjamin Creme
Benjamin Creme is a Scottish artist, author, esotericist, and editor of Share International magazine, a monthly non-profit magazine and website....
and Alice A. Bailey he is also referred to as Christ (see the section below called “Maitreya’s overshadowing of Jesus”). The Theosophical concept of the Maitreya is modeled on the Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
Maitreya
Maitreya
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
.
Maitreya is also believed by Theosophists to hold an office in the Hierarchy of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom called The World Teacher, the function of which is to encourage and inspire the development of religious leaders
Religious leaders by year
-Twenty-first century:-Twenty-first century:-Twenty-first century:::2011:2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003 - 2002 - 2001-Twentieth century:::2000 - 1999 - 1998 - 1997 - 1996 - 1995 - 1994 - 1993 - 1992 - 1991...
, and various world religions such that each people
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
or specific civilization
Civilization
Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally...
will have the religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
that is best suited for them.
In the Ascended Master Teachings
Ascended Master Teachings
The students of "Ascended Master Teachings" organizations believe that the Presence of Life/God - Individualizes as the "I AM", and incarnates throughout the created universes until it achieves The Ascension . The "Teachings" as all Religious Teachings.....
, Maitreya, besides being called Lord Maitreya, is also referred to as the Cosmic Christ.
Development of C.W. Leadbeater’s concept of Maitreya
Madame BlavatskyMadame Blavatsky
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky , was a theosophist, writer and traveler. Between 1848 and 1875 Blavatsky had gone around the world three times. In 1875, Blavatsky together with Colonel H. S. Olcott established the Theosophical Society...
spoke of a Christ Principle that is the force for good
Good
Good may refer to:* Good and evil - The distinction between positive and negative entities* Good - Objects produced for market* Form of the Good - Plato's macrocosmic view of goodness in living* Good...
in the Cosmos
Cosmos
In the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...
and is within the “inner man”. Between the time of Madame Blavatsky’s death in 1891 and his discovery of Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti or , was a renowned writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive change in society...
in 1909, C.W. Leadbeater formulated a Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
in which he identified Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
with the Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
known as Maitreya
Maitreya
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
and maintained that this deity held an office known as The World Teacher within the Hierarchy of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom
Ascended master
Ascended Masters, in the Ascended Master Teachings is derived from the Theosophical concept of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or "Mahatmas", though they differ in important aspects...
.
Maitreya’s previous incarnations
It is believed by Theosophists that, besides having had numerous incarnations in Atlantis, that after the fall of Atlantis, Maitreya incarnated as a HierophantHierophant
A hierophant is a person who brings religious congregants into the presence of that which is deemed holy. The word comes from Ancient Greece, where it was constructed from the combination of ta hiera, "the holy," and phainein, "to show." In Attica it was the title of the chief priest at the...
in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, as Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
, as a high priest in Ancient India
History of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
, and that he also incarnated in the body of the Master Jesus
Master Jesus
The Master Jesus in Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings, refers to the theosophical concept of Jesus as opposed to the Jesus Christ of the Christian religion.-Position in the Hierarchy of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom:...
during the three years of the Ministry of Jesus
Ministry of Jesus
In the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism in the countryside of Judea, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry...
.
Maitreya’s resurrection
Benjamin Creme asserts that Maitreya was the first human being to achieve the third InitiationInitiation (Theosophy)
Initiation is a concept in Theosophy that there are nine levels of spiritual development that beings who live on Earth can progress upward through. Within these levels, there are four basic levels of spiritual development that human beings on Earth progress through as they reincarnate, although...
and that he did so in Atlantis. No Theosophical guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
has specified the precise date when Maitreya resurrected
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
(i.e., reached the fifth level of Initiation
Initiation (Theosophy)
Initiation is a concept in Theosophy that there are nine levels of spiritual development that beings who live on Earth can progress upward through. Within these levels, there are four basic levels of spiritual development that human beings on Earth progress through as they reincarnate, although...
