Theos-Talk Archives (January 1998 Message tt00010)

Jan 2nd 1998

Dear Thoa T.:

Perhaps the best source for the study of HPB's life with family and friends
is Sylvia Cranston's H,P.B. -- THE EXTRAORDINARY INFLUENCE OF HELENA
BLAVATSKY -- Tarcher, New York, 1993.  She does not offer opinions but
provides documentary evidence for the information given there, something
that most of the early biographies do not do, or have done selectively.
This you can ascertain by reading them ....

Letters to and from her family to her do not reveal that she was in any way
lax in attending to the duties of filial life.  Several members of her
family became members of the T S and helped in the early days.

Her mother died while she was an infant.  Her father assisted her when she
needed help in her trips and work.  Her husband accepted the fact that she
was not going to live with him.  But, read the book.

Philosophically if wisdom is acquired and then locked up for personal use
its character changes.  It is tainted by the selfish condition of the
person who acquired it.  Karma resulting therefrom depends on what use is
made of it by that individual.

The general doctrine of karma is described, but we are not given the
particulars so that we might judge others.

So, without going into detail, which I do not have the keys to, let us say
that the value of HPB's work lies in the philosophy and ethical nature of
it as a whole.

At least, that is how I see it.				Dallas



Dallas TenBroeck

dalval@nwc.net                        (818) 222-8023
                   23145 Park Contessa,
            Calabasas, Ca., 91302, USA.

----------
> From: "Thoa Thi-Kim Tran" <thoalight@aol.com>
> Subject: Selfishness
> Date: Thursday, January 01, 1998 5:27 PM
>
> Dallas Wrote:
> <snip>
> >If the "lower" is defined by selfishness and isolation -- by the
practice
> >of "lower-self interest" (however "enlightened"), and by dissimulation
> >prevarication, and untruth in thought, word and deed, then the
difference
> >is apparent.  Anything done under that influence, would it not be
something
> >that we would have no pride in having it displayed openly, say, in a
court
> >of law, to answer for our motives in front of the public ?
>
> Regarding Karma, what about cases of individuals who have selfishly and
> obsessively, through isolation and disregard for others, followed their
> interests, but ended up benefiting mankind through their studies?  Some
> philosophers, scientists and artists fall under that category.  Even HPB
> was probably considered by her family to be selfish in her pursuit of
> theosophical truth.  She was probably not the nurturing wife to her
husband
> or caretaking child to her parents.  Of course, we all know that life is
> complicated beyond simple judgment.  What does the law of Karma say about
> that?
>
> Thoa :o)
>
>
>
>