Theos-Talk Archives (June 1998 Message tt00477)

June 20th

Dear martin:

I look at your equation, it is interesting.

As I understand it, and if HPB in the SD is correct then
Theosophy is that which is described in SD I pp 272-3 -- the
uninterrupted record of of the work of many generations of
students and seers who looked into every possible aspect of
Nature -- visible and invisible, and have left us a record.

The book:  THE SECRET DOCTRINE is only a precis of some of the
many aspects of this "Accumulated Wisdom of the Ages."  From that
point of view it is not "new," it is history.  It may be
difficult for us to accept this idea, as our views modeled after
our education, tend to reduce history to whatever survived
destructive invasions for the past 3 to 5,000 years.  Beyond that
all is very hazy, and we tend to discount the records of the
oriental countries.

There are many concepts elucidated to us in that book which are
for us and our present level of civilization and research are
"new."  But in point of fact they are very OLD.

So I would not say that HPB (and the Masters who also are
co-authors) offer "new stuff."  They present the same old
doctrines.  I also note that you say this yourself, when you add
to your equation the words: "Divine Wisdom" and "HPB method of
comparing and extracting Divine Wisdom."

Of course that "old stuff" was the opinion of students who wrote
after HPB was "dead."  And, it distresses me to find that this
idea is still current.  It is too cursive, too superficial, and
too comprehensive;  and tends to turn students away from a study
of the S D  (in my opinion);  It discounts the study of many
students who have found that the S D, upon close and continuous
study, reveals depths which our civilization and its "academies"
have not yet plumbed.  For that reason it is not "popular."

But, I may be viewing what you say wrongly, and if so, correct
me.

Best wishes,        Dallas

> Date: Friday, June 19, 1998 2:37 PM
> From: "Martin Leiderman" <martinle@lainet.com>
> Subject: Theosophy=HPB, and more on Paul J.

>I don't think anyone believes that Theosophy=HPB.
>
>IMOP, a better formula is:
>
>Theosophy = Divine-Wisdom found in all traditions +
Divine-wisdom found
>in the HPB writing (new stuff) + HPB method of comparing, and
extracting
>Divine Wisdom
>