), but it is usually assumed to be in late Atlantean times. Assuming this to be the case, this means that in all the post-Atlantean incarnations of Maitreya mentioned above, he appeared as an avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
.
Maitreya’s overshadowing of Jesus
The followers of Benjamin CremeBenjamin Creme
Benjamin Creme is a Scottish artist, author, esotericist, and editor of Share International magazine, a monthly non-profit magazine and website....
and Alice A. Bailey believe in the Nestorian/Gnostic Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
promulgated by C.W. Leadbeater which asserts that Maitreya overshadowed the Master Jesus during the Ministry of Jesus
Ministry of Jesus
In the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism in the countryside of Judea, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry...
, such that there were two beings (two soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
s) in one body—Maitreya was Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
and the Master Jesus
Master Jesus
The Master Jesus in Theosophy and the Ascended Master Teachings, refers to the theosophical concept of Jesus as opposed to the Jesus Christ of the Christian religion.-Position in the Hierarchy of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom:...
was Jesus of Nazareth; the combination of the two beings—two entities in one body—functioned as Jesus Christ. Those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings
Ascended Master Teachings
The students of "Ascended Master Teachings" organizations believe that the Presence of Life/God - Individualizes as the "I AM", and incarnates throughout the created universes until it achieves The Ascension . The "Teachings" as all Religious Teachings.....
, a group of religions based on Theosophy, believe in the existence of Maitreya; however, they believe that although he encouraged the mission of Jesus, he did not actually overshadow Jesus.
Maitreya’s plan to overshadow Krishnamurti according to C.W. Leadbeater
According to Leadbeater, Maitreya’s original plan in the early-20th-century was to manifest through a South Indian BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
, Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti or , was a renowned writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive change in society...
. Krishnamurti was "discovered" by Leadbeater in April 1909, on the private beach that formed part of the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
Headquarters in Adyar, India. Krishnamurti and his family had been living next to the estate for a few months before this discovery. Leadbeater proclaimed that Krishnamurti was to be the vessel for the indwelling of the coming World Teacher
Maitreya (Theosophy)
Maitreya or Lord Maitreya is described in Theosophical literature of the late 19th-century and subsequent periods as an advanced spiritual entity and high-ranking member of a hidden Spiritual Hierarchy, the so-called Masters of the Ancient Wisdom...
that many Theosophists were expecting. This new teacher would, in the pattern of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, Zarathustra (Zoroaster)
Zoroaster
Zoroaster , also known as Zarathustra , was a prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism who was either born in North Western or Eastern Iran. He is credited with the authorship of the Yasna Haptanghaiti as well as the Gathas, hymns which are at the liturgical core of Zoroastrianism...
, Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, and Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
divulge a new dispensation, a new religious teaching for the coming Age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
. Krishnamurti was extensively trained for his mission and a new organization, the Order of the Star in the East
Order of the Star in the East
The Order of the Star in the East was an organization established by the leadership of the Theosophical Society at Adyar, India, from 1911 to 1927...
, was set up to assist him in his expected mission. However, in 1929, Krishnamurti rebuffed attempts by Leadbeater and Besant to continue with the renamed Order of the Star. He dissolved the Order at its annual Star Camp at Ommen
Ommen
Ommen is a municipality and a Hanseatic city in the Vecht valley of the Salland region, which is at the heart of the province of Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands. Historical records first name Ommen in the early 12th century and it was officially founded as a city in 1248...
, the Netherlands, on August 3, 1929, and repudiated the messianic
Messianism
Messianism is the belief in a messiah, a savior or redeemer. Many religions have a messiah concept, including the Jewish Messiah, the Christian Christ, the Muslim Mahdi and Isa , the Buddhist Maitreya, the Hindu Kalki and the Zoroastrian Saoshyant...
mission and role that Theosophists expected of him.
