Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00636)

Dear Dallas,

Because you are such a resourceful student of HPB's
writings I would like, respectfully, to put some
questions to you as a student of Theosophy.

1) Have you ever come accross, in HPB's editorials in
"Lucifer", any example of personal attacks on the
character of any person, dead or alive, either by HPB
herself or tolerated by her as editor?

2) In your postings on this list you have used
frequently the expression "ORIGINAL TEACHINGS", and
linked the expression specifically to the writings of
HPB, the Mahatmas and W. Q. Judge. To a newcomer such
usage may indicate that the original teachings of
Theosophy are limited to the three sources just
mentioned. Did HPB or the Mahatmas or William Judge
include in their writings a caveat to the effect that
theirs were the original teachings or was this done by
subsequent generations of students of their works?

The dictionary meaning of the word "original" includes
"that has served as a pattern, of which copy or
translation has been made, not derivative or
dependent, first-hand, not imitative, novel in
character and style, inventive, creative". It is
doubtful that HPB would have considered her teaching
"first hand" since she called it the Wisdom Tradition.

The reason for this question is that in the eastern
traditions important texts are identified by their
authors, like "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali",
"Madhyamikakarika" by Nagarjuna, "Vivekachudamani" by
Shankaracharya, "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tsu, etc.
Theosophy being a broad subject and teaching, and
considering that the word was used much before HPB,
perhaps an alternative form of words could be
"Theosophy according to H.P. Blavatsky". Didn't she
herself teach that Theosophy existed since the ancient
times?

Pedro 



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