The Essential Works of Helena Blavatsky
Isis Unveiled · The Secret Doctrine · The Key to Theosophy · The Voice of the Silence · Studies in Occultism · From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan · Nightmare Tales
El volumen no es una obra: es una compilación editorial de 2019 que reúne siete títulos de Helena Blavatsky escritos entre 1877 y 1892. La portada anuncia seis —«Isis Unveiled, The Secret Doctrine, The Key to Theosophy, The Voice of the Silence, Studies in Occultism, Nightmare Tales»— «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 2», pero el índice de la página siguiente añade un séptimo, «From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan», y desglosa dos volúmenes de la primera y tres de la segunda «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 4».
Las dos grandes ocupan casi todo el volumen y no dicen lo mismo. *Isis Unveiled* se presenta como «the fruit of a somewhat intimate acquaintance with Eastern adepts and study of their science» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 8» y va dedicada a la Sociedad Teosófica, «organized at New York in 1875» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 44». *The Secret Doctrine*, once años después, declara que iba a ser una versión corregida y ampliada de aquella y que dejó de serlo «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 1290», e introduce lo que en *Isis* no estaba: el *Book of Dzyan*, las Estancias y la lengua senzar «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · pp. 1291, 1317».
La procedencia declarada es el eje de todo. Blavatsky niega estar revelando —«These truths are in no sense put forward as a revelation» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 1290»— y a la vez sitúa el origen fuera de sí: la obra es «a partial statement of what she herself has been taught by more advanced students» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 1291», las Estancias vienen de un libro «utterly unknown to our Philologists» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 1298», y *The Voice of the Silence* se imprime como traducción de memoria de «The Book of the Golden Precepts» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 3814». *The Key to Theosophy* dedica un capítulo entero a los Maestros y los describe como «living men, born as we are born, and doomed to die like every other mortal» «Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · p. 3792». Nada de eso se resuelve aquí: queda consignado con su página.
65 afirmaciones · 1 fuente · 3 atribuciones
Atribución
se consigna, jamás se afirma«Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · pp. 2, 1292, 3544»
«Blavatsky — Essential Works (siete obras reunidas, 1877–1892) · pp. 3793, 3801»
«Davies — Grimoires (2009) · p. 188»
Cadena de la obra
el testimonio procesado, en esmeraldaAfirmaciones
65 entradas — la voz de la obra, con su locator«The work now submitted to public judgment is the fruit of a somewhat intimate acquaintance with Eastern adepts and study of their science.» — primera frase del prefacio de *Isis Unveiled*.
«We believe in no Magic which transcends the scope and capacity of the human mind, nor in "miracle," whether divine or diabolical, if such imply a transgression of the laws of nature instituted from all eternity.» — el prefacio acota qué entiende por magia.
«It was while most anxious to solve these perplexing problems that we came into contact with certain men, endowed with such mysterious powers and such profound knowledge that we may truly designate them as the sages of the Orient.» — la fuente declarada de *Isis Unveiled*, en primera persona del plural.
«The Theosophical Society, to which these volumes are dedicated by the author as a mark of affectionate regard, was organized at New York in 1875.» — la dedicatoria, con la fecha y el lugar de fundación.
«Tradition declares that on the dead body of Hermes, at Hebron, was found by an Isarim, an initiate, the tablet known as the Smaragdine.» — la leyenda de hallazgo de la Tabla de Esmeralda, presentada como tradición.
«Separate the earth from the fire, the subtile from the gross. . . . What I had to say about the operation of the sun is completed» — cita del Smaragdine Tablet dentro del texto de *Isis Unveiled*.
«the astral or sidereal light as explained by the alchemists and Eliphas Levi, in his Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie» — Añade que bajo el nombre de AKASA esa misma fuerza era conocida por los adeptos de todos los países.
«The Abbe Tritheim, the famous author of Steganographie, who lived in the seventeenth century, could converse with his friends by the mere power of his will.» — grafía y siglo tal cual: ver Notas de carga.
«We refer the reader to the Kabbala Denudata of Henry Khunrath» — la adjudicación de la obra, tal como la imprime *Isis Unveiled*.
«the famous John Reuchlin, author of the Mirific Word and friend of Pico di Mirandola, the teacher and instructor of Erasmus, Luther, and Melancthon, was a kabalist and occultist» — la obra de Reuchlin que nombra es *el Mirific Word*, no *De arte cabalistica*.
«Trithemius, Abbott of the Spanheim Benedictines, was the teacher, friend, and confidant of Cornelius Agrippa» — la relación va en ese sentido y se repite igual en la *Secret Doctrine*.
