Theos-Talk Archives (October 1993 Message tl00148)

Arvind Kumar

Thanks for your reply. That you have read seven of the twenty-
four Bailey books gives you from my point of view, a lot of
background--certainly more than mine.  I don't think that we have
to read everything an author has written to have a reasonable
understanding of the subject.  The idea of committing myself to
another bulletin board is a bit scary. I already spend more time
than I can afford on this one.  But Esonet should prove to be a
valuable resource when we get stuck, and hopefully, others will
join in the discussion who will be able to fill in any other
gaps.

For my background, I've read all of H.P.B.'s books several times,
and most of her articles at least once.  Also much of her
correspondence and the Mahatma Letters.  I have also read Besant
and Leadbeater's main works over the years, and have read or
became acquainted with A.E. Powell, G.S. Arundale, C.
Jinarajadasa, etc.  Further, I have a deep interest in the
history of the movement, which I find puts a lot into
perspective.

THE DIVINE PLAN is by Geoffrey Barborka.  It is available in hard
cover only, through me (I'm a mail order book dealer) or Quest
Books (Wheaton) for $18.95.  The book is supposed to be a guide
to the study of THE SECRET DOCTRINE. I found THE DIVINE PLAN to
be dry reading, but many swear by it.

You do indeed have a lot to do.  Nursing homes are endless hard
work, and you have my respect for the sacrifice you and your wife
are making.  Good luck on your 15 years old.  My daughter is
twenty and lives pretty independently now.  The horror of the
teens is over.

Brenda Tucker

Thanks for joining our discussion on AAB and HPB. April and I
weren't able to catch the meaning of your first question.
Perhaps you will clarify.

As to your second question.  I assume it is in regard to my
reference of K.H.'s need to sleep.  I chose those passages to
illustrate that the Mahatmas represent themselves very
differently from the way that most people in and outside of The
Theosophical Society think of them.  In my experience, the common
perception is that the Masters are non physical, superhuman
beings, who occasionally take on a mayavi rupa (illusionary body)
in order to talk to us mortals.  I find it commonly believed that
their typical mode of travel was via the astral. But in THE
MAHATMA LETTERS, they talk of traveling by horse for days at a
time.  They also talk about getting tired, and being annoyed with
A.O. Hume etc.  I'm sure Eldon will be able to show you the
passages that I'm alluding to, and fill you in on what I am
talking about.  So the point isn't whether or not all kingdoms
need sleep; but rather, if we accept the mahatma letters as
genuine documents, written by them, and that their self
descriptions are honest ones, then the Mahatmas are not so
different from us as most people think.

I have found that many people are unwilling to consider any
evidence that threatens to contradict what they already believe.
One incident comes to mind:  When the Los Angeles Lodge was
studying THE MAHATMA LETTERS (this was before you joined).  We
were reading them in the order given by Virginia Hanson and
George Linton's READER'S GUIDE.  One evening we ran into one of
the passages about Mahatma M smoking a pipe.  During discussion,
a member, who had been in the TS for over fifty years, but had
never before read THE MAHATMA LETTERS, announced that he didn't
believe that M smoked a pipe.  Another member, a bit stunned,
asked why he said that, as we had just read M's own statement
that he did.  The first member simply repeated that he did not
believe that M smoked a pipe, and was unwilling to elaborate. Out
of courtesy to his beliefs, no one questioned him any further,
but many members that evening had a rude awakening concerning the
physchological makeup of some people who claim to be students of
Theosophy.

How all of this relates to our comparative study is as follows:
If we are to have an open forum comparing writers, all of the
participants are bound, sooner or later to be confronted with
information, that will compel us to re-examine our beliefs.  I
hope that all who participate are willing to examine conflictual
information with intellectual integrity rather than crawling into
a shell, as did our friend at Los Angeles Lodge.

I realize that my answer goes beyond your original question, but
I am also responding to some unexpressed issues, that I'm aware
of, based upon earlier conversations with you.


Jerry Hejka-Ekins