Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00562)

Unfortunately, the version of HPB's esoteric instructions (I, II, and III) as
given in HPB's COLLECTED WRITINGS, Vol. 12  is NOT as HPB originally wrote them
in 1889.  The COLLECTED WRITINGS version even has material missing.

I will give one example of missing material.  This is what HPB wrote in
the 1889 edition of E.S. Instruction No. 1:

"...Thus they speak of five Koshas (sheaths, or principles), and call Atma
the sixth
yet no 'principle.'  This is the secret of Subba Row's criticism of the
division in
*Esoteric Buddhism.*   He knew well our difficulty, and had accepted our
exoteric
enumeration at one time, but took advantage of my pledge of secrecy and the
impossiblity I was in to defend myself publicly before the profane world.
(*Vide
Secret Doctrine*, vol. I, p. 157, for the Vedantic exoteric enumeration.)
But let the
student now learn the true esoteric enumeration.  It was not given to A.P.
Sinnett, who would never pledge himself, and was known to contemplate from
the first giving out his information to the public.  Therefore the division
of the
'principles' is given in *Esoteric Buddhism* exoterically."

Compare the above quote with the abridged version in Vol. 12, p. 526.

I thought some of you might like to see what HPB wrote in 1889 about TSR, etc.

Daniel

P.S.  Notice that in the C.W. version, TSR is described as "the late Subba
Row...".  This
indicates( in and of itself) that this is not what HPB originally wrote in
1889.  [TSR died
in 1890.]

Kim, there are also  letters of HPB that indicate her*later* opinion of TSR.
In one
dated July 12, 1888, she writes:

"Mrs. C.O. [Isabel Cooper-Oakley] said...several times that her 'Alf'
[Alfred Cooper-Oakley]
is constantly receiving through S.R. [Subba Row] letters from the Master,
*my* Master!!...
Now *I* know that my Master...has *never* since I left Adyar *writen one
single line* to anyone
at Adyar, or Madras, or India, except a few words once to H.S.O.  I have
Master's assurance
to this effect....surely something *must be rotten *  'in the State of
Denmark.'  This is *private
and confidential,* and meant for you alone....."

There is another HPB letter that deals with this topic.

DHC