Grondslagen der Esoterische Wijsbegeerte

This first Dutch edition of the Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy contains the report of a series of 48 meetings, where Gottfried de Purucker explains Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's masterpiece The Secret Doctrine to a group of students.
Gottfried de Purucker was born in 1874 in Suffern, New York, and raised in Geneva. He mastered a total of 13 languages, including Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and in later years Sanskrit. During his study of Western and Eastern sacred books in their original language, he soon came to the conclusion that the explanations and commentaries of Church Fathers and later translators were inadequate and often even incorrect. He also discovered that these sacred texts of the various world religions contained the same ancient, universal truths.
When he came across a book on Theosophy, the common core of all religions, he found his own discoveries confirmed. He joined The Theosophical Society, and in 1903 moved to its International Headquarters at Point Loma, California. From 1929 until his death in 1942 he was its Leader.
For many years he lectured all over America and Europe, and at the International Headquarters in Point Loma he conducted studies for a small group of students, in which he illuminated the esoteric side of Theosophy. In this series of 48 studies, which he gave from 1924 to 1927, he gave them a masterful insight into the 3 Fundamental Propositions and the 7 main lines – the 7 Jewels of Wisdom – in The Secret Doctrine.
The method he uses is unique. It is the method of instruction in the ancient Mystery schools. He begins by briefly indicating a certain subject. In a subsequent chapter he treats this subject in more detail, after which he provides the esoteric key to the subject in a later chapter when the preceding thoughts have been understood.
Herein lies the inestimable value of this book, because it provides the basis for growing towards an ever deeper insight into the ancient Esoteric Philosophy or Theosophy, and thus towards an ever deeper realization of inner connectedness and unity with the ALL.

Table of contents:
PART 1
1. The Self: Man's Deepest Link with the Ineffable. The Esoteric Philosophy Taught in All the Ancient Religions

2. Where is Reality? Truth can be known. The composite nature of man according to different systems: threefold, fourfold, fivefold or sevenfold

3. The doctrine of Maya: objective idealism the basis of morality: rooted in the spiritual unity – the divinity – of the All. The Self and the 'selves'

4. From Primordial Point to Universe and Man. How does manifestation begin? Manvantara and Pralaya

5. The Esoteric Teachings and the Nebula Theory. Gods Behind the Cosmos: Why Nature is Imperfect

6. The Dawn of Manifestation: laya-centers. A conscious universe – spiritually conscious. Stoic doctrine of the intermingling of all beings: 'Laws of Nature'. Philosophical Polytheism and the doctrine of Hierarchies

7. 'Hierarchies': one of the lost keys of the Esoteric Philosophy. The Pythagorean sacred Tetractys. The Ladder of Life: the legend of Padmapâni

8. Traces of Esoteric Philosophy in Genesis

9. Sketch of Esoteric Cosmogony. Spheres, Rounds and Races: Cosmic Periods

10. The doctrine of Swabhava – self-realization – characteristic individuality. Man, self-developed, his own creator. Monadology of Leibnitz opposed to the teachings of Esoteric Philosophy

11. The Cosmic Pilgrimage. From Unself-Aware God-Spark to Fully Self-Aware God

12. Psychology, according to the view of Esoteric Philosophy. Immortality is conditional: the loss of the soul

13. The Process of Evolution. Self, Ego and Soul: 'I am' and 'I am I'

14. 'Heavens' and 'Hells': Teachings of the Esoteric Philosophy and of the Exoteric Religions

15. The Evolution of the 'Absolute'. Generalized Plan of Evolution on All Fields. Seven Keys to Wisdom and Future Initiations

16. Âtma-Vidyâ: how the One becomes the Many.
'Lost Souls' and 'Soulless Beings'. Man, a Composite Being: No Permanent Principle in Man

17. The Silent Watcher

18. The Spiritual-Psychological Hierarchy of Adepts. The 'Wonderful Being'. The Buddhas, Nirmânakâyas, Dhyân-Chohans

19. The Seven Jewels and the Seven Steps of Initiation

20. The Higher Aspect of Human Psychology. Initiation and the Mysteries: Avataras, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Their Relation to Spheres, Rounds and Races

