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Theos-World RE: [bn-sd] RE: How do we group study the SD?

Aug 24, 2000 10:29 AM
by dalval


Aug 24 2000

Dear Tony:

That English was chosen (at a time when French was the most
cosmopolitan language) for the phrasing of Theosophical teachings
may be because the Mahatmas were aware that English as a language
would be in the widest use.

It is also said (by HPB) that perhaps the SD was issued a century
too early.  However its wide-spread study, today and in the past
century may bear the fruit of some acceleration of its
transmission of those ethical and moral doctrines so essential to
the understanding of the actual brotherhood of all beings
(Monads) including men and nations, that will now gradually come
about (I hope).

English is the language today, that is most widely used in
science, psychology, and internationalism in both politics and
business.

"The language of the age" is not necessarily the "idioms" or
colloquialisms of this passing era.  A TEXT-BOOK (for the 20/21st
Century ?) would be written in a language that all sincere
readers can understand.  This is as I see it.

Best wishes,

Dal

D. T. B.


========================================
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2000 4:13 AM
To:
Subject: [bn-sd] RE: How do we group study the SD?


        * * * the language of the age * * *

How peaceful it is on this list.

So far, I have been unable to find where HPB uses this expression
(the
language of the age).   It would be helpful to see in what
context HPB is
using it if anyone can supply a reference, or references.  It was
Leon I
think who first mentioned it.

As far as any memories go, the expression was referring to the
English
language, and that was why the SD, etc. were written in English.
In a sense
English still is the language (poor for metaphysical subjects) of
the age,
although not the most widely spoken.

When we are explaining theosophy and theosophical principles to
those new to
Theosophy, we may try and explain it in plain and simple
language.  But is
this the real point?

It is what so many have attempted to do in the vast theosophical
literature
that has been produced since HPB's death, and none, it seems have
been able
to "capture" the spirit of things in the way that HPB and the
Master's were
able.

"the language of the age,"  may in addition, to the other
appraisals given,
mean it is for each of us to put ourselves into "the language of
the age" in
which events referred to in the SD, etc. took place.  So rather
than
translating them into the language of today (this present age),
we need to
be able to put ourselves into the mind and thought ("language")
of that age.
In the quote given below, 5 different modes of thought are
referred to.

"There is no purely mythical element in any of the ancient
religious texts;
but the mode of thought in which they were originally written has
to be
found out and closely adhered to during the process of
interpretation. For,
it is either symbolical (archaic mode of thought), emblematical
(a later
though very ancient mode of thought), parabolical (allegory),
hieroglyphical, or again logo-grammical -- the most difficult
method of all,
as every letter, as in the Chinese language, represents a whole
word." (SD,
vol 2, page 335).

Tony



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