Alice A. Bailey teachings
In order to understand Benjamin Creme’s teachings, it is necessary to understand Alice A. Bailey’s teachings, since he is a follower of Alice A. Bailey and his teachings closely follow hers. The major difference is the two teachings that Benjamin Creme says that Maitreya is in contact with the space brothers, extraterrestrial inhabitants of the solar system as conceived by Theosophists.Alice Bailey
Alice Bailey
Alice Ann Bailey , known as Alice A. Bailey or AAB to her followers, was an influential writer and theosophist in what she termed "Ageless Wisdom". This included occult teachings, "esoteric" psychology and healing, astrological and other philosophic and religious themes...
(1880–1949) left the Theosophical Society in the 1920s to establish the quasi-theosophical Arcane School. She expanded Leadbeater's work and his Christology, She referred to Maitreya as the Cosmic Christ
In the Alice A. Bailey material, she asserts that World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was a cosmic conflict between good
Good
Good may refer to:* Good and evil - The distinction between positive and negative entities* Good - Objects produced for market* Form of the Good - Plato's macrocosmic view of goodness in living* Good...
and evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
. The Masters of the Wisdom, representing the Forces of Light
White Magic
White Magic may refer to:* White magic, healing or "good," as opposed to Black magic; see also magic * White Magic , an American rock band* White Magic , album by Swedish musician ceo...
, were on the side of the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
; the Dark Forces
Black magic
Black magic is the type of magic that draws on assumed malevolent powers or is used with the intention to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction, or for personal gain without regard to harmful consequences. As a term, "black magic" is normally used by those that do not approve of its...
were on the side of the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
. According to Bailey, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was possessed
Demonic possession
Demonic possession is held by many belief systems to be the control of an individual by a malevolent supernatural being. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
by the Dark Forces. With the defeat of the axis by the allies in 1945, the stage was set for the appearance of Maitreya to inaugurate the New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
.
In January 1946, Bailey prophesied that since, according to her view, "Krishnamurti had rejected being overshadowed", Christ would return himself by manifesting a physical body of his own on the physical plane
Physical plane
The physical plane , physical world, or physical universe, in emanationist metaphysics such as are found in Neoplatonism, Hermeticism, Hinduism and Theosophy, refers to the visible reality of space and time, energy and matter: the physical universe in Occultism and esoteric cosmology is the lowest...
"sometime after AD 2025", and that this would be the New Age
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
equivalent of the Christian concept of the Second Coming of Christ.
She further stated that St. Germain
St. Germain (Theosophy)
Also see Count of St. Germain for more information.The Count of St. Germain has been variously described in secular histories as a courtier, adventurer, charlatan, inventor, alchemist, pianist, violinist and amateur composer. Under the name "St...
is the manager of the executive council of Christ. This executive council is a specific group of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom
Ascended master
Ascended Masters, in the Ascended Master Teachings is derived from the Theosophical concept of Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or "Mahatmas", though they differ in important aspects...
charged with preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ and the consequent inauguration of the Age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
. According to Bailey, when Christ returns, he will stay the entire approximately 2,158 year period of the Age of Aquarius, and thus the New Age equivalent of the Millennial Age will not be just a single millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
but will be the Aquarian bimillennium. During this era, said Bailey, Christ (Maitreya) will reign as the spiritual leader of Earth, the Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
who will bring World Peace
World peace
World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to...
.
In August 1946, Bailey prophesied that Christ would return in an airplane from "the place on Earth where He has been for many generations" and that after doing so, he would appear on worldwide television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Benjamin Creme's claims regarding Maitreya
Benjamin CremeBenjamin Creme
Benjamin Creme is a Scottish artist, author, esotericist, and editor of Share International magazine, a monthly non-profit magazine and website....
