Theos-Talk Archives (November 2004 Message tt00298)

But also remember, Buddha is a Master. In fact the Masters who taught HPB 
considered the Buddha as the Maha Chohan. Thus they used the same terms that 
(Gautama the) Buddha used when he, in his reformation of Hinduism and true 
interpretation of the Vedas, gave the esoteric teachings to his disciples, and used 
the ancient kingly or divine language of Sanskrit. Therefore, all the Masters 
use that language. HPB's Masters also had to use those Sanskrit terms 
wherever the English language, that HPB had to write in, was insufficient to give 
their meaning without long glossary descriptions. Thus the seven principles can 
be boiled down to simply, Atma, Buddhi, Manas, Kama, Prana, etc. -- all the 
same terms Buddha used, as well as the writers of the Vedas, Puranas and the 
Upanishads of the Brahmans and Hindus. Naturally, the word "Soul" was no problem 
and didn't have to be written in Sanskrit, since it was well understood by 
HPB's English readers.

LHM

In a message dated 11/22/04 2:56:35 PM, AnandGholap@AnandGholap.org writes:

>
>
>Pedro,
>
>Your question appears to me is if Masters are Buddhist then how did 
>
>they use term Atma and Soul while explaining to Sinnet and others.
>
>Considering this is a question I am writing below.
>
>Here assumption made is Masters are Buddhist or followers of 
>
>Buddhism. First of all Masters don't belong to any one religion. They 
>
>know all religions and might use terms in different religions. They 
>
>wear dress depending upon customs in the part of the world they live. 
>
>So Masters living in Tibet area will naturally live like other 
>
>Buddhists around. But that won't make Masters follower of Buddhism. 
>
>Secondly Master believes in his own experience of Truth more than any 
>
>religion. He will for practical purpose use knowledge of the laws of 
>
>Nature as he found by his own direct experience. So one should not 
>
>assume that Master follows any one religion. 
>
>Even if they dress and live like Buddhists they will still use the 
>
>terminology which they think is appropriate at that time. Here while 
>
>founding Theosophical Society they found it appropriate to use terms 
>
>Atma and Soul so they used those terms.
>
>Anand Gholap