Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3072296 in Books
• Published on: 1974-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 744 pages

Customer Reviews

A modern presentation of the Secret Doctrine
This is not a book for the fainthearted. The author meant to present the hermetic writings of Mme Blavatsky in a 'modern' way, but the prose is still cloudy and marred by hundreds of references and theosophical/hindu terms. If you have managed to absorb Blavatsky's writings, then you will probably enjoy this book. If you are new to the subject, stay away or you may be put off.

Deep in places, but not inaccessible
G de Purucker was perhaps best known for making available expanded explanations of H.P. Blavatsky's original teachings. Fountain-Source of Occultism is a good general example of his work and covers everything that the man stood for, fundamentally the need for altruism and self-sacrifice coupled with constant aspiration needed to understand the deepest mysteries of life. The first two chapters deal with the ethics and self-discipline required of anyone who wishes to seriously study theosophy or enter the path to spiritual enlightenment. He traces these requirements back to the Mystery Schools and details the explanations why the virtues contained in the Buddhist Eightfold Path and the Paramitas such as Patience, Dispassion, and Charity are such potent weapons in the fight against the lower nature, and the rationale behind the idea that the development of psychic powers should be guarded against. These first two chapters, The Primeval Wisdom-Teaching and Discipline Precedes The Mysteries, were taken to comprise the Theosophical University Press book The Path of Compassion which is a concise summary of the inner preparation than anyone must choose to undergo if they wish to tread the spiritual path, and which must be understood fully before deeper teachings can be grasped and applied properly.
The remaining ten chapters of Fountain-Source covers such a vast range of teachings that I like to think of it as The Secret Doctrine in miniature.....and then some! These are the chapter headings:

I - The Primeval Wisdom-Teaching

II - Discipline Precedes the Mysteries

III - Space and the Doctrine of Maya

IV - Galaxies and Solar Systems: their Genesis, Structure, and Destiny

V - Hierarchies and the Doctrine of Emanations

VI - Invisible Worlds and their Inhabitants

VII - The Doctrine of the Spheres

VIII - Gods - Monads - Life-Atoms

IX - Correlations of Cosmic and Human Constitutions

X - The Hierarchy of Compassion

XI - Death and the Circulations of the Cosmos -- I

XII - Death and the Circulations of the Cosmos -- II

Most of the book is technical theosophy which comprehensively covers topics such as the genesis and nature of galaxies and solar systems, invisible planes and their inhabitants, the sacred planets, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the processes of sleep and death, and heredity. The author is erudite and respectful of his readership, and what comes across throughout is the idea of Oneness or spiritual unity that man posesses.

An appreciation of theosophical, Hindu and Buddhist ideas and terms is advantageous to reading this book. Other theosophical works such as William Q. Judge's The Ocean of Theosophy or Blavatsky's The Key To Theosophy also provide a good background, and Purucker's Occult Glossary is a good companion to this work.

Great Retelling of The Ancient Wisdom
... this book is not aimed at beginners on the path of occultism. Many terms are used which would only be instantly comprehended by those who are already established in Theosophy. Nevertheless, this is an important book, and it achieves the stated aim of being a modern presentation of the concepts made known in Helena Blavatsky's epic work, "The Secret Doctrine". For those who have reached the stage of having partial understanding of Theosophical concepts, but find "The Secret Doctrine" too difficult, then Purucker's work may well be exactly what is needed. Any difficulties with terminology can be overcome by the purchase of one of Purucker's other well known works, "The Occult Glossary", which gives precise definitions, and explanations, of the terms he uses in "Fountain Source of Occultism". I heartily recommend this book to all who are ready for it.