Theos-Talk Archives (December 1998 Message tt00128)

Dec 7th 1998

Dear Tony:

What is the purpose of Theosophy ?

As I see it, it involves fist, a study of what doctrines and
tenets it offers for consideration.

Are they coherent ?

Next it asks if they are worth our using them and making
application.

If the ideas of universality, immortality, eternity, of law, of
recurring educational interludes (reincarnation) and of a general
thrust of all being to progressive improvement - with the
opportunity of accelerating their learning process, would that
not be a worthwhile system to investigate, consider (tear apart
if possible for concealed faults) and if found worthy, use ?

What difference does it make if the scraps of information we
acquire concerning the East, whether Hindu, Tantrika, Tibetan,
Buddhist, Kabalistic,  etc., etc. are up for re-consideration,
how do they match up with the great and important background
ideas of life and purpose ?

There are masses of areas where one can acquire "data" - which
may be accurate or inaccurate, depending on the honesty and the
lack of bias of collectors or translators.

The main point is how are we going to access, evaluate and then
use them ?  How much do we know that we are really sure of -
before we are able to make pronouncements, or even to ask
questions.  Consider the several degrees of apprenticeship which
Pythagoras instituted and used at his School.  Where are we to
classify ourselves ?

In my own case, I read very widely, starting when young, seeking
to find something coherent, that made sense and which did not
impose on any part of my own inability to comprehend the ABCs of
the ideas involved.  Where could one find a system of study so
broad that all aspects of knowledge were included?  Where did one
develop the freedom to seek for ones' self ?  In the academies
there (in India where I studied) there was instruction, and some
was highly rarified or unidirectional.  Much of it was the
acquirement of a memory for, and a facility among records that
had already been made.  And much more was the ability to parrot
reports, reflections and conclusions (hypotheses and theories)
that had already received acceptance in the departments were such
knowledge was stored.

Where did one start doing one's own evaluation and checking of
the accuracy of those matters ?  What did one do along the path
of growth and learning ?  What kind of a final result was
envisaged ?  What freedom was sketched for the student in his
studies and work ?  How wide could one's mind roam, and still be
within the compass of a chosen study?  I found Theosophy for
myself, or at least proved that it had greater value than
anything I had yet met - but it took me some years and a lot of
probing to make sure of this.  I had help, but the decisions and
choices were mine.

Motive is everything for any one who chooses the path to wisdom
and true knowledge.  I say this because the acquirement of such
information requires that it be used beneficently if it is to be
truly WISE.  And that is a prerequisite which is not made clear
in any of the philosophies and religions (with the exception of
Buddhism - which is not a "religion" in the formal sense, but is
a philosophy).

In theosophy this is said up front and is a requirement, or, if
not so applied, the information is misunderstood, passed over,
and eventually comes to nothing because it is a "give-away"
affair.  No one gets to "keep" any part of it, but, on the
contrary its use and application to and for one's self grows
exponentially as it is given away.  And that  I believe is a
factor in all matters relating to fact and truth.  No one patent
some truth he has acquired.  Wisdom is never for sale.

If one finds systems of knowledge and esoteric teachings
(so-called) offered for a fee I would say "Run a mile."  There is
nothing there but a temporary profit for the fake "guru," or
"priest."  And its all out of your own pocket and into theirs.

I have often wondered about the idea that one could buy
information that would lead to "powers."  Why should we believe
that anyone will "sell" their special knowledge for money, or
other favors ?  If their system was all that good, then they
would not need to sell it.  Whether one buys a book or pays for a
course of instruction the matter is all the same - the hope to
secure some special angle which would guarantee the knower a
corner on the current money-market.

But one of the saddest things I have found is to see masses of
hopeful people who are trying to get something for nothing, or
for a little money, who get lured on by the crafty and the
unscrupulous into areas which they ought to be investigating on
their own.  True wisdom is available for all to find and use.
But it takes work and hard effort.

Now what has this to do with the subject of HPB's study or
non-study in Tibet ?  For one thing it has been vouched for by
others.  Next.  A study of what she offers demonstrates its
value.
Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, the Gelugpas' teachings  vs. Tantrika
works, the cis-Himalayan esoteric School, etc...these are to us
all names and designations, and the information we acquire about
them may be true or false.  What criteria have we ?  Only in
their study.  It is we individually who make decisions on their
worth to  us, and from that we may extrapolate on what worth they
can offer others.  Personally I would not take the word of any of
our modern translators, orientalists, etc. over that of HPB and
the Masters.  As none of them have the same dependability.  I
always ask about "motive."  Is anything offered impersonally,
impartially, for the benefit of others and for confirmation of
one's impressions.

The three "Objects" of the T S are invoked to justify research in
one or other of these departments.  True, they are covered.  But
the one thing that is implied is "Why does the student make that
study?  And how do they propose to use it, once acquired ?"
Answers are always individual to the students concerned.

Dal.