Theos-Talk Archives (August 2007 Message tt00288)

Raquel:

you may want to try both Isis and EB and decide for yourself. some like one
and some other and some both. but i suppose far more theosophists have read
Isis than EB. Also, I suggest you may want to get the history behind how
Isis was produced/written, and it would be very interesting to anyone
interested in theosophy and HPB.

mkr



On 8/14/07, Raquel Rodríguez <raquel_rpj@yahoo.es> wrote:
>
> Thanks Daniel to correct me
>
> danielhcaldwell <danielhcaldwell@yahoo.com <danielhcaldwell%40yahoo.com>>
> escribió: Think What Was Accomplished in "Esoteric Buddhism"....
>
> Take the first edition of Sinnett's "Esoteric Buddhism" which was
> published in 1883...
>
> This edition has ONLY 215 pages....
>
> Yet in those 215 pages covering 12 chapters, Mr. Sinnett was able to
> give the reader what amounts to a marvellous OVERVIEW or what I
> sometimes call a BIRDEYE'S VIEW of the basic teachings of Theosophy.
>
> A fairly concise survey in only 215 pages...not bad!!
>
> Again I give BELOW the Table of Contents for readers to peruse...
>
> As far as I can tell, none of H.P.B.'s works -- considered
> individually -- deals with as many subjects and gives such a
> birdeye's survey in only 215 pages!
>
> Plus Esoteric Buddhism also gives alot of extracts from the Mahatma
> Letters.
>
> Plus it seems to me that H.P.B. in her various works BUILDS upon the
> foundation that was laid by Sinnett in ESOTERIC BUDDHISM. Many
> examples could be given here but I give just one.
>
> One of Sinnett's chapters deals with the "Buddha" (See table of
> contents BELOW) and in Volume III (1897) in THE SECRET DOCTRINE,
> H.P.B. writes a series of essays EXPANDING and ELUCIDATING on what
> was given in Sinnett's book.
>
> And a considerable amount of material in THE SECRET DOCTRINE (1888)
> is built upon the foundation of what was written in ESOTERIC
> BUDDHISM. For example, on the evolution involving the various rounds
> and races, etc.
>
> I am only suggesting that Sinnett's book --- because it gives such a
> good OVERVIEW of the basic Theosophical teachings --- can serve as an
> introduction, gateway or stepping stone to H.P.B.'s books.
>
> In classes I have used Sinnett's book as the basic book and then
> provided members with photocopies of selected material from a variety
> of HPB's various works [ISIS UNVEILED, SECRET DOCTRINE, ESOTERIC
> INSTRUCTIONS, KEY TO THEOSOPHY, etc.] as well as photocopies of
> extracts from THE MAHATMA LETTERS.
>
> Such a class and study helps to show the importance not only of
> Sinnett's book but the great value of all of HPB's works.
>
> Also it has to be admitted that many readers find at least some of
> HPB's writings difficult reading.
>
> For example, I know of persons who have tried to read ISIS UNVEILED
> at the very beginning of their Theosophical studies and have been
> discouraged and simply quit and left Theosophy.
>
> The same with THE SECRET DOCTRINE.
>
> Of course, THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY is a much better introduction but
> unfortunately this text doesn't cover the whole system of Theosophy.
> That is why ESOTERIC BUDDHISM is so helpful. It gives a basic
> structure and outline and once the reader has that overview then one
> can tackle much of HPB's other writings and have a greater
> appreciation and understanding of what HPB writes and teaches.
>
> I hope that this posting conveys some of my reasoning and
> understanding as to why I think so highly of Sinnett's book.
>
> Daniel
> Blavatsky Study Center
> http://hpb.cc
>
> Table of Contents for A.P. Sinnett's ESOTERIC BUDDHISM
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 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
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> Sé un Mejor Amante del Cine
> ¿Quieres saber cómo? ¡Deja que otras personas te ayuden!.
>
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>
> 
>


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