Theos-Talk Archives (August 2011 Message tt00058)

...For some years past, a tendency has existed among some [theosophical] students ... to consider theosophy as some sort of generalized approach to truth, a tradition, often somewhat  uncertain, concerning various aspects of the Universe and man, a system of ideas and concepts which can hardly be defined with any degree of exactness or clarity. It is most likely that this tendency owes its origin to a desire to avoid any dogmatic attitude or the creation of any kind of creed. The motive may have been laudable, but the methods employed have been rather dubious.

We should never lose sight of the fact that the Esoteric Philosophy is a very definite doctrine, a system of thought based on specific postulates, on well-defined propositions ... Even a cursory glance at the pages of The Secret Doctrine would confirm this fact. That work contains innumerable instances where H.P.B. (and the Adept-Brothers speaking through her) uses such expressions as: "the Secret Doctrine teaches," "secret records declare," "The Esoteric Philosophy states that ...," "it is the teaching of the ancient occult doctrine," and others. If  the student cared to underline these passages and then read them consecutively, or place them in juxtaposition, he would see at a glance that the "Secret Doctrine," as a system of thought, is about as definite as any science or philosophy is ever apt to be, and stands in direct opposition to a large number of other ideas which have become current in the world under the name of one or another religion or philosophy. 

It is perfectly true that the objects of the organized body known as The Theosophical Society have never contained any definition of what Theosophy is or is not; but it is equally true that the teachings promulgated by the Founders and their Superiors are defined in no uncertain language throughout the length and breadth of the original theosophical literature, leaving no room whatsoever for doubt as to what the system of thought known as theosophy is all about, what it teaches and what it does not.

Daniel
http://hpb.cc