Twelve World Teachers: A Summary of Their Lives and Teachings

by Manly P. Hall

An illustrated summary of the lives and the philosophies of twelve teachers who possessed in fullest measure those intellectual virtues which sustain civilization. Prophets in their own time, their respiration led others to more enlightened codes of living. The twelve are:
-- Akhenaten
-- Hermes Trismegistus
-- Orpheus
-- Zoroaster
-- Buddha
-- Confucius
-- Lao-tse
-- Plato
-- Jesus
-- Mohammed
-- Padmasambhava
-- Quetzalcoatl

Genres: Philosophy, Occult, Religion, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Canadian born, Manly Palmer Hall is the author of over 150 published works, the best known of which are Initiates of the Flame, The Story of Healing, The Divine Art,Aliens Magick and Sorcery The Secret Teachings of All Ages, and An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy.
He was also the author of a masonic curiosity, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry in 1923, more than thirty years before he joined a lodge. The preface of later editions states "At the time I wrote this slender volume, I had just passed my twenty-first birthday, and my only contact with Freemasonry was through a few books commonly available to the public." Later, in 1944, he wrote The Secret Destiny of America which popularized the myth of a masonic purpose for the founding of the USA. In 1950 he weighed in again on the meaning of Freemasonry with his booklet: Masonic Orders of Fraternity.
***
Initiated: June 28, 1954
Passed: September 20, 1954
Raised November 22, 1954
Jewel Lodge No. 374
Source: Grand Lodge of California records ; William R. Denslow, 10,000 Famous Freemasons, vol. ii. Trenton, MO. : Missouri Lodge of Research / Educational Bureau, Royal Arch Mason Magazine, 1958. p. 165.

Reviews

[Judy Croome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, well-written, easy to read. Each world teacher has his own chapter, which includes a section summarizing the essence of the teachings themselves. To achieve this exquisite balance between abstract philosophy and factual history, Manly P Hall's knowledge and understanding had to be profound and practical - how else could he have made the text both interesting and accessible to the layman?

One has to acknowledge that this was written in 1937, and Manly P Hall does state that his selection criteria were necessarily narrow and strict (only the greatest teachers whose originality deeply impacted society for an extended period). I can only wish that he had been able to include more teachers, such as Hildegard of Bingen (for her original impact on liturgical music and natural medicine) or Moses ben Maimon (for his original impact on Jewish ethics & rabbinical law).

A must-read for anyone interested in understanding the essence of universal spiritual concepts that underpin so many faiths and religions.

[Muhammad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good summary overview of some of the teachers who have had an impact on mankind. I was here for Akhenaten, Hermes Trismegistus, Orpheus and Quetzalcotl. The others are familiar but reading Hall's overview of them did have benefit. I skipped Jesus and Mohammad because it would be too redudant since it's a summary and nothing extensive and those are the two most commonly known figures in today's time.

The story of Quetzalcotl told here is different from others I have read as far as his origin. Kersey Graves book, "The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors" covers him as well but I believe he has a different story for his "immaculate conception". Would definitely recommend this to people trying to get a broader understanding of the religious/philosophical movements in history as a beginner. This is a good start down the rabbit hole, but it's definitely deeper still.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read and easy to digest the information on the twelve world teachers. Towards the end, it felt a little rushed, but I really enjoyed picking it up and diving in over the course of about a month.

[Bill]

Very interesting for me in discovering that jesus was not alone. Not really drawn to Ahkhenaten after reading Tsarion's new book. Otherwise, much gratitude for Hall's work.

[Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

They forgot me.