After a slight effervescence because of a Joaquim Soares post (by the way he is gone, I hope he was not banned, that would mean that this network does not know how to deal with different opinions) and although we were informed of a "shift of focus" I bring here a passage of Barborka's "Secret Doctrine, Questions and Answers" (p.3). I hope it can be useful, at least it can help to think twice before saying: "Hey, I found an error!"

"Question: In your opinion, what should be a student's attitude when he runs across seeming discrepancies in "The Secret Doctrine?"

Answer: I am grateful for the opportunity of answering this question and I should like to respond in the manner of a "person to person call", indicating seven steps of procedure.

1. Do not be in a hurry about formulating your opinion. You will fashion a mental block if you do so. Therefore, wait!

2. Get a sheet of paper. Draw a line down the middle of the sheet. Copy out by hand all the pros on the left-hand side, and all the cons on the right-hand side. (There is an occult process involved in copying difficult passages by hand).

3. Look up in the Secret Doctrine all the passages you can find upon the "seeming discrepancies". Do not be satisfied with one or two references. Copy these out by hand, too.

4. Place all references in a prominent position on your table, but stiil do not formulate an opinion.

5. Now look up a subject directly opposite to the one you are in doubt about. For instance, if you are in doubt about Prakriti look up Purusha. If you are in doubt about Love, look up Hate. Or, look up any other subject. You will be surprised what you will discover when searching for some other topic than the one you really want. Try this out!

6. Read over all your references every day for one week. But do not formulate an opinion.

7. Allow a fortnight to go by without thinking about the seeming discrepancies.

After 2 weeks' time see if you do not have some new ideas upon the subject. Remember: the esoteric doctrine had more than one key for reading its lines: "it was interpreted and its mysteries unlocked...with seven, not two, or at the utmost, three keys." (SD II, 632) And "as there are 7 keys of interpretation to every symbol and allegory, that which may not fit a meaning, say from the psychological or astronomical aspect, will be found quite correct from the physical or metaphysical." (II,22) "