Theos-Talk Archives (October 1995 Message tl00407)

Jerry S.
> >Purucker is wrong in ascribing his ideas on this subject toBuddhism

Eldon:
> I'll have to defer to Rich to comment on Buddhism.

Jerry S.
> >and I don't think he ever really tackles the doctrine of emptiness.

Buddhism is not the only tradition which considers "svabhava" or "eternal
self-nature." Hinduism teaches is as the nature of Atma, and the Jains as
well. It is important though, in thinking of the Hindu Atma, to remember
that for the great teachers like Shankaracarya, there are not many "atmans"
there is only one "Atma." We are all that ONE ATMA. That is why his school
is called "advaita" literally "not two-ism."

Purucker may or may not attribute his doctrine to Buddhism only, he may also
refer to various Hindu schools. But who cares, really? Purucker is neither
limited to Buddhism nor Hinduism, Purucker is as free as HPB or any other
student to take old words and use them in news ways which are helpful for
getting a teaching across. It helps, of course, to be very clear about
terms, and what they mean, etc.

But Eldon has pointed out several times, very rightly in my opinion, that
Sanskrit and other foreign words used in Theosophical teachings are not bound
by old meanings. HPB uses terms like Nirmanakaya etc. in ways that are
similar to but subtly different from old Buddhist usages. It is our job as
students to penetrate her thought so deeply as to grasp not merely the
DENOTATION of words but the CONNOTATION as well. It is helpful to have some
Sanskrit background, but MORE helpful to really understand what HPB is trying
to say independently of all word-choices.

After all, words are just messengers or vehicles, whereas the real point and
goal is realization, no?

>I also think that he is misleading in ascribing
>a unique self-hood to the Divine Monad; only the lower
>monads (which is, IMHO, an unfortunate term to use)
>is such uniqueness evident.

Purucker is not alone -- HPB also is very insistent that even though the
personality has a FALSE sense of individuality, the monad is truly immortal
as INDIVIDUALITY because it reflects the unique INDIVIDUALITY of the ONE
source. One may be absorbed as INDIVIDUAL during pralaya, but re-emerge in
Manvantara, just as salt dissolves in water, only to re-emerge as crystals
when the water dries up.