Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00134)

Alan:

>Eldon mentions (along with others) the problems attendant upon
>different interpretations of terminology, and reminds us that
>other serious disciplines - *disciplines* - have, of necessity,
>developed their own specialised terminology, eg., *metacarpal*
>is word to descrive particular human bones.

>This is why, many years back (reaches for walking stick :-)) I
>opted for the Kabalist approach, which defines its terms from
>the beginning [esoteric pun].

I think that the important thing here is a consistent terminology.
Each tradition of the past has its own terminology, with certain
ideas grandly expressed, and others that were neglected, because
not well-known in a particular tradition. We'll find the same in
Theosophy, because over time it will have to settle on an agreed-to
terminology, or be lost in a tower of Babel.

The reason that Blavatsky used so many terms in books like "The
Secret Doctrine" may be to show that the Wisdom Tradition was found
throughout all peoples and times. She was trying to show its
universal nature, even while at the same time present a new set of
Teachings to the world. And when she wrote, she would not always
agree with everything that she referred to. (It's quite possible that
there are many misconceptions mixed in with the noble truths in each
philosophical or religious tradition.)

-- Eldon