«Anima Mundi, and the Astral Light of the theurgists and kabalists» — identifica el alma del mundo de los neoplatónicos con la luz astral.
«As originally announced, it was intended that The Secret Doctrine should be an amended and enlarged version of Isis Unveiled.» — En la misma página declara que el plan cambió.
«These truths are in no sense put forward as a revelation; nor does the author claim the position of a revealer of mystic lore» — la obra declina el estatuto de revelación.
«For this work is a partial statement of what she herself has been taught by more advanced students, supplemented, in a few details only, by the results of her own study and observation.» — la fórmula exacta de la procedencia.
«It is more than probable that the book will be regarded by a large section of the public as a romance of the wildest kind; for who has ever even heard of the Book of Dzyan?» — la propia obra anticipa la objeción.
«The Book of Dzyan (or Dzan) is utterly unknown to our Philologists, or at any rate was never heard of by them under its present name.» — la fuente declarada se declara también inverificable por la filología.
«The members of several esoteric schools—the seat of which is beyond the Himâlayas, and whose ramifications may be found in China, Japan, India, Tibet, and even in Syria, and also South America—claim to have in their possession the sum total of sacred and philosophical works in MSS. and print» — el reclamo va en boca de las escuelas, no en la suya.
«This first instalment of the esoteric doctrines is based upon Stanzas, which are the records of a people unknown to ethnology.» — Añade que están escritas en una lengua ausente de la nomenclatura de la filología.
«So very old that our modern antiquarians might ponder over its pages an indefinite time» — se cita a sí misma: es el «old book» con que abría *Isis Unveiled*, del que dice que se compiló el Siprah Dzeniouta.
«for there was a time when its language (the Senzar) was known to the Initiates of every nation» — el senzar, dictado por Seres Divinos a los Hijos de la Luz en Asia Central.
«The Secret Doctrine then, establishes three fundamental propositions» — La primera es «An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless and Immutable Principle, on which all speculation is impossible».
«This Be-ness is symbolized in the Secret Doctrine under two aspects.» — Espacio abstracto absoluto y Movimiento abstracto absoluto, este último llamado el Gran Aliento.
«The Eternity of the Universe in toto as a boundless plane» — segunda proposición: la universalidad absoluta de la ley de periodicidad.
«The fundamental identity of all Souls with the Universal Over-Soul, the latter being itself an aspect of the Unknown Root» — tercera proposición, con la peregrinación obligatoria de cada alma por el ciclo de encarnación.
«Extracts are given from the Chinese, Tibetan and Sanskrit translations of the original Senzar Commentaries and Glosses on the Book of Dzyan—now rendered for the first time into a European language.» — declara la primicia de la traducción.
«The reader who is not a Theosophist, is once more invited to regard all that follows as a fairy tale, if he likes» — la obra ofrece ella misma esa salida al lector.
«The Eternal Parent, wrapped in her Ever-Invisible Robes, had slumbered once again for Seven Eternities.» — primer shloka de la Estancia I, impresa como texto del Book of Dzyan.
«Darkness alone was Father-Mother, Svabhâvat; and Svabhâvat was in Darkness.» — Estancia II, shloka 5.
«Thus were the germs of the White and the Black Magic sown in those days.» — atribuido al Comentario, y situado en la cuarta raza atlante.
«Hermes was a generic nom de plume used by a series of generations of Mystics of every shade» — la obra declara pseudoepígrafe al corpus hermético que ella misma cita.
«I, who wrote Isis Unveiled, maintain that the Atlanteans are mentioned as our predecessors» — responde a la objeción de que los atlantes no figuran en su libro anterior.
«In the Smaragdine Tablet of Hermes, the uplifted right hand is inscribed with the word “Solve,” the left with the word “Coagula.”» — Lo llama signo alquímico, cosmogónico, antropológico y mágico a la vez, con siete claves.
«Hence in the Smaragdine Tablet, disfigured by Christian hands» — adjudica a manos cristianas la alteración del texto que cita a continuación.
«Isarim, an Initiate, is said to have found at Hebron, on the dead body of Hermes, the well known Smaragdine Tablet» — la misma leyenda de *Isis Unveiled*, repetida once años después.
«In the Sepher Jetzirah it is stated that: “God engraved in the Holy Four the Throne of his Glory, the Auphanim [the Wheels or World-Spheres], the Seraphim, and the Sacred Animals, as Ministering Angels» — cita del Sepher Jetzirah dentro del comentario a las Estancias.
