Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00739)

Aug 31 2004

Dear Pedro:

Many thanks for confirming we are of the same opinion as expressed by HPB in
the SECRET DOCTRINE. [S D I 272-3]  

I do not think HPB was "invested with any 'dogmatic' authority by the
Mahatmas." She was their humble and very willing "messenger" -- reading the
MAHATMA LETTERS this is brought out clearly.

What is emphasized several times [by the Mahatmas] is that she was Their
ONLY MESSENGER, and there were no others, nor were there successors.  

Mr. Sinnett for instance, was never communicated with directly.  

Mr W. Q. Judge was communicated with directly during HPB's life time and she
gave him her highest approbation, as can be traced in documents exoteric and
"esoteric." 

As to the "Esoteric" and "Occult" teachings -- I am of the opinion that they
are embodied in her writings -- to which the Mahatmas have certified they
were co-authors -- it is a good exercise to take HPB's articles like:

---------------------


RAJA-YOGA articles by H.P.B.
=========================

CHELAS AND LAY-CHELAS	.	HPB Articles I 308
Theosophist, July 1882

THE THEOSOPHICAL MAHATMAS	HPB Articles I 301
Path, December 1886

PRACTICAL OCCULTISM	.	.	HPB Articles	II 91	
Lucifer, April 188

OCCULTISM vs. THE OCCULT ARTS	HPB Articles	II 100
Lucifer, May 1888

LODGES OF MAGIC	.	.	.	HPB Articles	I 287
Lucifer, Oct. 1888

WHAT OF PHENOMENA?	.	.	HPB Articles	I	79
Lucifer, Feb. 1888

PSYCHIC AND NOETIC ACTION	.	HPB Articles	II	7
Lucifer, Oct & Nov. 1890

THOUGHTS on the ELEMENTALS	.	HPB Articles	II	164
Lucifer, May 1890

ELEMENTALS	.	.	.	HPB Articles	II	127
Lucifer, Aug. 1893

CHINESE SPIRITS	.	.	.	HPB Articles	II	348
Lucifer, Nov. 1891

ANCIENT MAGIC IN MODERN SCIENCE	HPB Articles	II	431
Theosophist, Oct. 1886

ANIMATED STATUES	.	.	HPB Articles	II	337
Theosophist, Nov. 1886

THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC	.	.	Modern Panarion	54

THE SEARCH AFTER OCCULTISM	.	Modern Panarion	159

DIALOGS BETWEEN 2 EDITORS	Astral Bodies	HPB Articles	II 38
Lucifer, Dec. 1888

- do -	Inner Man	HPB Articles
II 194
Lucifer, Jan 1889

HYPNOTISM AND FASCINATION	.	HPB Articles	II	477
Lucifer, Dec. 1890

MAHATMAS AND CHELAS	.	.	HPB Articles	I	293
Theosophist, July 1884


Reprinted in a book titled RAJA-YOGA or OCCULTISM, published by

Theosophy Co. Ltd., 
40, New Marine Lines
Bombay, India, 40002

---------------------

and trace out all the passages in which she says something abut the "science
of occultism" and gives hints on the "esoteric philosophy."

Then we know what the Mahatmas desired to explain. 

Best wishes,

Dallas

---------------------------------------------------

Take for instance a few ideas

1	The Universe is immeasuarable, and as SPIRIT it contains EVERYTHNG.

It is unlimited unconditioned SPACE.

2	The Universe in manifestation is filled with immortal eternal
MONADS.

3	Every MONAD has the same potential as its Parent -- Universe (also
called SPACE).  

4	Evolution is both a joint and an individual line of progress through
all conditions and 
states of consciusness, being and matter.

4	Every Human is a Monad in evoution and does not die.

5	Death is eliminated as an item of fear in the Universe, since all
are deathless as spiritual beings.  
The forms are constantly changing even now.

6.	Karma is an eternal just law and guides as well as compensates the
evoluton of all beings 
wihout any exception.

7.	The urge to progress is innate and universal.

8.	Since Karma is justice, every kind of evil actions done to others
will return to the one who does them, 
there is no forgiveness, or forgetting, or pardon. To bring about a
blance of Karma, the transgressor must personally make redress to his
victims, always. So why do any evil acts?

9.	Reincarnation is the method of progress for beings and all humans,
as they are all immortals.

10.	Humans have given many names to "God," but, thre is only one God and
It is the ENTIRE UNIVERSE.  
It is everywhere and is responaible for all LIFE.  
Humans have no right to torture or kill the bodies of any other
beings. 


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

-----Original Message-----
From: Pedro 
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 5:42 AM
To: 
Subject: ORIGINAL TEACHINGS


Thank you Dallas for your answers and thank
you Daniel for your comments. 

On re-reading your post, Dallas, I understand you
feeling ‘dogmatic’ about HPB authority, which was
invested upon her by her Teachers. I also appreciate
the fact that you wish to leave others free to think
differently about the same subject.

