Page 39 (part 6)

It is itself subordinate to, and emanates from the ever-invisible, eternal and Absolute O NE L IFE in a descending and a re-ascending scale of hierarchic degrees -- a true septenary ladder, with S OUND (or the Logos) at the upper end and the Vidyadharas* (the inferior Pitris) at the lower. [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * In a recent work on the Symbolism in Buddhism and Christianity (in Buddhism and Roman Catholicism, rather, many later rituals and dogmas in Northern Buddhism in its popular exoteric form , being identical with those of the Latin Church) some curious facts are to be found. The author of this volume, with more pretensions than erudition, has indiscriminately crammed into his work ancient and modern Buddhist teachings, and sorely confused Lamaism with Buddhism. On page 404 of this volume, called " Buddhism in Christendom , or Jesus the Essene ," our pseudo - Orientalist devotes himself to criticizing the "Seven Principles" of the Esoteric Buddhists, and attempts to ridicule them. On page 405, the closing page, he speaks enthusiastically of the Vidyadharas , "the seven great legions of dead men made wise." Now, these "Vidyadharas," whom some Orientalists call "demi-gods," are in fact, exoterically, a kind of Siddhas, "affluent in devotion," and, esoterically , they are identical with the seven classes of Pitris, one class of which endow man in the Third Race with Self-Consciousness by incarnating in the human shells. The "Hymn to the Sun," at the end of his queer volume of mosaic, which endows Buddhism with a personal god (!!), is an unfortunate thrust at the very proofs so elaborately collected by the unlucky author. Theosophists are fully aware that Mr. Rhys Davids has expressed his opinion on their beliefs likewise. He said that the theories propounded by the author of Esoteric Buddhism "were not Buddhism, and were not Esoteric." The remark is the result of ( a ) the unfortunate mistake of writing "Buddhism" instead of "Budhaism," or Budhism , i.e. , of connecting the system with Gautama's religion instead of with the Secret Wisdom taught by Krishna, Sankaracharya, and by many others, as much as by Buddha; and ( b ) of the impossibility of Mr. Rhys Davids knowing anything of true esoteric teachings. But he is, at all events, the greatest Pali and Buddhist scholar of the day, and whatever he may say is entitled to respectful hearing. But when one who knows no more of exoteric Buddhism on scientific and materialistic lines, than he knows of esoteric philosophy, defames those whom he honours with his spite, and assumes with the Theosophists the airs of a profound scholar, one can only smile and -- heartily laugh at him. [[Vol. 1, Page]] 540 THE SECRET DOCTRINE. Of course, the Occultists are fully aware of the fact that the Vitalist "fallacy," so derided by Vogt and Huxley, is, nevertheless, still countenanced in very high scientific quarters, and, therefore, they are happy to feel that they do not stand alone. Thus, Professor de Quatrefages writes: -- "It is very true we do not know what life is; but no more do we know what the force is that set the stars in motion. . . . . Living beings are heavy, and therefore subject to gravitation; they are the seat of numerous and various physico-chemical phenomena which are indispensable to their existence, and which must be referred to the action of etherodynamy (electricity, heat, etc.). But these phenomena are here manifested under the influence of another force . . . . . Life is not antagonistic to the inanimate forces, but it governs and rules their action by its laws."* -------------- [[This page continued in next section]] [[Footnote(s)]] ------------------------------------------------- * " The Human Species ," p. 11.