Theos-Talk Archives (April 2006 Message tt00822)

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ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH VOLUMES 

OF  H.P.B.'S “THE SECRET  DOCTRINE”

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Dear Friends, 

In the Publisher’s Preface of “The Secret Doctrine” (1), we read:

“The genuine SECRET DOCTRINE has only two volumes. While, as originally written, THE SECRET DOCTRINE was to be published in four volumes, only two volumes weere given to the printer by H.P.B. The remaining two volumes, although complete, or nearly complete, were withheld by her for reasons indicated in the close of the second volume of t he original edition (p.798).”

And what we read in those very last lines of volume II (starting from the last two lines in page 797) is indeed most clear: 

“A commencement has been made to fell and uproot the deadly upas tree of superstition, prejudice, and conceited ignorance, so that these two volumes should form for the student a fitting prelude for Volumes III and IV. Until the rubbish of the ages is cleared away from the minds of the Theosophists to whom these volumes are dedicated, it is impossible that the more practical teaching contained in the Third Volume should be understood. Consequently, it entirely depends upon the reception with which Volumes I, and II, will meet at the hands of Theosophists and Mystics, whether these last two volumes will ever be published, though they are almost completed. THERE IS NO RELIGION HIGHER THAN TRUTH.” 

That may explain the disappearance of volumes III and IV. In HPB’s now published esoteric teachings, both written and oral, it is clear that the inner degree of success of the 1888-1890 effort was not enough to make it last with that intensity. 

As to the utter lack of legitimacy of the volume III as published by Annie Besant 1898, is it amply demonstrated by Boris de Zirkoff in his introduction to the Volume XIV of HPB’s “Collected Writings”, and also in the testimony of Alice Cleather in her astonishing book “H.P. Blavatsky, a Great Betrayal” (published in 1922). Alice Cleather was a direct disciple of HPB’s and a member of the Inner Group of the E.S. and saw the tampered manuscripts by HPB. 

These were texts not originally destined to belong to “The Secret Doctrine”, heavily edited or re-written for Annie Besant’s ilegitimate edition, which fortunately was later abandoned by the Adyar T S. . 

The first facsimile edition of “The Secret Doctrine” (which established the general trend to respect and adopt the authentic 1888 edition) was published in 1925 by associates of the United Lodge of Theosophists. Later on came a similar edition by the Pasadena TS, and finally Boris de Zirkoff’s Adyar edition in 1979. (Boris died in 1981.)

Best regards, Carlos Cardoso Aveline 

NOTES:

(1) by Helena P. Blavatsky, Theosophy Co. (ULT), facsimile edition, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 1982. 


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