Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00414)

Aug 21 2004

RE the authenticity of the [Mahatma] letters

Dear Daniel:

I am as puzzled as you are. I have no insights here. My guesses might be
as wrong as anyone's.

Lets put it this way: Everything written has inherent to it its own proof.

If we read something that "doesn't sound quite right." Then we ought to set
it aside for review and questioning until it either makes good sense or does
not answer to that. 

But accepting as "true" anything said to emanate from "high sources" without
such a probe from one's own highest ability to think is injudicious. 

Lets take a curious fact that has just come t my attention.

In 1919 the THEOSOPHICAL UNIVERSITY PRESS in Adyar issued the 1st series of
LETTERS FROM THE MASTERS OF WISDOM, Ed. By Jinarajadasa.

If we compare the letters as printed there with the text that is offered in
the CD "THEOSOPHICAL CLASSICS" from our brothers at the T P H in Manila, we
find that apparently some material was left out in the little book. Shall we
assume that the Manila edition is more complete?  

One needs to exercise such caution and attention there.

Best wishes, 

Dallas

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

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel H. Caldwell [mailto:danielhcaldwell@yahoo.com] 
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2004 4:38 PM
To: 
Subject: . they have reservations as to the authenticity of the [Mahatma]
letters. ..


On the website of THE BLAVATSKY TRUST,
one reads the following:

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

The Theosophical Movement    

Since the theosophical movement was started by 
the inauguration of the Theosophical Society 
in New York in 1875 the movement has fragmented.

There is now the Adyar Society, Point Loma 
Publications, the Theosophical Society at 
Pasadena (which moved there from Corvina) 
and the United Lodge of Theosophists based 
in Los Angeles. The Society at Pasadena was 
formed from a nucleus of personnel from the 
original Point Loma Society which was disbanded. 
Point Loma Publications Inc still, however, 
operates independently. This fragmentation of 
the movement is important because each part went 
its own way in the matter of teaching. The Adyar 
Society adopted in very large measure the 'second generation' 
literature of Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater and others. As time 
went on this considerably diverged from the original teachings. The 
Point Loma literature is largely that of Godfried de Puruker. 
Originally this was based mainly on The Secret Doctrine but latterly 
many ideas, viz the peregrinations of the Ego round the planets, 
became an important part of his teaching. No evidence for this exists 
in the Secret Doctrine, The Corvina theosophists hereto have 
preserved the original teachings intact and so have the United Lodge 
of Theosophists but in certain areas, for example the Mahatma Letters 
to Sinnett, they have reservations as to the authenticity of the 
letters.

The point of these differences is that, to a very large extent, they 
have come about through personal views and preferences regarding the 
teachings. In some cases major divergences from the original as 
commentaries have been written into much publicized literature, with 
the consequence that much of what is now regarded Theosophy on a 
worldwide scale, is in fact not in accordance with the original 
teachings.

Quoted from:

http://www.blavatskytrust.org.uk/html/nf_bt3.htm
=======================================================

Some important points are made here. But I think there
are also few errors in this text. For example:

" . . . in certain areas, for example the Mahatma Letters to Sinnett, 
they have reservations as to the authenticity of the letters."

Who are "they"?  


If "they" refers to the United Lodge of Theosophists 
I am somewhat puzzled since I have never heard any ULT student 
actually question "the authenticity of the letters."

Could Dallas or some other ULT student clarify this?

Daniel
http://hpb.cc
 

 




 




 
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