Theos-Talk Archives (May 2000 Message tt00088)

In a message dated 4/24/00 9:59:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time, dalval@nwc.net 
writes:

<< The following are a few fundamental propositions of Theosophy:
 
    Fundamental ideas in Theosophy
 
 1.  The SPIRIT in man is the only real and permanent part of his
 being; the rest of his nature being  compounded  of 7 aspects
 called "principles. These include wisdom, the Mind, the Emotions,
 vitality, a model body (called the Astral Body) and finally the
 physical form we all know.
 
 2.  Since change and decay is incident to all composite things,
 everything in man but his Spirit is impermanent. This Unit has
 been named the "Monad" in THE SECRET DOCTRINE.  In terms of the
 "Principles" of man it is:  Atma-Buddhi (Spirit--Discernment --
 or Wisdom)  with it, as a link to the 'personality,' is the Mind
 (Manas).
 
 3.  Further, the universe being is actually ONE thing and not
 diverse, and everything within it being connected with the whole,
 and with every other thing therein, of which upon the upper plane
 (below referred to ) there is a perfect knowledge, the whole
 Universe is made up of an infinity of Monad each at its own stage
 of evolution.  These are immortal, eternal Units of Life.  The
 evolutionary process in our Universe includes every one of these.
 Cooperation is the rule of Law,  and this makes up the "field" of
 circumstance and experience that we call the Law of Kama.
 
 4.  No act or thought occurs without each portion of the great
 whole
 perceiving and noting it. Hence all are inseparably bound
 together by the tie of Brotherhood.  The "Monads" all around us
 are immediately impressed with our feelings, actions, thoughts
 and words.  Being so "impressed" they become the conveyors of our
 personal "Karma."  >>

Dear Dallas,

Your statement seems to state that Theosophy consists of a series of 
CONCEPTUAL tenets that are devised by the analytical mind, and addressed to 
the analytical mind.  If this is what you intend, it is in direct 
contradiction with what HPB & her teachers said, over & over again:  In order 
to even BEGIN to study theosophy (not capitalized, since theosophy is not a 
conceptual system, according to HPB & her Masters), there MUST be 
regeneration, transformation, initiation.  Your statement, however, does not 
mention transformation at all.  It therefore assumes that a mere 
acknowledgment and acceptance by the analytical mind is all that is required. 
 As I have shown in my paper TRANSFORMATION:  VITAL ESSENCE OF HPB'S SECRET 
DOCTRINE, according to HPB & the Masters, theosophy is that which takes place 
in theosophical, divine-like, states of awareness.  If there are no 
theosophical states of awareness, there is no theosophy.  Therefore, ANY 
presentation of theosophy MUST state clearly and unambiguously that there 
must be transformation in order to understand anything theosophically.  If it 
does not do that, it is not a theosophical presentation, according to HPB & 
the Masters.
Your statement (and ANY statement which claims theosophy can ever be a 
CONCEPTUAL system) is at severe variance with what HPB & the Masters taught, 
unless I have myself severely misunderstood the many quotes I provide in my 
work.  The very many references I offer, however, suggest rather strongly 
that theosophy is not, and cannot be, a conceptual system.
Conceptual presentations of theosophy WERE given to VICTORIANS at the time of 
HPB, since Victorians did not have the means to know any better.  But now 
that we have access to such insights as come from schools like Zen & Tibetan 
Buddhism (both of which are specifically singled out by the Masters as 
ESOTERIC, & therefore as THEOSOPHICAL); now that we have access to so many 
developments in psychology (which were originally inspired by the 
theosophical movement, as I show in my work), and that other schools have 
pointed to the need for transformation (such as the Gurdjieff schools); now 
that J. Krishnamurti has been here, showing more clearly than had ever been 
done before the urgent necessity for transformation if humanity is to go 
anywhere meaningful & productive, it seems like a colossal, inappropriate 
waste of time & effort to continue grinding such old corn at that Victorian 
mill.
But despite the presence of "tenets" for the benefit of 
transformation-challenged Victorians in the early days, it is a FACT that the 
Masters always made it crystal clear that theosophy CANNOT happen unless 
there is initiation, transformation.  That I show -- I think, beyond a shadow 
of a doubt -- in my work.
Please do correct me if I'm wrong.  Our understanding of what theosophy is, 
is what is at stake here, not anyone's particular perception of this.
My paper can be found at:  teosofia.com, which is Rodolfo Don's web page.
If you are correct that theosophy is a CONCEPTUAL system, then HPB & the 
Masters must have been totally wrong, in the many references I provide, which 
comprise the entire corpus of HPB's work, including the letters from the 
Masters.
Please enlighten me.
Aryel

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