Theos-Talk Archives (February 1995 Message tl00053)

Feb. 3, 1995


>> From: David Reigle
3185 Boyd Rd.
Cotopaxi, CO 81223
Phone: 1-719-942-4602

Re: Preparation for the coming out of the Book of Dzyan

I have been advised by well-wishing friends to let the
Theosophical community know about the work being done here in
preparation for the coming out of an original manuscript in
Sanskrit and/or Tibetan of the Book of Dzyan.  H.P.B.
specifically mentions translations of the original Senzar into
these languages (S.D.  I, 23), and it is noteworthy that
thousands of new Sanskrit and Tibetan manuscripts have been
discovered in the last two decades.  This event will take away
the single biggest stumbling block to the acceptance of Theosophy
in the world, the fact that no one has seen the text on which
~The Secret Doctrine~ is based.  I have long been convinced that
it will come out during my lifetime, but have felt that the
timing is dependent upon the preparedness of Theosophists.  (It
seems unlikely to be released if there are only skeptical
scholars to receive it.) Now that I have personally passed the 42
year mark, and with the close of the millennium only five years
away, I am becoming concerned about getting this preparatory work
done in time.  This to the point of seriously considering leaving
here and embarking upon an academic career where sufficient
funding exists to adequately do this work, primarily textual, but
also including grants for research in places like Tibet.  Since
our present location high in the Colorado Rockies provides a more
conducive psychic atmosphere for dealing with the Book of Dzyan
than large cities where universities are located, friends have
advised me to turn first to the Theosophical community.  Hence
this letter.

Although when the time is right the Mahatmas could send a chela
to bring out the Book of Dzyan and explain its meaning, once an
original manuscript is released it becomes public property and
subject to scholarly criticism.  Scholars would have no
compelling reason to accept the explanations given by the chela,
but would be obliged to work on the text by reference to other
known texts.  This is only natural, and in fact is a principle
widely held in scriptural tradition, in order to preserve the
teachings unaltered and guard against unwarranted innovation.
This is why H.P.B., herself following this principle, spent so
much time annotating ~The Secret Doctrine~ from every known
religion and philosophy of the world, to show that she had not
just made it up.  She predicts that in the twentieth century (now
almost over) scholars will begin to recognize the validity of the
~Secret Doctrine~ using their accepted methods (S.D.  I, xxxvii).
In her day there was no question of bringing out an original
Sanskrit or Tibetan version because it was premature to gives
proofs of the existence of the Ageless Wisdom, and in any case
few could have benefitted from an original language version.
Sanskrit was a new field, and Tibetan was still largely unknown.
Hindu studies were in their childhood, Buddhist studies were in
their infancy, and Jainism as a religion distinct from these had
only just been recognized.  Today we have printed Sanskrit
editions and English translations of most of the major Hindu
scriptures, a large number of the Buddhist scriptures, and many
of the Jaina scriptures.

It is these texts that I have considered it my duty to seek out
and gather in one place for the purpose of some day annotating
the Book of Dzyan.  When, for example, the rare phrase
"(g)zodmanas zhiba" is found in the Tibetan Book of Dzyan (S.D.
I, 23), or its equivalent "adi-santa" in the Sanskrit Book of
Dzyan, someone will need to be able to find out where else it
occurs in known texts, as it does for example in the
~Sandhinirmocana Sutra~ 7.1, 20, and in the ~Samadhi-raja Sutra~
8.2, and cite and translate those passages.  And it is not enough
to just know Sanskrit, no matter how fluently, as was shown when
some Sanskrit Buddhist texts were first brought out in the 1800s
and given to Hindu pandits, who could not understand them
correctly.  While the Tibetan translations help considerably, one
must ultimately familiarize oneself with the specific technical
vocabulary of a particular system.  H.P.B.  in her letters to
A.P.  Sinnett, p.  195, mentions the Secret Book of Maitreya in
conjunction with the Book of Dzyan.  Certainly the extant five
books of Maitreya would provide one with many of the important
technical terms to be aware of.  But these books have proved
unusually difficult to modern translators, who have not done well
with them.  Help could probably be gained from Aryasangha's
voluminous ~Yogacara-bhumi~, which includes gloss after gloss of
Buddhist terms, but this has not yet even been completely edited
in Sanskrit, let alone translated into English.  Then there is
the Kalachakra, foremost of the Books of Kiu-te, another giant
project.  The relation of Kalachakra to the Book of Dzyan was
pointed out in my paper "New Light on the Book of Dzyan"
(~Symposium on H.P.  Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine~, San Diego:
Wizards Bookshelf, 1984, pp.  54-67).  The most efficient way to
access this material for annotating the Book of Dzyan would be to
enter it onto a computer searchable database.

