The Secret Doctrine, Vol. 1 of 4: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and PhilosophyBlavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna)
Religion
The Secret Doctrine, Vol. 1 of 4: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy
Blavatsky, H. P. (Helena Petrovna)
Theosophy
The writer hopes that, however superficially the comments on the Seven
Stanzas may have been handled, enough has been given, in this cosmogonic
portion of the work, to show the archaic teachings to be on their very
face more _scientific_ (in the modern sense of the word) than any other
ancient Scriptures left to be judged on their exoteric aspect. Since,
however, as before confessed, this work _withholds far more than it gives
out_, the student is invited to use his own intuitions. Our chief care is
to elucidate that which has already been given out, and, to our regret,
very incorrectly at times; to supplement the knowledge hinted at—whenever
and wherever possible—by additional matter; and to bulwark our doctrines
against the too strong attacks of modern Sectarianism, and more especially
against those of our latter‐day Materialism, very often miscalled Science,
whereas, in reality, the words “Scientists” and “Sciolists” ought alone to
bear the responsibility for the many illogical theories offered to the
world. In its great ignorance, the public, while blindly accepting
everything that emanates from “authorities,” and feeling it to be its duty
to regard every _dictum_ coming from a man of Science as a proven fact—the
public, we say, is taught to scoff at anything brought forward from
“heathen” sources. Therefore, as materialistic Scientists can be fought
solely with their own weapons—those of controversy and argument—an
Addendum is added to each Volume contrasting the respective views, and
showing how even great authorities may often err. We believe that this can
be done effectually, by showing the weak points of our opponents, and by
proving their too frequent sophisms, which are made to pass for scientific
_dicta_, to be incorrect. We hold to Hermes and his “Wisdom,” in its
universal character; they—to Aristotle, as against intuition and the
experience of the Ages, fancying that Truth is the exclusive property of
the Western world. Hence the disagreement. As Hermes says: “Knowledge
differs much from sense; for sense is of things that surmount it, but
Knowledge is the end of sense”—_i.e._, of the illusion of our physical
brain and its intellect; thus emphasizing the contrast between the
laboriously acquired knowledge of the senses and Mind (Manas), and the
intuitive omniscience of the Spiritual Divine Soul (Buddhi).
Whatever may be the destiny of these actual writings in a remote future,
we hope to have so far proven the following facts:
(1) The Secret Doctrine teaches no Atheism, except in the sense underlying
the Sanskrit word Nâstika, a rejection of idols, including every
anthropomorphic God. In this sense every Occultist is a Nâstika.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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