THE

ESOTERIC TRADITION

G. de PURUCKER

Volume I

THEOSOPHICAL UNIVERSITY PRESS

PoiNT LoMA, CALIFORNIA

1940

THEOSOPHICAL UNIVERSITY PRESS

POINT LOMA, CALIFORNIA

CoPYRIGHT BY G. DE PuRUCKER, 1935

SECOND EDITION

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I

INTRODUCTION page 1

Reality or Truth, and Relative Truth. Dogma defined. The nature of Seership. What is proof? Is it infallible? Faith, true and blind. THE EsoTERIC TRADITION. Religion, Philosophy, and Science as distinguished from religions, philosophies, and sciences. Theosophy the universal 'touch­stone.' The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett and The Secret Doctrine.

CHAPTER I

THEOSOPHY: THE MOTHER OF RELIGIONS, PHILOSOPHIES, AND

EsoTERIC SciENCES --------------------------------------------------- - page 28

Intimations of existence of Wisdom-Religion universal. The Esoteric Philosophy re-stated by H. P. Blavatsky. Intuition as source of human understanding of Truth. What Theosophy is and what it is not. The Guardians of the Wisdom-Religion and the methods of its dissemination. Esotericism and exotericism- the Mystery-Schools, and the 'Mysteries.' Early Christian, Neo-Platonic, and Neo-Pythagorean teachers and their teachings. Anathematized teachings of Origen. The Qabbalah ('the Tradition'), and Theosophy. The Esoteric Doctrine, its relation to hu­man mentality and man's conception of Truth. What we owe to ancient civilizations.

CHAPTER II

ALLEGORY AND MYSTICAL SYMBOLISM -------------------------------- page 54

Why the Esoteric keys are safeguarded. Karman and Reimbodiment once held secret but now clearly expounded. The universal Mysteries the source of symbolic imagery. Intuition, its value in the study of symbol­ism. Theosophical interpretation of: "It (the Kingdom of God) will come when two and two make one; when the outside is like the inside; and when there is neither male nor female." The Story of the Vine and Grapes explained. The 'Cry from the Cross,' its correct translation and esoteric significance. A comprehensive survey of symbolism and mys­ticism as used by all great Teachers. The syfubol of the Serpent or Snake.

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CHAPTER III

THE SECRET DocTRINE oF GAUTAMA THE BuDDHA- I ____ page 8 7

Evidence o\ existence of a system of esoteric teaching in Buddhism. The Buddha-Gautama. The Buddhist 'Confession of Faith': its esoteric meaning. Sarp.skaras and Nirval).a explained. The Eye-Doctrine and the Heart-Doctrine. The injunction of the Lord Buddha to his disciples as found in the Maha-Parinibbfina-Sutta. Esoteric Buddhism and the exist­ence of a succession of Teachers in the history of Buddhism. The Hina­yana and the Mahayana Schools defined and described. Sakyamuni and the non-existence of a static 'soul' in man. Occidental Orientalists have need of greater intuition and common sense in the study of Buddhism.

CHAPTER IV

THE SECRET DoCTRINE oF GAUTAMA THE BuDDHA- II page 111

The Doctrine of Becoming. The Pali scriptures and the teaching of 'sur­vival.' What is it that survives? Karman, Rebirth, and the Jataka-tales. Fundamental doctrines of Buddhism: The Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Verities. The Paramitas as given by H. P. Blavatsky in The Voice of the Silence and in Buddhist literature. Meanings of the terms Sarp.­skaras, Skandhas, Karman, and Evolution. Discussion concerning the x-quantity in man. Symbolism in the life-story of the Buddha. The Buddha's teachings on union with the Divine.

CHAPTER v WoRLDS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE- I -------------------------------- page 130

The Universe a septempartite or decempartite organism. Who and what are the Devas? Knowing the Universe by becoming. Scientists dream dreams of truth and see visions of reality. 'Dimensions,' 'singular points,' 'spheres,' and 'planes.' Natural phenomena and the invisible causal realms. The 'law of probability,' 'indeterminacy,' 'chance.' Early Christian, 'pa­gan,' and ancient, occult teachings about man and the Universe compared with those of modern science. Universal Consciousness-substance and the causal realms. God, or gods? Radiation, light, consciousnesses. Where are the invisible worlds and what are their inhabitants?

CHAPTER VI

WoRLDS VIsiBLE AND INVISIBLE- II page 169

Universes, Hierarchies, and Logoi. Man and Universe six-sevenths or seven-tenths occult. The lokas and talas explained. Rupa-lokas and Earth's sevenfold Planetary Chain compared. The Seven Sacred Planets.

