Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00121)

Hi Rich,

> This question is difficult to answer.  To suggest that those
> three "borrowed"
> terms from Buddhism, when all three are on record as being *practising*
> Buddhists, seems strange.

I was just seeking to put a question mark next to the term "borrowed" which
you had put in your previous post -  "If HPB uses these terms *at all* like
the Buddhists from whom she has borrowed
them,.."

> In later Mahayana Buddhism (which is even more "esoteric" than
> the first wave of Mahayana) there is something taught which
> is even higher than ALaya-vijnana, Storehouse Consciousness,
> and that is "Tathagata-garbha" or "Buddha-seed."

What a beautiful idea and teaching - "Buddha-seed".  Are there any
references in HPB's works to this term? It will just save me some 'leg work'
if you know of any.

> I believe this Tathagata-garbha or "Buddha-seed" (which will ripen in the
> "future") is to Alaya-vijnana in Mahayana Buddhiam what Atma-Buddhi is to
> Higher manas in Theosophy.  Little or no difference.

That makes sense to me, Rich.  It also reminds me of the 'point withint the
circle', that which will become the 'All' in the Kosmic sense, and of which
'Buddha-hood' (if there is such a term!) is the fruition in the Human sense.
Just a 'hunch'.

good like with you WEB work.

Peter


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