Theos-Talk Archives (September 2008 Message tt00131)

In his August 1888 letter, the Master Koot Hoomi 
told Henry Olcott:

---------------------------------------------------
I have...noted, your thoughts about the 'Secret Doctrine.' Be
assured that what she [H.P. Blavatsky] has not annotated from 
scientific and other works, we have given or suggested to her. Every 
mistake or erroneous notion, corrected and explained by her from the 
works of other theosophists was corrected by me, or under my 
instruction. . . .
---------------------------------------------------

Quoted from: Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series,
Letter 19, 5th edition.

The reader can turn to THE SECRET DOCTRINE published a few months 
later and see that indeed H.P. Blavatsky corrected several mistakes 
and erroneous notions from the works of other Theosophical writers.

For example, consider the following ---

Madame Blavatsky explained in Volume I of THE SECRET DOCTRINE:

------------------------------------------------------
"Esoteric Buddhism" [by A.P. Sinnett] . . .  is an excellent book [on 
Theosophy], and has done still more excellent work. But this does not 
alter the fact that it contains some mistaken notions. . . . 

The time has arrived for the explanation of some matters in this 
direction. Mistakes have now to be checked by the original teachings 
and corrected. . . . 

As the author [A.P. Sinnett] . . . was himself, as he says, "an 
untrained mind" in Occultism, his own inferences, and his better 
knowledge of modern astronomical speculations than of archaic 
doctrines led him quite naturally, and as unconsciously to himself, 
to commit a few mistakes of detail rather than of any "broad rule." 
One such will now be noticed. It is a trifling one, still it is 
calculated to lead many a beginner into erroneous conceptions. But as 
the mistaken notions of the earlier editions were corrected in the 
annotations of the fifth edition, so the sixth may be revised and 
perfected. . . . 

Among such . . . [was] the erroneous statement that two of the 
superior Globes of the terrestrial chain were two of our well-known 
planets: 

"besides the Earth . . . there are only two other worlds of our chain 
which are visible. . . . Mars and Mercury. . . ." (Esoteric Buddhism; 
p. 136.) 

This was a great mistake. . . . 

Let it now be distinctly stated, then, that the theory broached is 
impossible, with or without the additional evidence furnished by 
modern Astronomy. Physical Science can supply corroborative, though 
still very uncertain, evidence, but only as regards heavenly bodies 
on the same plane of materiality as our objective Universe. Mars and 
Mercury, Venus and Jupiter, like every hitherto discovered planet (or 
those still to be discovered), are all, per se, the representatives 
on our plane of such chains. As distinctly stated in one of the 
numerous letters of Mr. Sinnett's "Teacher," "there are other and 
innumerable Manvantaric chains of globes which bear intelligent 
Beings both in and outside our solar system." But neither Mars nor 
Mercury belong to our chain. They are, along with the other planets, 
septenary Units in the great host of "chains" of our system, and all 
are as visible as their upper globes are invisible. . . . 

When the present work was commenced, the writer [H.P. Blavatsky 
herself] , feeling sure that the speculation about Mars and Mercury 
was a mistake, applied to the Teachers [the Masters] by letter for 
explanation and an authoritative version. Both came in due time, and 
verbatim extracts from these are now given. 

". . . . . both (Mars and Mercury) are septenary chains, as 
independent of the Earth's sidereal lords and superiors as you are 
independent of the 'principles' of Daumling (Tom Thumb) -- which were 
perhaps his six brothers, with or without night-caps. . . . " 

. . . Again, here are more extracts from another letter written by 
the same authority. This time it is in answer to some objections laid 
before the Teachers. They are based upon extremely scientific, and as 
futile, reasonings about the advisability of trying to reconcile the 
Esoteric theories with the speculations of Modern Science, and were 
written by a young Theosophist as a warning against the "Secret 
Doctrine" and in reference to the same subject. He had declared that 
if there were such companion Earths "they must be only a wee bit less 
material than our globe." How then was it that they could not be 
seen? 

The answer [from Master Koot Hoomi] was: -- 

". . . . Were psychic and spiritual teachings more fully understood, 
it would become next to impossible to even imagine such an 
incongruity. Unless less trouble is taken to reconcile the 
irreconcilable -- that is to say, the metaphysical and spiritual 
sciences with physical or natural philosophy, 'natural' being a 
synonym to them (men of science) of that matter which falls under the 
perception of their corporeal senses -- no progress can be really 
achieved. Our Globe, as taught from the first, is at the bottom of 
the arc of descent, where the matter of our perceptions exhibits 
itself in its grossest form. . . . . . . Hence it only stands to 
reason that the globes which overshadow our Earth must be on 
different and superior planes. In short, as Globes, they are in CO-
ADUNITION but not IN CONSUBSTANTIALITY WITH OUR EARTH and thus 
pertain to quite another state of consciousness. Our planet (like all 
those we see) is adapted to the peculiar state of its human stock, 
that state which enables us to see with our naked eye the sidereal 
bodies which are co-essential with our terrene plane and substance, 
just as their respective inhabitants, the Jovians, Martians and 
others can perceive our little world: because our planes of 
consciousness, differing as they do in degree but being the same in 
kind, are on the same layer of differentiated matter. . . . . What I 
wrote was 'The minor Pralaya concerns only our little STRINGS OF 
GLOBES.' (We called chains 'Strings' in those days of lip- 
confusion.) . . . 'To such a string our Earth belongs.' This ought to 
have shown plainly that the other planets were also 'strings' or 
CHAINS. . . If he (meaning the objector) would perceive even the dim 
silhouette of one of such 'planets' on the higher planes, he has to 
first throw off even the thin clouds of the astral matter that stands 
between him and the next plane. . . . ." 

It becomes patent why we could not perceive, even with the help of 
the best earthly telescopes, that which is outside our world of 
matter. Those alone, whom we call adepts, who know how to direct 
their mental vision and to transfer their consciousness -- physical 
and psychic both -- to other planes of being, are able to speak with 
authority on such subjects. And they tell us plainly: -- . . . 

". . . . . . Be prudent, we say, prudent and wise, and above all take 
care what those who learn from you believe in; lest by deceiving 
themselves they deceive others . . . . . for such is the fate of 
every truth with which men are, as yet, unfamiliar. . . . Let rather 
the planetary chains and other super- and sub-cosmic mysteries remain 
a dreamland for those who can neither see, nor yet believe that 
others can. . . ." 

It is to be regretted that few of us have followed the wise advice; 
and that many a priceless pearl, many a jewel of wisdom, has been 
cast to an enemy unable to understand its value and who has turned 
round and rent us. . . . 
----------------------------------------------------------

Abridged from H.P. Blavatsky's THE SECRET DOCTRINE, 1888, Volume I, 
pp. 160-167.

Daniel
Blavatsky Study Center / Blavatsky Archives
http://blavatskyarchives.com
http://hpb.cc
http://theosophy.info