Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00385)

Saturday, January 26, 2002

Re SECRET DOCTRINE Vol. III -- (1897 - edited by
Mrs. A. Besant)
NOT EDITED BY H P B


Dear Friend:

In regard to the 3rd Vol. of The SECRET DOCTRINE Daniel Caldwell
and I disagree on some points. Here are mine for you to
consider: Opinions on this differ. In the past much time has
been given to this. I am sure Daniel has all those on file and
can refer to them again. I made my opinion clear. But I will
summarise it as I see it. (This is my understanding and
opinion.)

One need only refer in the SECRET DOCTRINE to what H P B states
the contents of Vols. 3 AND 4 OF The SECRET DOCTRINE will
contain. Then compare the contents of "Vol. 3 -- SECRET
DOCTRINE" with H.P.Blavatsky's statements. [see SECRET DOCTRINE
I xl, II vii, xliv, 106, 437, 798; ]

in addition see H.P.Blavatsky Article THE NEGATORS OF SCIENCE --
Lucifer, April 1891, reprinted in U L T H P B Articles, Vol.
2, pp 80-1.

In this last article she wrote, in part:

"...this third volume (now almost ready) treats of the ancient
Mysteries of Initiation, gives sketches--from the esoteric
stand-point--of many of the most famous and historically known
philosophers and hierophants...from the archaic down to the
Christian era, and traces the teachings of all these sages to one
and the same source of all knowledge and science--the esoteric
doctrine of WISDOM-RELIGION....Now the main point of Volume III
of The SECRET DOCTRINE is to prove, by tracing and explaining the
blinds in the works of ancient Indian, Greek, and other
philosophers of note, and also in the ancient Scriptures--the
presence of an uninterrupted esoteric allegorical method and
symbolism; to show, as far as lawful, that with the keys of
interpretation as taught in the Eastern Hindo-Buddhistic Cannon
of Occultism, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Sutras, the epic
poems of India and Greece, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the
Scandinavian Eddas, as well as the Hebrew Bible, and even the
classical writings of Initiates (such as Plato, among
others)--all from first to last, yield a meaning quite different
from their dead letter texts. "
[ H P B Articles Vol. II, pp. 80-1, U L T Edition ]

After Mr. Judge's death in 1895, Mrs. Annie. Besant who remained
the Editor of LUCIFER, sent to press a collection of articles
that had been written, and left unedited in her drawers by H P B,
along with other material.

These appear to have not been edited by H.P.Blavatsky for their
final printing in LUCIFER or THEOSOPHIST, or as part of the next
volume of The SECRET DOCTRINE . So we do not know if the
material printed in the "3rd Vol. SECRET DOCTRINE" (of 1897) is
as H P B would have issued it.
This "3rd Vol. of The SECRET DOCTRINE was issued by Annie Besant
as Editor, through the Theosophical Publishing House in 1897.

I repeat: it is the READER who will have to decide if this "3rd
Vol." is genuine. As indicated in the VOICE OF THE SILENCE,
there is a difference between the "Doctrine of the Eye" and the
Doctrine of the Heart." Each student will have to decide on
those.

But, to be able to do this, he has to be thoroughly familiar with
the teachings contained in the ORIGINAL EDITION of the 2 volumes
of The SECRET DOCTRINE published in 1888.

Best wishes,


Dallas

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