«the work attributed by the Hebrew Kabalists to their Patriarch Abraham (!)» — consigna la atribución del Sepher Jetzirah y le pone el signo de admiración.
«It is incorrect to think that there exists any special “powder of projection” or “philosopher's stone,” or “elixir of life.”» — Añade que el elixir «lurks in every flower, in every stone and mineral throughout the globe».
«It is not a complete or exhaustive text-book of Theosophy, but only a key to unlock the door that leads to the deeper study.» — el prefacio declara el alcance del libro.
«The name Theosophy dates from the third century of our era, and began with Ammonius Saccas and his disciples, who started the Eclectic Theosophical system.» — la genealogía declarada del término.
«Hence the motto adopted by the Theosophical Society: “There is no religion higher than truth.”» — el lema, que la *Secret Doctrine* imprime también en sánscrito.
«All the old worships indicate the existence of a single Theosophy anterior to them. The key that is to open one must open all; otherwise it cannot be the right key.» — citado por la obra como de *Eclect. Philo.*.
«Its creed is Loyalty to Truth, and its ritual ‘To honour every truth by use.’» — la obra niega a la teosofía credo y ritual en el sentido corriente.
«To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, colour, or creed.» — el primero de los tres objetos declarados de la Sociedad.
«I have heard many Theosophists speak of a “power behind the Society” and of certain “Mahatmas,” mentioned also in Mr. Sinnett’s works, that are said to have founded the Society, to watch over and protect it.» — la objeción va puesta en boca del interlocutor ficticio del diálogo; la respuesta es «You may laugh, but it is so.»
«In the first place they are living men, born as we are born, and doomed to die like every other mortal.» — niega que los Maestros sean espíritus o seres sobrenaturales.
«They are men of great learning, whom we term Initiates, and still greater holiness of life.» — Añade que se aíslan solo de Occidente.
«The powers which they exercise are simply the development of potencies lying latent in every man and woman» — declina el marco de lo sobrenatural también para ellos.
«There are passages entirely dictated by them and verbatim, but in most cases they only inspire the ideas and leave the literary form to the writers.» — la fórmula exacta con que la obra gradúa el dictado.
«The Masters do not guide the Society, not even the Founders; and no one has ever asserted that they did: they only watch over and protect it.» — acota el alcance de la tutela declarada.
«she says expressly in the PREFACE that she gives out the doctrines that she has learnt from the Masters, but claims no inspiration whatever for what she has lately written» — la obra se remite a su propio prefacio de la *Secret Doctrine*.
«all Theosophical books must be accepted on their merits, and not according to any claim to authority which they may put forward» — regla de recepción que la obra se aplica a sí misma.
«In 1879, the headquarters of the T.S. were transferred from New York to Bombay, India, and then permanently to Madras.» — cronología de la Sociedad dada por la propia obra.
«I may now draw your attention to a paragraph from Isis Unveiled, written in 1875.» — data así la escritura de su primera obra.
«THE following pages are derived from "The Book of the Golden Precepts," one of the works put into the hands of mystic students in the East.» — apertura del prefacio: la obra se declara derivada, no original.
«The work from which I here translate forms part of the same series as that from which the "Stanzas" of the Book of Dzyan were taken, on which the Secret Doctrine is based.» — enlaza las dos fuentes declaradas en una sola serie.
«The original Precepts are engraved on thin oblongs [squares] ; copies very often on discs.» — descripción material del soporte declarado, conservado en altares de templos de escuelas mahayana.
«The Book of the Golden Precepts—some of which are pre-Buddhistic while others belong to a later date—contains about ninety distinct little treatises. Of these I learnt thirty-nine by heart, years ago.» — cifra la parte memorizada y por tanto el alcance de la traducción.
«The Mind is the great Slayer of the Real. Let the Disciple slay the Slayer.» — Fragmento I.
«Compassion is no attribute. It is the LAW of LAWS — eternal Harmony, Alaya's SELF» — Fragmento III, el precepto que cierra los Siete Portales.
«Occultism is not magic, though magic is one of its tools.» — epígrafe del volumen, con su procedencia impresa al pie.
«Neither is occultism the pursuit of happiness, as men understand the word; for the first step is sacrifice, the second, renunciation.» — misma página, mismo epígrafe.
«Occultism is the science of life, the art of living.—Lucifer, Vol. I, p. 7.» — el propio texto declara que procede de la revista *Lucifer*.
«This last word is certainly misleading, translated as it stands from the compound word Guptâ-Vidyâ, "Secret Knowledge."» — Distingue cuatro Vidyâs de las que solo la última, Âtmâ-Vidyâ, es ocultismo verdadero.