(who was the vice-president of the Aetherius Society
Aetherius Society
The Aetherius Society was founded by Dr George King , an English-born Master of Yoga, occultist, alleged spiritual healer and UFO Contactee. The society was first established in London in 1955, and later becoming incorporated in America as a not-for-profit organisation in 1960. Its guiding...
from 1957 to 1959 ), is a follower of Alice A. Bailey who claimed, beginning in 1959, to have been contacted telepathically
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
by one of the Masters
Masters of the Ancient Wisdom
The Masters of the Ancient Wisdom are reputed to be enlightened beings originally identified by the Theosophists Helena Blavatsky, Henry S. Olcott, Alfred P. Sinnett, and others. These Theosophists claimed to have met some of the so-called Masters during their lifetimes in different parts of the...
(he was told not reveal which one, but Creme's Master is usually assumed to be one of the two unnamed "English Masters" mentioned by Alice A. Bailey) and prepared for his mission, which Creme said he was told was to receive messages from Maitreya
Maitreya (Theosophy)
Maitreya or Lord Maitreya is described in Theosophical literature of the late 19th-century and subsequent periods as an advanced spiritual entity and high-ranking member of a hidden Spiritual Hierarchy, the so-called Masters of the Ancient Wisdom...
. Beginning in 1975 (the same year the crop circles began to appear), Creme says he started to actually telepathically
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
channel Maitreya. Creme stated that Maitreya telepathically communicated to him that he had decided to return to Earth earlier than the post-2025 date given by Alice A. Bailey. On 6 September 1977, Creme said that he began receiving messages from Maitreya regarding the process of his forthcoming emergence. These revelations are compiled in the book Messages from Maitreya. According to Creme, Maitreya informed him that he materialized a physical body for himself in early 1977 in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and then on Friday, 8 July 1977 he booked an airplane flight from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, just as had been prophesied in 1946 by Alice A. Bailey. When Maitreya landed in London, this was according to Creme the esoteric Second Coming of Christ (since Maitreya had not yet revealed himself to the world). Creme said that Maitreya then took up residence in secret in the Brick Lane
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. It runs from Swanfield Street in the northern part of Bethnal Green, crosses Bethnal Green Road, passes through Spitalfields and is linked to Whitechapel High Street to the south by the short stretch of...
neighborhood of that city. According to Creme, Maitreya does not need to eat
Eating
Eating is the ingestion of food to provide for all organisms their nutritional needs, particularly for energy and growth. Animals and other heterotrophs must eat in order to survive: carnivores eat other animals, herbivores eat plants, omnivores consume a mixture of both plant and animal matter,...
because he is capable of living off prana
Prana
Prana is the Sanskrit word for "vital life" .It is one of the five organs of vitality or sensation, viz. prana "breath", vac "speech", chakshus "sight", shrotra "hearing", and manas "thought" Prana is the Sanskrit word for "vital life" (from the root "to fill", cognate to Latin plenus...
(thus he is a breatharian); however, he can eat if offered food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
. Maitreya has no navel
Omphalos (theology)
The Omphalos hypothesis was named after the title of an 1857 book, Omphalos by Philip Henry Gosse, in which Gosse argued that in order for the world to be "functional", God must have created the Earth with mountains and canyons, trees with growth rings, Adam and Eve with hair, fingernails, and...
and is 6 feet 3 inches tall.
Creme put advertisements in many of the world’s major newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s in early 1982 stating that the Second Coming would occur on Monday, 21 June 1982 (summer solstice
Summer solstice
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
in the northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
), at which time Christ (Maitreya) would announce his Second Coming on worldwide television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. When this failed to occur, Crème’s organization regrouped as Share International
Share International
Share International Foundation is a spiritual movement founded by Benjamin Creme with its main offices in London, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Los Angeles...
to prepare for the near-future Emergence of Maitreya, when, it is believed, the Day of Declaration to inaugurate the Age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
will occur.
Creme asserts that Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was the Anti-Christ and his defeat in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
made possible the return of Maitreya. According to Creme, the Age of Aquarius will be the "Age in which the love nature of God, [originally] revealed by Christ in Jesus, becomes manifest on a world scale".
