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HPB-SD(ed.1) v.1 ch.Introduction: Difference between revisions
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{{Style S-Small capitals|Since }}the appearance of Theosophical literature in England, it has become customary to call its teachings “ Esoteric Buddhism.” And, having become a habit — as an old proverb based on daily experience has it — “ Error runs down an inclined plane, while Truth has to laboriously climb its way up hill.” | {{Style S-Small capitals|Since}}the appearance of Theosophical literature in England, it has become customary to call its teachings “ Esoteric Buddhism.” And, having become a habit — as an old proverb based on daily experience has it — “ Error runs down an inclined plane, while Truth has to laboriously climb its way up hill.” | ||
Old truisms are often the wisest. The human mind can hardly remain entirely free from bias, and decisive opinions are often formed before a thorough examination of a subject from all its aspects has been made. This is said with reference to the prevailing double mistake ''(a) ''of limiting Theosophy to Buddhism : and ''(b)'' of confounding the tenets of the religious philosophy preached by Gautama, the Buddha, with the doctrines broadly outlined in “ Esoteric Buddhism.” Any thing more erroneous than this could be hardly imagined. It has enabled our enemies to find an effective weapon against theosophy ; because, as an eminent Pali scholar very pointedly expressed it, there was in the volume named “ neither esotericism nor Buddhism.” Th esoteric truths, presented in Mr. Sinnett’s work, had ceased to be esoteric from the moment they were made public ; nor did it contain the religion of Buddha, but simply a few tenets from a hitherto hidden teaching which are now supplemented by many more, enlarged and explained in the present volumes. But even the latter, though giving out many fundamental tenets ''from the'' {{Style S-Small capitals|Secret Doctrine}} ''of the East,'' raise but a small corner of the dark veil. For no one, not even the greatest living adept, would be permitted to, or could — even if he would — give out promiscuously, to a mocking, unbelieving world, that which has been so effectually concealed from it for long æons and ages. | Old truisms are often the wisest. The human mind can hardly remain entirely free from bias, and decisive opinions are often formed before a thorough examination of a subject from all its aspects has been made. This is said with reference to the prevailing double mistake ''(a) ''of limiting Theosophy to Buddhism : and ''(b)'' of confounding the tenets of the religious philosophy preached by Gautama, the Buddha, with the doctrines broadly outlined in “ Esoteric Buddhism.” Any thing more erroneous than this could be hardly imagined. It has enabled our enemies to find an effective weapon against theosophy ; because, as an eminent Pali scholar very pointedly expressed it, there was in the volume named “ neither esotericism nor Buddhism.” Th esoteric truths, presented in Mr. Sinnett’s work, had ceased to be esoteric from the moment they were made public ; nor did it contain the religion of Buddha, but simply a few tenets from a hitherto hidden teaching which are now supplemented by many more, enlarged and explained in the present volumes. But even the latter, though giving out many fundamental tenets ''from the'' {{Style S-Small capitals|Secret Doctrine}} ''of the East,'' raise but a small corner of the dark veil. For no one, not even the greatest living adept, would be permitted to, or could — even if he would — give out promiscuously, to a mocking, unbelieving world, that which has been so effectually concealed from it for long æons and ages. | ||
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<nowiki>*</nowiki> ''Dan,'' now become in modern Chinese and Tibetan phonetics '' | <nowiki>*</nowiki> ''Dan,'' now become in modern Chinese and Tibetan phonetics ''ch’an,'' is the general term for the esoteric schools, and their literature. In the old books, the word ''Janna ''is defined as “ to reform one’s self by meditation and knowledge,” a second ''inner'' birth. Hence Dzan, ''Djan'' phonetically, the “ Book of ''Dzyan''.” | ||
† Mr. Beglor, the chief engineer at Buddhagaya, and a distinguished archæologist, was the first, we believe, to discover it. | † Mr. Beglor, the chief engineer at Buddhagaya, and a distinguished archæologist, was the first, we believe, to discover it. | ||