«true Occultism or Theosophy is the "Great Renunciation of self," unconditionally and absolutely, in thought as in action» — la condición que la obra pone al aspirante.
Sobre la obra
14 entradas — lo que el aparato y la investigación dicen de ella«Isis Unveiled, The Secret Doctrine, The Key to Theosophy, The Voice of the Silence, Studies in Occultism, Nightmare Tales» — la portada del editor enumera SEIS obras; el índice de la página siguiente enumera siete.
El pie de imprenta trae «2019 OK Publishing», el ISBN «405-76-641-1133-3» y la dirección `musaicumbooks@okpublishing.info`; el nombre del sello queda partido en la capa de texto y se lee solo «Published by / Books».
La página siguiente a la portada es publicidad del editor —«Reading suggestions»— y ofrece a Thomas Troward y a William Walker Atkinson: es matter comercial, no aparato crítico.
«You must remember, said Mme. Blavatsky, that I never meant this for a scientific work.» — el prefacio del traductor de *From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan* abre citando a la autora.
«l would rather claim kindly judgment for it, as a romance of travel, than incur the critical risks that haunt an avowedly serious work.» — la misma cita; la «l» minúscula por «I» es de la capa de texto y va sin corregir.
«Mme. Blavatsky's manuscript was often incorrect; often obscure.» — el traductor, sobre el original ruso publicado en el *Russki Vyestnik* durante 1879 y 1880.
«The proof-sheets were never corrected by the author, who was then in India; and, in consequence, it has been impossible to restore all the local and personal names to their proper form.» — el aparato declara corruptos los nombres propios de esa obra.
«Papers I. II. III. of the following were written by H. P. B. and were circulated privately during her lifetime, but they were written with the idea that they would be published after a time.» — nota firmada «Annie Besant» al frente de los papeles sobre filosofía oculta y vida.
«There is a gap in H. P. B.'s MS., and the paragraph in brackets supplies what was missing.—A. B.]» — nota editorial dentro del aparato de notas del tercer volumen de la *Secret Doctrine*.
«H. P. B. charged me to correct the mistake, as she had, in a careless moment, copied such a statement elsewhere.—A. B.]» — la editora declara haber corregido a la autora por encargo de ella.
«The MS. is exceedingly confused, and everything H. P. B. said is here pieced together, the addition above made being marked in brackets to distinguish it from hers.—A. B.]» — declaración de método editorial sobre el manuscrito póstumo.
«The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875, was the most inXuential occult movement to form out of the spiritualist social ether.» — Davies, con la «X» por «fl» que arrastra el OCR de esa fuente.
«there, she claimed, resided the mahatmas or ancient holy men, adepts in the mysteries of the world, with whom she maintained a direct psychic contact. It was they who dictated to her the founding text of Theosophy, Isis Unveiled.» — Davies adjudica el dictado a *Isis Unveiled*; la obra misma lo adjudica a la doctrina de la *Secret Doctrine*. Ver Notas.
«In her early career as a seeker of secret universal wisdom Blavatsky had been much inXuenced by Rosicrucianism and Kabbal» — la frase se corta en el troceo de esa fuente.
Conceptos tratados
Ocultismo (occultisme) — Lo define contra la magia y contra la adquisición de poderes: es «the science of life, the art of living», y su primer paso es el sacrificio.
Prisca theologia (la teología antiquísima) — «All the old worships indicate the existence of a single Theosophy anterior to them»: los cultos antiguos son ramas de una doctrina madre única.
Philosophia perennis (filosofía perenne) — La *Secret Doctrine* no pertenece exclusivamente a ninguna religión: es «the essence of all these», y las religiones brotaron de ella.
Microcosmos (el hombre-mundo) — En la Tabla Esmeralda lee al hombre como eslabón entre cielo y tierra, con la mano derecha alzada y la izquierda apuntando a la tierra.
Anima mundi (alma del mundo) — Identifica el alma del mundo con la luz astral de teúrgos y kabalistas, y ambas con el Âkâsha.
Piedra filosofal (lapis philosophorum) — Niega que exista una piedra filosofal o un elixir particular: el elixir «lurks in every flower, in every stone and mineral throughout the globe».
Magia natural (magia naturalis) — Rechaza toda magia que transgreda las leyes de la naturaleza, y con ella el «miracle» divino o diabólico.
Sefirot (las diez numeraciones) — Lee el Sepher Jetzirah junto a las Estancias y hace de los Sephiroth el Adam Kadmon colectivo, el Hombre Celeste o Logos.