Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00389)

Jerry S:

>Theosophy teaches material that can be found, here and there, scattered
>throughout the world's religions, all tied together with some new materials.
>How can it help from being "hodge-podge" in that sense?

While "The Secret Doctrine" was presented in that manner, there was a
definite philosophy being taught. Some things were argeed with; other things
were rejected by HPB as false. The approach of the book was both to expound
the Wisdom Tradition and to show its nearly-universal nature.

When you say "hodge-podge", you're right as regard to the terminology that
has been coined for us to use. It is borrowed, and sometimes changed, from
various philosophies and religions. But the philosophy itself, the ages-old
Teachings of the Masters, is not a hodge-podge, although I'm not suggesting
that you ever said it was.

>HPB quotes
>Montaigne as saying "I have here made only a nosegay of culled flowers, and
>have brought nothing of my own but the string that ties them" (SD, Vol I, p.
>xivi).
>A "nosegay of culled flowers" is, in a sense, a hodge-podge.
> However, the "string" that links them is the real key that theosophy offers.

She may be referring to how she is passing on what she has been given, without
anything of her own added to detract from the intrinic beauty of the
Teachings themselves. Her only addition or embellishment is the string that
ties the "flowers" together, or her manner of presentation.

-- Eldon