The Sanskrit scriptures of Aryavarta, "the bright focus into
which had been poured in the beginning of time the flames of
Divine Wisdom" (BCW 14, 310), and their English translations,
have been systematically sought out and gathered over a period of
nearly two decades, and our collection is at present unparalleled
in the private sector.  To safely preserve these text and provide
an appropriate place to work with them we purchased a small piece
of land (two and a half acres) and began construction of a
fireproof building two and a half years ago.  This is so far all
completely paid for, but we have been unable to finish it.  My
wife and I have always believed in the principle, "consciousness
first, form follows," in other words, prepare our minds by
learning the languages, etc.  and gather the texts, and the
building will come.  Even in the last year, due to unusual
opportunities, we purchased a set of the Tibetan Kangyur in 100
volumes, purchased several important Vedic text edition sets, and
traveled to major academic libraries to locate and photocopy some
200 printed Sanskrit texts, mostly Buddhist, spending over five
thousand dollars that could otherwise have gone toward completing
the building.  (Only fifteen thousand dollars total is needed to
complete it.) Thus having a building sit without a roof for two
and a half years is not necessarily a sign of financial
incompetence on our part, but rather reflects our priorities.
However, our building permit cannot be renewed indefinitely
without some progress on the building.  Last March the extensive
library of Alex Patterson was willed to me, which I believe is to
be used for the annotation of the Book of Dzyan, as it adds many
subject areas which we were lacking, such as Platonic and
Egyptian.  But the persons responsible for implementing the will,
who have the right to select from the library whatever they wish,
have understandably been hesitant to release the books to me as
long as our building remains without a roof.

So our immediate need is funding to get our building completed,
and our long-term need is funding for textual work in preparation
for the coming out of the Book of Dzyan.  This work must be done
and will be done, whether here or at a university, i.e., whether
in or out of the Theosophical world.  The obstacle in the
academic world is skepticism, which shuts out the influence of
the Mahatmas, and even prevented H.P.B.  from doing her work at
Adyar (see "Why I Do Not Return to India," BCW 12, 156-67).  The
obstacle in the Theosophical world is lack of funding, which just
as effectually prevents the work from getting done.  I had always
believed that this work should be done in the Theosophical world,
and best in a Theosophical setting dedicated solely to it.  This
is what I have spent my adult life working for.  But time is
running out.  If the Theosophical community feels that this work
is their responsibility, then let them support it.

David Reigle
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

David and Nancy Reigle developed the Eastern School curriculum
which provides a systematic course of training in the essentials
of the Ageless Wisdom.  A specific aim of this curriculum is to
prepare a group of Theosophically-oriented scholars for the
coming out of the Book of Dzyan.  It was published in the Winter
1993 "Eclectic Theosophist." Its three-year foundation course was
offered 1984-86 in Oregon.  There are no fees.  Eastern School is
supported solely by voluntary contributions.  For this reason, no
classes have yet been offered at its present location about
seventy-five miles southwest of Colorado Springs.  Eastern School
is an independent non-profit educational organization,
unaffiliated with any other Theosophical organization.

******************

Make out your checks to: David Reigle/Eastern School.

David has no e-mail, only regular mail.
-- Nicholas