Theos-Talk Archives (September 2004 Message tt00691)

Daniel,
Your question made me think much how can ordinary member know whom to 
believe when many people claimed discipleship. I told you official 
position of the TS and my personal opinion that one should use his 
own intellect, intuition, wisdom, judgment etc.
But his method has limitations because understanding of the member 
depends on his own intellectual and spiritual development. And as 
average member is not very highly evolved intellectually and 
spiritually, he is many times likely to form wrong judgment about 
principles of Theosophy and deciding whom to believe. So I am telling 
one more method which may be used in addition to above method.
As you know HPB was founder and outer head of Esoteric School. In 
case of Esoteric School head chooses his successor considering high 
spiritual and intellectual development of the candidate. So when HPB 
made Annie Besant head of Esoteric School considering her spiritual 
and intellectual development, members may infer that HPB must have 
judged Annie Besant's development and so latter must be reliable 
person in spiritual matters. Annie Besant in her turn after 
considering spiritual and intellectual development of members chose 
G.S. Arundale. Mr. Arundale chose C.Jinarajadasa as ES head. 
C.Jinarajadasa chose N. Sri Ram. N. Sri Ram chose I.K. Taimni as ES 
head. So in this method member trusts in wisdom of ES head. Though it 
should not be blind belief in ES head, this method of succession 
does indicate to a member who could be more reliable source for 
guidance in spiritual matters and whose books members may read. But 
member must not take every word of ES head as accurate as he is also 
not infallible but should consider his writing for greater 
consideration. 
Mr. Leadbeater was not ES head but Annie Besant who was ES head many 
times praised him for his great capacity in occultism. 
I think own intellect and intuition and above method can make 
judgment of the member more accurate while deciding whose writing 
could be more reliable.
Regards.
Fraternally,
Anand Gholap