Creme states that Maitreya manifests in visions to various people—an average of 26 different people per day. Maitreya, claims Creme, miraculously appears physically before gatherings of between a few dozen and several hundred people of various religious groups an average of about three times a month.http://www.share-international.org/maitreya/images/Maitreya1.jpg Sometimes when Benjamin Creme is lecturing, he says he allows Maitreya to briefly overshadow him, and when this happens, some of Creme's followers report seeing Creme surrounded by a golden
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
aura
Aura (paranormal)
In parapsychology and many forms of spiritual practice, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object . The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, it is said that all living things and all objects...
.
Maitreya's main mission during the Age of Aquarius according to Creme will be to promulgate the Principle of Sharing, such that the technologically advanced nations share their wealth with the poorer nations so that everyone will have adequate sustenance. It is believed by the followers of Creme that Maitreya has vast superhuman powers
Superpower (ability)
Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
and also that he is in regular telepathic contact with the space brothers in their flying saucer
Flying saucer
A flying saucer is a type of unidentified flying object sometimes believed to be of alien origin with a disc or saucer-shaped body, usually described as silver or metallic, occasionally reported as covered with running lights or surrounded with a glowing light, hovering or moving rapidly either...
s; it has been asserted by Benjamin Crème that Maitreya is physically invulnerable and is capable of teleporting
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
anywhere in the solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
. Creme's followers believe that Maitreya, in collusion with the flying saucers of the space brothers, are the cause of the crop circles (the modern manifestation of which began to appear in 1975, the year that Creme claims that Maitreya began to telepathically contact him); more crop circles appear in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
than any other country, it is asserted, because Maitreya spends a large percentage of his time in London.
Further reading
- Godwin, JoscelynJoscelyn GodwinJoscelyn Godwin is a composer, musicologist and translator, known for his work on ancient music, paganism and music in the occult....
(1994). The Theosophical Enlightenment. Albany, New YorkAlbany, New YorkAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
: State University of New York PressState University of New York PressThe State University of New York Press , is a university press and a Center for Scholarly Communication. The Press is part of the State University of New York system and is located in Albany, New York.- History :...
. ISBN 978-0791421512. - Johnson, K. PaulK. Paul JohnsonKenneth Paul Johnson is a historian of esotericism who has written books on Theosophy and Edgar Cayce. He was a member of both the Theosophical Society and the Association for Research and Enlightenment from the late 1970s intermittently through the early 2000s. In 2005 he joined the Church of...
(1994). The Masters Revealed: Madam Blavatsky and Myth of the Great White Lodge. Albany, New YorkAlbany, New YorkAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
: State University of New York PressState University of New York PressThe State University of New York Press , is a university press and a Center for Scholarly Communication. The Press is part of the State University of New York system and is located in Albany, New York.- History :...
. ISBN 978-0791420638. – The author contends that the "Masters" as described by Blavatsky were idealized depictions of her human mentors. The "Great White Lodge" (or Great White BrotherhoodGreat White BrotherhoodThe Great White Brotherhood, in belief systems akin to Theosophical and New Age, are said to be supernatural beings of great power who spread spiritual teachings through selected humans. The members of the Brotherhood may be known as the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom or the Ascended Masters...
) is related to the Theosophical Spiritual HierarchySpiritual HierarchySpiritual Hierarchy is a term often used in Neo-Theosophy, and the Ascended Master Teachings, a group of religions based on Theosophy. It represents the concept of a group of self-realised Masters of the Ancient Wisdom, referred to by those adherent to the Ascended Master Teachings as Ascended...
. - Melton, J. Gordon ed. "Chapter 18: The Ancient Wisdom Family of Religions". Encyclopedia of American Religions (5th ed.). 1996. New York: Gale Research. pp. 151–158. ISBN 0-8103-7714-4. In same, see "Section 18" pp. 717–757.