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Globe-bodies and planes. 'Conservation of energy.' Who are the Kosmo­kratores? The Moon and moons. Reimbodiment of globe-chain. Entire Solar System interblended and interactive. Modern astrology and the ancient Wisdom-Astrology. Captures, galactic and electronic. Classes of Monadic Life-Waves. Kosmic Space, Hierarchs, and Wondrous Be­ings. Archaic Pantheism. Christian God and the Unknowable Principle. Space a container of Divine Atoms.

CHAPTER VII

EvoLVING SouLs - I page 211

Evolution and Revolution. No absolute endings in evolution. 'Soul' and souls explained. Evolution and emanation: an analysis. Infinite hosts of souls: numerous illustrations. What are 'group-souls' and what consti­tutes 'grouping'? Enduring Consciousness and fugitive 'events.' The eternal and the evanescent in all beings. What is immortality? The 'losing' of the self in the SELF. 'As a man thinks, so is he.' The difference between man and beast. Solomon and Ecclesiastes. Man, a microcosm in the Macrocosm is yet One with the All.

CHAPTER VIII

EvoLVING SouLs- II page 246

The four planes of Universal Being. Nature and evolution of elementals defined. Man his own architect. Our source and the origin of our life­atoms. Dual aspect of life-atoms. One Law but countless ramifications of detail and repetition. The heresy of Separateness. The rupa-planes and the Sephiroth of the Qabbalah. Every being a well-spring of 'crea­tive' activity. What part of an ever-changing entity endures? Monadic generation of elcmentals continuous. Climbing the Ladder of Life.

CHAPTER IX

THE EvoLUTIONARY PATHWAY TO THE Gons ···· · ·-----·---- page 273

Monadism and Atomism: the essential carpentry of the manifested Uni­verse. Druidic and other ancient teachings. Self-expression eternal and universal. Evolution and involution. Possibility of understanding states of consciousness during pralaya of a planetary chain or solar system. The Garden of Eden, and Man a 'fallen angel,' theosophically explained. The War in Heaven. Teleologic element in evolution and the evils of Darwinism. The great evolutionary Drama of Life. The Rivers of Lives and geologic Ages in the light of Theosophy. Evolution entirely a spirit­ual process.

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CHAPTER X

ESOTERIC TEACHINGS ON THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN AND

ANIMAL BEINGS -------------------------------------------------------- page 304

H. P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, and Esoteric Evolution. Teachings of modern science, and the difficulties of expounding the Wisdom-teach­ings. Human development during past ages. Whence came the beasts and reptiles? Man, his physical structure during the First and Second Races, and physical modes of propagation. The human embryo and its prenatal development in relation to physical structure of early Man. Androgyne and uni-sexual development. Evolution and involution and the 'closing of the door' into the Human Kingdom. What are the anthro­poid apes? Destiny of the beasts. Emanation of Mammalia from the human stock. What is a 'type'? Time periods, geologic ages, and radio­activity. Specialization. Spiritual, intellectual, and psycho-mental evo­lution. Consolidation and size of early root-race types. Man, a vast treasury. Embryology, the touchstone. Geological remains.

CHAPTER XI

THE TuRNING OF THE WHEEL- THE PAsT ____________________ page 340

Civilization and civilizations. Periods of transition illustrated by time of downfall of the Roman Empire. Divination, soothsayers, etc., then and now. Oracles and the Wisdom of the Ages. The closing of the Mystery­Schools and the age of spiritual barrenness in the Occident. Astronomical teachings of early Mesopotamia. Claudius Ptolemy and his legacy to the Dark Ages. Graeco-Roman world the alembic of religions and philo­sophies two thousand years ago. Pioneers of the Renaissance: their inter­pretations of Truth and the reception they received. The significance of the founding of the Theosophical Society. Mutability of Science and per­manence of the Ancient Wisdom. The scientific attitude fifty years ago and now.

CHAPTER XII

THE TuRNING OF THE WHEEL- THE PRESENT ____________ page 3 71 Intellectual conditions of 187 5. H. P. Blavatsky, her life-work, the Mes­sage she brought, and her Teachers. Responsibility of the Sages and Seers, and the 'law' of Karman. The quickening of Science, Philosophy, and Religion. The Atomistic School of the Greeks and its influence on Newton and Huxley. 'Modes of Motion,' 'absolute time,' and 'absolute space.' Einstein's 'space-time continuum.' Relativity and Maya. Seven points wherein the modern relativity-theory approaches the Esoteric Tradition. Vision versus dogmatism in Science: some examples. Modern Science becoming metaphysical and mystical. The promise of the future.

