The Voice of the Silence

Helena Blavatsky's translations of three fragments of ancient Buddhist wisdom, sourced from texts such as The Book of Golden Precepts, are contained in this thought-provoking volume. 

A valiantly sought collection of sage advice and spiritual instruction, The Voice of the Silence offers readers advice on inner growth. Principally the text echoes the principles of Buddhism, advising readers to put aside personal desires and focus upon fostering the inner wealth of the soul to achieve a life of contentment.

The first portion of the book is entitled “The Voice of the Silence.” - this statement on spiritual journey characterizes it as a multi-stage process; beginning with ignorance, then learning, and finally wisdom.

The second part, named “The Two Paths.”, discusses the twin tenets of liberation and renunciation. The Karmic laws, and the notion of action versus inaction are also important topics.

The final fragment “The Seven Portals.”, identifies the seven personal qualities or virtues which seekers on the path to enlightenment gain. Blavatsky inserts 'Virag', which denotes a conquering of illusion. Other qualities, such as generosity (Dana) and patience (Kshanti), are identified by their original names in the Eastern script. 

Blavatsky's book was published as part of her personal investigations into ancient wisdom pertaining to the human soul and reality. Her hunt turned up the formerly obscure fragments which she painstakingly translated. Although existing scholars generally poured cold water upon her efforts, which they considered a haphazard grouping of ancient precepts and mysticism, the reception was warmer among readers discovering the theosophist principles of spiritualism for the first time.