Theos-Talk Archives (June 1996 Message tl00965)

>For every person that may have studied the basic, most
>simply view of the esoteric doctrines, there are perhaps
>thousands that are starving for those simple, soul-healing
>ideas.

	Eldon, of course I agree with you for the most
part.  But the idea of an endless Wheel of Reincarnation
and endless karma, of cycling forever without end, is an
exoteric idea that I believe will only hurt more than it helps.
Buddha's message is that this Wheel can be stopped,
and that there is a Way to end the reincarnation cycles.
This message apparently never caught on with the
early theosophical writers, yet the hope that it inspires
is what led me into Buddhism and Yoga before I discovered
Theosophy.
	My own feeling here is that it was a deliberate
oversight.  Why?  Because had it been taught, then the
question of how would arise.  This would demand
techniques, and open the Pandora's Box of psychism,
Halls of Magic, and so on.  So the safer path of altruism
and karma yoga was adopted--but these lead to better
karma, not its elimination nor even its reduction.

	Jerry S.
	Member, TI