The Buddha's Face (thebuddhasface.co.uk); Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
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| The great early American Buddhist Col. Henry Steel Olcott (Theosophy Wiki) |
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| Yankee Beacon Buddhist Light |
"The best religion is nothing but the truth."
Buddhism in the West is a recent phenomenon. And the honor of being the first well-known Westerner to convert to Buddhism was a Presbyterian and member of the American military.
He was a deep spiritual seeker, journalist, lawyer, and co-founder of the Theosophical Society. He was the first to convert to Buddhism. His name was Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, born in Orange, New Jersey in 1832.
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| American Colonel Olcott (center) with Buddhist monastics in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 1883. |
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| Col. Henry Steel Olcott Brotherhood |
Along with co-founder (and Ukrainian psychic) Madame Helena Blavatsky, he founded the Theosophy, a sort of amalgam of Dharmic traditions, Eastern philosophy, and New Age thought inspired, led, or directed by a council of otherworldly unseen beings (like Safar Ali Bek).
Theosophy is still going strong today. The launched it to advance the understanding of spiritual principles and the search for truth.
But Col. Olcott was a Buddhist. The pair arrived in Buddhist Colombo, Sri Lanka, in May 1880. Both took the Five Precepts at the Wijayananda Temple in the city of Galle on May 19, 1880.
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| Statue in honor of American Col. Olcott in the capital of Sri Lanka with adoring Buddhists |
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| Signed letter taking the Five Buddhist Precepts |
So monumental was this event believed to be in the Westernization of Buddhism that the Sri Lankan government still honors Col. Olcott's memory.
A statue of him was built outside the island capital's main railway station.
Col. Olcott also invented the multicolored "Buddhist flag." He passed away on Feb. 17, 1907. More
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