Theos-Talk Archives (August 2007 Message tt00269)

A.P. Sinnett's ESOTERIC BUDDHISM was first published in
1883. This book was the first simple exposition of Theosophy
published during the early days of the Theosophical Society.
The book was primarily based upon Mr. Sinnett's understanding of the
Theosophical teachings as given in the letters of H.P. Blavatsky's
Masters, Koot Hoomi and Morya.

Below is the table of contents for ESOTERIC BUDDHISM. Notice that
most of the BASIC IDEAS or TEACHINGS of Theosophy are listed in
this table:

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CHAPTER I - Esoteric Teachers

Nature of the Present Exposition - Seclusion of Eastern Knowledge -
The Arhats and their Attributes - The Mahatmas - Occultists
generally - Isolated Mystics - Inferior Yogis - Occult Training - The
Great Purpose -Its Incidental Consequences - Present Concessions

CHAPTER II - The Constitution of Man

Esoteric Cosmogony - Where to Begin - Working back from Man to
Universe - Analysis of Man - The Seven Principles

CHAPTER III -The Planetary Chain

Esoteric Views of Evolution - The Chain of Globes - Progress of Man
round them - The Spiral Advance - Original Evolution of the Globes -
The Lower Kingdoms

CHAPTER IV -The World Periods

Uniformity of Nature- Rounds and Races - The Septenary Law -
Objective and Subjective Lives - Total Incarnations - Former Races on
Earth - Periodic Cataclysms - Atlantis - Lemuria - The Cyclic Law

CHAPTER V - Devachan

Spiritual Destinies of the Ego - Karma - Division of the Principles
of Death - Progress of the Higher Duad - Existence in Devachan -
Subjective Progress - Avitchi - Earthly Connection with Devachan -
Devachanic Periods

CHAPTER VI - Kama Loca

The Astral Shell - Its Habitat - Its Nature - Surviving Impulses -
Elementals - Mediums and Shells - Accidents and Suicides - Lost
Personalities

CHAPTER VII - The Human Tide-Wave

Progress of the Main Wave - Obscurations - Twilight and Dawn of
Evolution - Our Neighbouring Planets - Gradations of Spirituality -
Prematurely Developed Egos - Intervals of Re-Incarnation

CHAPTER VIII - The Progress of Humanity

The Choice of Good or Evil - The Second Half of Evolution - The
Decisive Turning-point - Spirituality and Intellect - The Survival of
the Fittest - The Sixth Sense - Development of the Principles in
their Order - The Subsidence of the Unfit - Provision for All - The
Exceptional Cases - Their Scientific Explanation - Justice Satisfied -
The Destiny of Failures - Human Evolution Reviewed

CHAPTER IX -Buddha

The Esoteric Buddha - Re-Incarnations of Adepts - Buddha's
Incarnation - The Seven Buddhas of the Great Races - Avalokiteshwara -
Addi Buddha - Adeptship in Buddha's Time - Sankaracharya - Vedantin
Doctrines - Tsong-ka-pa - Occult Reforms in Tibet

CHAPTER X - Nirvana

Its Remoteness - Preceding Gradations - Partial Nirvana - The
Threshold of Nirvana - Nirvana - Para Nirvana - Buddha and Nirvana -
Nirvana attained by Adepts - General Progress towards Nirvana -
Conditions of its Attainment - Spirituality and Religion - The
Pursuit of Truth

CHAPTER XI - The Universe

The Days and Night of Brahma - The Various Manvantaras and Pralayas -
The Solar System - The Universal Pralaya - Recommencement of
Evolution - "Creation" - The Great First Cause - The Eternal Cyclic
Process

CHAPTER XII - The Doctrine Reviewed

Correspondences of the Esoteric Doctrine with Visible Nature - Free
Will and Predestination - The Origin of Evil - Geology, Biology, and
the Esoteric Teaching - Buddhism and Scholarship - The Origins of all
Things - The Doctrine as Distorted - The Ultimate Dissolutions of
Consciousness - Transmigration - The Soul and the Spirit -
Personality and Individuality - Karma

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For more on this book, see: http://esotericbuddhism.net

Daniel
Blavatsky Study Center
http://hpb.cc