Theos-Talk Archives (August 2001 Message tt00059)

Sherab:
Then by this I should understand that the last open messenger,
but not a master, of the "modern theosophical movement" or
"mystery school", was G. De Purucker?

Frank:
Correct, the last messenger in the chain which began with HPB. GdeP himself
declared openly: "Thus far I have met no one who is fit to succeed the
Leader and Teacher" [himself, FR], quoted from The Eclectic Theosophist
May/June 1989, p. 4. This outstanding magazine is still available from Point
Loma Publications, see http://www.wisdomtraditions.com/
It seems to be a matter of speculation what were the reasons for his
explanation, there are various answers possible to the intuitive student. It
is interesting to note that GdeP was the fourth one in the serial order.
What later happened is partly revealed in the discourse and research about
Colonel Conger, who claimed to be in communication of the Masters. Whether
the link broke or just seemed to be broken is an open question. GdeP always
beseeched his pupils to try all to keep the link unbroken, and if broken, to
renew the link.

Sherab:
It surprises me that there is no mention of any of the
acknowledged Tibetan Masters that have found there way
down out of the Himalaya in the last 50 years to teach
that have passed on from foreign soils. Does the modern
theosophical movement here not consider these fully
realized and commonly acknowledged enlightened beings
to be theosophists too?

Frank:
That is no surprise as we do not know in which way the Masters in detail
work, how many messengers they send and to whom. Obviously not to everyone.
To me personally the 14th Dalai Lama is an Adept, but that is a matter of
individual opinion and there can be nobody who gives in the name of the
theosophical movement an authoritative statement. Some work of the present
Dalai Lama seems to be a replacement program for duties which the
Theosophists - standing on their own now - are not able to fulfill. Other
points like his declaration that men reincarnate as animals on this physical
(not astral) plane make me sceptic whether he is a messenger of the Lodge of
HPB's masters.

Sherab:
I am not familiar with this incident. Could you give a little
more detail as to explain?

Frank:
Instances that and how Judge was connected with white magic known in the
East as Avesa or Tulku are hinted to in the introduction "W.Q. Judge: Life
and work", compiled by Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff, in vol. I of his
collected works "Echoes of the Orient" (not to intermix with his article
under the same name), pp. xxxvi ff. One instance where he transformed his
body before his pupils was at the Boston Convention of the E.S.T. in 1891,
200 E.S. members present, including Annie Besant.
BTW, perhaps interesting for those exoterical Theosophists who doubt that
Judge was a messenger of the Masters, the authors quote on p. xxxvii some
important statements by HPB that Judge served "as one of the channels
between the Teachers and the outer Movement".

Judge's collected works "Echoes of the Orient", 3 vol. + Index vol. are also
available at Point Loma Publications.

Sherab:
Do you mean that Purucker had attained the level of the
"Path of Seeing", an arhat?

Frank:
Correct, an arhat or adept.

Sherab:
Thank you for acknowledging this. It is noted that the names
of the teachers of the other branches of the modern theosophical
movement were not mentioned but were taken into account.

Frank:
Teacher in the real theosophical understanding means someone who was trained
by the Masters and later on sent out in the world to a certain class of
students to perform a certain task. After HPB's dead there were a number of
lays which were never trained by the Masters, but lived under the false
impression they were the chosen ones. To name but the most known persons who
were working with false authority, or as GdeP expressed it were working on
the left magic path, claiming frequent communications with the Masters,
receiving their orders and continue the work of HPB were: Hartmann, Steiner,
Crosbie, Bailey, Besant, Leatbeater, Conger.

Sherab:
So to summarize, there are members of the modern theosophical
society and those who are not members that have come into contact
with the published works of the 'messengers' who abide by the
precepts of the teachings. These 'living links' embody the 'spirit'
of theosophy and when by the merit of their own efforts have
revealed to them more of the teachings as they are ready to
receive. The message of the path of compassion appears in all
the wisdom traditions of the world.

Frank:
That is a good expression. It was obviously more than most of the students
were able to understand and that is the reason why, as GdeP hinted to
several times, it was possible that within the movement sects could be
begin. Did those who did not understood well, have understood better they
would have been more carefully to make claims about their authority and
their rigid way to present those portion of the doctrine which were known to
them, always overlooking what they did NOT know. HPB said: Compassion with
the wrong teacher, but no compassion with the wrong teaching.

Sherab:
If there is any one teaching in all of HPB works that I could
point to, it is that of the fundamental proposition of what is
"occult", and that is, that which is behind the word or the
"dead letter" as Frank has put it. In other words the spirit and
intent of the teaching that is to be understood.

Frank:
Correct. The letter kills the spirit as we can see with the Christians,
Jews, Buddhists etc.

Sherab:
With that in mind, then why is there all this bickering, arguement,
and discord in this forum? If anything I would expect that the
dialogue here would be about what IS in accord between the various
theosophical branch views. And if there are issues of discord then
they should be agreeably enumumerated and there should be a full and
open face debate in assembly with the expectation that the losing
party adopt the view of the victor. Is this not the way a living
tradition works?

Frank:
Well said. Yes, a living tradition works in that way, but there are many
Theosophists who want to hold the status quo, they have no need for spirit,
they are satisfied with book reading, brain minded conclusions, etc. I don't
think that no side should force the other side to adopt their view. I have
no problem with it when there are several different views in the movement.
But the other view should be known and respected. As long as the partyliners
play ostrich and defend their imaginary ideas and intermix Theosophy with
their false understanding about Theosophy there will beno dialogue and no
co-operation. Co-operation and respect needs open face debate and discourse.
Did you know that the Dalai Lama when he is under training for his office
has to stand in front of the head of each buddhistic school, the most
scholary experts on their field and they discourse with the candidate that
the devil is payed? Only when the candidate is able to refute the most
subtle arguments he has stand the test.

Sherab:
It seems to me that too many people come to theosophy and turn away
because of this arrogance of View. Does not the Skandha of
Formations, intellect, note that of the 26 unvirtuous mental
occurences, View: View based on perishable aggregates, View of
holding to extremes, Opposite view, Holding one's views as supreme,
and Holding one's morality and discipline as supreme, are all
considered to be un-wholesome?

Frank:
I fully agree. It is my experience, too, over the years in theosophical
circles. The rigid and often silly and illogical form the doctrines are
presented by 130% partyliners as if they have all understood or as if their
(most pure exoterically) interpretation is the only right one makes any
normal person sick and they run away. I have seen this in dozens of
instances. The result over the years is that only the weak ones stay which
are actually nothing else as church goers, not thinking, not asking, not
searching and they believe that some fine day a high Master appears in their
living room and initiates them. As if the Masters have nothing else to do as
to meddle with the drones as HPB lamented.

For the last 15 years there were many attempts to bring all the different
lineages on one round table, suppressing the real existing problems. The
result is a complete failure and they fight each other behind the back,
slanders and hypocrisy followed and the status quo cemented. Only open
discussion about all problems, interpretations ad free, uncensored
information flow can change anything to overcome the present coma.