I see no problem in acknowledging HPB’s writings as
the original teachings of *modern* Theosophy. Every
theosophical author I have studied so far does that.
But internal evidence in HPB’s own writings, imo,
clearly indicates that the ORIGINAL TEACHINGS of
Theosophy as a Timeless Wisdom stretch far back into
ancient times. All HPB claimed, imo, was to re-present
them to the modern world.

Allow me to point out the passage which Daniel quoted
at the end of his post (SD, vol. I, Summing UP):

“Let us recapitulate and show, by the vastness of the
subjects expounded, how difficult, if not
impossible, it is to do them full justice.

The Secret Doctrine is the accumulated Wisdom of the
Ages, and its cosmogony alone is the most stupendous
and elaborate system: e.g., even in the exotericism
of the Purânas. But such is the mysterious power of
Occult symbolism, that the facts which have actually
occupied countless generations of initiated seers and
prophets to marshal, to set down and explain, in the
bewildering series of evolutionary progress, are all
recorded on a few pages of geometrical signs and
glyphs. The flashing gaze of those seers has
penetrated into the very kernel of matter, and
recorded the soul of things there, where an
ordinary profane, however learned, would have
perceived but the external work of form. But modern
science believes not in the “soul of things,” and
hence will reject the whole system of ancient
cosmogony. It is useless to say that the system in
question is no fancy of one or several isolated
individuals. That it is the uninterrupted record
covering thousands of generations of Seers whose
respective experiences were made to test and to
verify the traditions passed orally by one early race
to another, of the teachings of higher and exalted
beings, who watched over the childhood of Humanity. 
That for long ages, the “Wise Men” of the Fifth Race,
of the stock saved and rescued from the last cataclysm
and shifting of continents, had passed their lives in
learning, not teaching. How did they do so? It is
answered: by checking, testing, and verifying in
every department of nature the traditions of old by
the independent visions of great adepts; i.e., men who
have developed and perfected their physical, mental,
psychic, and spiritual organisations to the utmost
possible degree. No vision of one adept was accepted
till it was checked and confirmed by the visions—so
obtained as to stand as independent evidence—of other
adepts, and by centuries of experiences.”
  
Let us examine some of the outstanding statements
present in the above mentioned passage:

“... the facts which have actually occupied countless
generations of initiated seers and prophets to
marshal, to set down and explain...”
  
Does not this clearly indicate that Theosophy is a
stream of enquiry that has been in existence from time
immemorial? That it involves a process (‘marshal, set
down, explain’) which is profoundly educative? 
  
“It is useless to say that the system in question is
no fancy of one or several isolated individuals. That
it is the uninterrupted record covering thousands of
generations of Seers whose respective experiences were
made to test and to verify the traditions passed
orally by one early race to another, of the teachings
of higher and exalted beings, who watched over the
childhood of Humanity.”
  
Doesn’t this imply that the authority of the teaching
(Theosophy) does not lie with ‘isolated individuals’
but in the *process* itself, which is based on a truly
scientific method involving testing and verification?
  
“That for long ages, the “Wise Men” of the Fifth Race,
of the stock saved and rescued from the last cataclysm
and shifting of continents, had passed their lives in
learning, not teaching. How did they do so? It is
answered: by checking, testing, and verifying in
every department of nature the traditions of old by
the independent visions of great adepts; i.e., men who
have developed and perfected their physical, mental,
psychic, and spiritual organisations to the utmost
possible degree. No vision of one adept was accepted
till it was checked and confirmed by the visions—so
obtained as to stand as independent evidence—of other
adepts, and by centuries of experiences.”
  
Is there, in the whole corpus of HPB’s teachings, a
more passionate, clear and convincing evidence that
the teachings of Theosophy are not based on belief,
dependence or authority? That they are the result of
hard work based on ‘checking, testing and verifying’
as well as on independent thinking and ongoing
experience?
  
There is also the famous passage in “The Mahatma
Letters”, alluded to by Mr Ramadoss in a recent
posting, which clearly resonates with the lengthy SD
quote above:
  
“The truth is that till the neophyte attains to the
condition necessary for that degree of Illumination to
which, and for which, he is entitled and fitted, most
if not all of the Secrets are incommunicable. The
receptivity must be equal to the desire to instruct.
The illumination must come from within. Till then no
hocus pocus of incantations, or mummery of appliances,
no metaphysical lectures or discussions, no
self-imposed penance can give it. All these are but
means to an end, and all we can do is to direct the
use of such means as have been empirically found by
the experience of ages to conduce to the required
object. And this was and has been no secret for
thousands of years.”
  
Doesn’t this passage indicate that the entire teaching
of the Esoteric Philosophy naturally leads to a depth
of experience and realization that no book or outer
teaching can ever convey?
  
  
Pedro 
  
  



		
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail


 
Yahoo! Groups Links