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CHAPTER XIII

BEHIND THE VEILS WITH SciENCE- I ----- ----------- -------- --- - page 402

Modern Science elucidating some of the teachings of the great Sages. The true status of ancient civilizations. Are the present 'primitive' people representatives of degenerate or of embryo-races? The Negro Race. What is science? Modern scientific conceptions of consciousness. Some conceptions of the atom and atomic space and time. What animates an atom? Illusions of 'matter'; the ether, and the Void. 'Density' of the ether, and Maya. Akasa, spirit-substance-force, or Life. The Galaxy, its form, size, and some of its suns. Fallacy of the theory of the 'expanding universe.'

CHAPTER XIV

BEHIND THE VEILS WITH SciENCE- II --------- --·-· ---------- page 439

A Universe of Consciousness: a most important postulate. Conscious­ness the root of force or energy. Explanation of Gravitation and the Forces of Nature. Newton's conception of same. Empedocles on Cosmic 'Love' and 'Hate.' 'Space-curvature' and the 'Cosmic Rays.' Pralayas and Manvantaras. Spencer and a 'running down' Universe. Outworn ter­minology hampers scientific expression. 'Creation.' Hydrogen and he­lium and the processes of integration and disintegration. Laya-centers, 'singular points,' and 'dimensions.' All matter concreted - light. The 'Quantum Theory.' Prout's Hypothesis and 'isotopes.' No limits to the divisibility of matter. The inner god in man and the forces of the invisible realms of Nature. Our five senses and the Root-Races.

CHAPTER XV

WEBS OF DESTINY- I --- ·-- ------------ ----------- -----------·---- --· · ------· page 4 71

The Cosmic Web, a Universe of Law infilled by willing agents. Fatalism, Karman, and Free Will. 'Unmerited suffering' and Karman. What is ( Karman? The web, the causal forces, and man himself. Laws and law­givers. The conflict of wills in evolving entities. Good and Evil, 'spirit­ual wickedness, ' and the 'forces of evil.' Past and present ideas of divini-ty, and certain Articles of Faith. Webs in the weaving, and the human and cosmic weavers. Schools of Fatalism. 'Determinacy' and 'indeter­minacy.' What originates causes? Man the Actor. Unfolding will as the impulse to evolutionary ascent. Explanation of the phrase 'above Karman.'

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CHAPTER XVI

WEBS OF DESTINY - II page 503

Essential unity and identity of all Beings, and the Great Heresy. Indivi­dual and universal contributors to the Manvantaric Web of Cosmos. Psy­chological influence of Maya. Karman and the Mahamaya. "As ye sow, so shall ye also reap." Destiny and the Greek teachings. Ethical re­sponsibility and Karman. 'Sins' of commission and 'sins' of omission. Karman and 'unmerited suffering.' Classes of Karman. The Reincar­nating Ego and the choice before Rebirth. The Insane and Karman. Great world-catastrophes. The Immanent Christ and the intricacies of individual Karman. The Buddhist teaching of Karman.

CHAPTER XVII

HEAVENS AND HELLS- I ------------------------------------- ------------- page 541

Pure and perverted teachings of the post-mortem states. Similarities and variances in the conceptions of 'heaven' and 'hell,' and the orthodox ideas. Superstition. Mansions of experience in the Universe. "In my Father's house are many mansions." Lokas and talas. Attractions and repulsions of peregrinating beings. Nirval)a, Devachan, Avichi, Nirval)a­Avichi and Kama-loka. Our Earth a Myalba. Post-mortem destiny of the human soul. Pantheism and evolution. Emanational evolution as distinct from Darwinism. What is retribution? Heavens and hells both manifold and temporary. Earth but one of many Cosmic Inns of Life.

CHAPTER XVIII

HEAVENS AND HELLS- II --------------------- --------------------------- page 568 'Heavens' and 'hells' in myth and legend and ancient literature. The 'paths to the gods' and the 'paths to the fathers.' Evolution in process throughout the composite organism of the Universe. 'Death,' the human soul, and the Reincarnating Ego. What happens to the evil man after death? Relative and intermediate states of bliss and misery. The Tattwas defined and described. Nirval)a, identity or nonentity. Plotinus 'On the Problem of the Soul.' The Inner God and the personality. The Nirval)i, the Devachani and the state of A vi chi. The 'lost soul' and the future of its Monad. Man carves his own destiny. The grand vision of endless growth.