Theos-Talk Archives (December 2002 Message tt00238)

Dec 5th 2002

Re SECRET DOCTRINE Vol. 4 ? Is there one ?

Dear friends and Vic::

As far as I know there is no physical "Vol. 4" of The SECRET
DOCTRINE -- But that does not mean there is not one on the "astral
plane," and, therefore out of access to most of us.

But let us consider what we do know, on this plane of physical matter:

In reading the first 2 volumes that H P B edited and published in
1888, you may have noted how she made a very particular description of
the contents to be placed in Vol. 3. [ see: S D I pp. vii, xl,
xliv, S D II pp. 106, 437, 798 ]

Before her death she had those manuscripts, said to be ready,
destroyed , so that even "Vol. 3" which you said you read is actually
a later compilation made up, after her death, of unpublished MSS,
portions of a draft 3rd. Volume, sent earlier to Adyar for Mr. Subba
Row to read and comment on, and other material which Mrs. Besant put
together in 1897. This was after Mr. Judge's (another close pupil and
associate of Mme. Blavatsky, who worked in America for Theosophy,
since the beginning of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY ) death. As she
(Mrs. Besant) was in the habit of "editing" H P B's writings, we do
not know what she left intact of H P B's original script..

Mrs. Besant's contact with H P B was late in H P B's life, after The
SECRET DOCTRINE was fist published in 1888, and she had been asked to
review it. So she had only about 2 years during which she was
actually with H P B.

If you ask my opinion, I would strongly recommend rereading the first
2 volumes of The SECRET DOCTRINE with certain questions framed by you,
in your mind, and see if the 2nd reading does not reveal to you some
depths that you had not noticed. I can assure you that they are
there. Even students who have "read" The SECRET DOCTRINE many times,
always seem to find something "new" in those pages, when they are
again consulted.

Actually, it is not the written pages that have "changed," but,
rather, it is the way in which our minds have reacted to the teachings
of Theosophy that are contained there. They (our minds and memories)
change, and grow, as we learn to look deeper into the causes of things
and scrutinize the laws of Nature that are laid open before our minds
for us to learn from.

The difference between Theosophy and other creeds is that Theosophy
ask and then teaches us to THINK. When we are confronted with
phenomena and results, we try to find out the causes. We no longer
accept things on surface value, or because some "authority" says: "It
is so." We seek to find out for ourselves. We look on Nature as a
great nurturing mother, she supports and nourishes us all, bad and
good alike; but her methods are what we need to discover.

The "novelty" is not in the writings but in changes we have made in
ourselves. We always do this, and each new day marks changes from the
past of this life we remember. This is easy t prove if we try to make
comparisons in our attitudes say 3 years ago as compared to our
attitude today.

As for myself, there are a few thins I think we all ought to hold
clear in our minds, Look at these ideas::

1. The Universe is a spiritual whole. Unity always prevails over
diversity and separateness. Those are all included in the ONE.

2. The whole of the Universe, and the word "Nature" is a synonym
for the Universe, we often use to call our Earth, and, of our Earth,
we are, each one of us, a vital, integral part, This Nature is found
always to run under immutable laws and everything is inter-related.
[Mathematics, astronomy, physics, engineering, motions, vibrations,
sound, light, electricity, attraction and repulsion, sleep and waking,
biology and chemistry, life and death of the physical forms, all these
represent interactive and definite laws, If these are everywhere
present and are exact, then why would human intelligence,
consciousness, and thought and actions not also be under similar laws
?]

3. The purpose of "evolution" is to enable our Minds which have
to function through the instrument of the physical brain, to enlarge
our view from the selfishness of our personal living and outlook, to a
more universal sphere: we are self- conscious, but we have to become
eventually, CONSCIOUS of the GREAT SELF that lies all around us.

4. Since one life is insufficient to do this, the Spiritual/Soul
in us, which is the real immortal MAN -- the SPIRIT, has to use
progressively many lives and many personalities to achieve this.
Hence reincarnation is a fact.

5. We become aware that the immutability of Law demands we be the
recipients of any choices we make for good or ill. This is
inescapable, because our choices, are inevitably operating through the
creative will in us. We cannot "escape" the results of our choices
be they good or evil. To break Nature's laws is vice, a distortion of
virtue -- evil. To live virtuously according to her Laws is "good."
That is BROTHERHOOD IN ALL OUR ACTS.

6. The question of good and evil has vexed thinkers down the
ages. Theosophy presents the concept that The Laws of Nature always
distinguish, unerringly, the nature of our motives when we make
choices. The result (Karma) is the effort made by Nature to encourage
us to review and to preview the potential effects of anything we
decide on.

7. Hence we find the all three aspects of Man evolve together:
the Spiritual, the Intellectual, and the physical; and their united
tendency is towards an actual Perfection -- it is a common Goal.
However distant in time this may appear to us, yet it is realizable
for ourselves as well as for the rest. In other words one might say"
It is the attempt to make the inner God in us all, apparent and allow
it to do godly acts all the time

8. One SPIRITUAL SOURCE (cal it SPACE) envelops all of us now,
our Universe, and, the infinitudes in time and space of the past and
the future of this UNIVERSE. We and everything else are essential
parts of this living whole. None of us can be "destroyed."

9. If this is acceptable as a concept, then the idea of Universal
Brotherhood is not a strange one.

10. If we view everyone else and all other being in the universe
as our :brothers" how can we hurt any one of them deliberately or
carelessly?

I hope this small review may be of help.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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-----Original Message-----
From: Victor J
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2002 12:53 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [Blavatsky Study]

======================

This is Victor and I Would like to know if there is
a secret doctrine Vol 4 since I have already read
Vol 1 &2 &3