Theos-Talk Archives (January 1999 Message tt00171)

>> In a message dated 1/13/99 1:10:03 PM, gschueler@netgsi.com writes:
>
> >So far as I know, this is one of the basic differences between the
> >Theravadin and Mahayana.  HPB was clearly in the Mahayana camp.
>
> Wrong.  HPB was in the Theosophical "camp" which has a far more
> esoteric and
> fundamental view of cosmic reality and the laws of reincarnation and karma
> than either the Theravadin, the Mahayana, the Vajrayana, or any
> other exoteric
> religious schools.
>
> LHM

Hence interpretations and discourses from 'Buddhist' sources need to be
treated with caution.  SD, xxi:

"Thus the reader is asked to bear in mind the very important difference
between *orthodox* Buddhism - i.e., the public teachings of Guatama the
Buddha, and his esoteric *Budhism*."

And furher,

"Unable to teach *all* that had been imparted to him - owing to his
pledges - though he taught a philosophy built upon the ground-work of the
true esoteric knowledge, the Buddha gave to the world only its *outward*
material body and kept its *soul* for his Elect."

If popular interpretations - from "Northern", Mahayana, sources for
example - do not neatly fit into the explainations as given by HPB there is
little we can do about it.

We will stick with theo-sophia as expounded by those who *know* the
difference between Buddhism (two "d"'s) and Budh-ism/Bodha.

Best wishes,
Paul.