21. Initiations and the ancient Mysteries, Root Races and their subdivisions. Globe Rounds. Planetary Rounds. Solar Kalpas: how to calculate them. Catastrophes for the Race

22. The Hierarchy of Compassion. The Incarnation of the Manasaputras

23. The Sun and the Planets: Their Role in the Evolutionary Drama

PART II
24. The Ten Degrees of Being According to the Syrian System. Esoteric Way of Teaching: Paradoxes: Intuition

25. The Mysteries of the Sevenfold Nature. Correspondences: Globes, Elements, Human Principles. The Seven Sacred Planets of the Ancients. Periods and Catastrophes Relating to the Races

26. The microcosm, a reflection of the macrocosm. Elements, principles, manifestations of the one Life. Relativity: a fundamental conception of the Ancient Wisdom

27. The two fundamental Cosmic Hierarchies: Matter and Spirit-Consciousness. Chaos – Theos – Cosmos: Gods – Monads – Atoms

28. The Adventure of an Atom. Laya-Centers: Sun, Comets and Planets: Soul and Monad. The Keynote of Occultism

29. Space: the Boundless All. Filled with interlocking, interpenetrating universes.
One action, one hierarchical intelligence, one developmental course in all of nature: one organism, one universal life

30. The mutual relation of gods, monads, atoms – a key to the theory of evolution. Successive emanations: sheaths. Higher beings emanating and clothing themselves in hosts of lower beings. Morality based on the structure of the universe

31. The Construction of the Cosmos. The same fundamental law in all life and being: an endless ladder of progress.
Analogical processes of cosmic and psychological development.
The river of life

32. From the invisible into the visible.
From the visible into the invisible.
The Magnum Opus

33. The Life Wave and the Seven Elements. The Esoteric Philosophy as Taught by the Stoics

34. The Spaces of Space. The Secret Doctrine, a synthesiser: universal keys. Teachings of 'the Void' and of 'the Fullness' contrasted

35. Occultism and the Mystery Schools. Seven degrees of initiation: man becomes a god. Seven cosmic planes: our planetary chain of seven globes on the four lower planes: the passage of the Life-wave through them

36. Interpenetrating planes of Being. Lokas and Talas: Bipolar cosmic Principles and Elements. The 'Heresy of Separation'

37. The Construction Plan of the Cosmos. Lokas and Talas: Principles and Elements: worlds – not merely states. Space the ultimate reality

38. Degeneration and Closure of the Mystery Schools. Neo-Pythagorean and Neo-Platonic Systems: Main Sources of Christian Theology. Esoteric and Exoteric Teachings: Symbolism

39. Theosophy and Occultism. Occultism: the kernel of truth, reality: a complete whole. Occultism and moral responsibility. Our solar system: a Cosmic Atom: 'Egg of Brahmâ'

40. Definitions of Deity: Atheism: Pantheism.
Is there a supreme personal god? Cosmic architects and builders. To really know one must be

41. The Doctrine of the Spheres. The Universal Solar System and our Solar System. The Seven Sacred Planets: Why 'Sacred'?

42. The Doctrine of the Spheres in its four aspects. The Seven Sacred Planets and their Regents: their relation to our Earth-chain. The Circulations of the Cosmos: Outer Rounds and Inner Rounds: Sishtas.
One Universal Constitution: As Above, So Below. The Doctrine of the 'Eye' and that of the 'Heart'

43. Analogy: The Life of Man and the Life of a Planetary Chain. Occultism and Ethics: “Live the Life, if Thou wouldst know the Doctrine”

44. Principles of Thought and Study: Can Occultism Be Taught? Ancient Astrology a True Science. Our Earth Chain of Spheres, the Seven Sacred Planets, and the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac. Life Atoms: the Building Blocks of the Universe

45. Physiology, Psychology and Pneumatology of the Universe. Ten and Twelve Planes of the Universal Solar System: Intermediate Critical Planes. All Manifested Being a Graduated Continuum of Interrelated and Intertwined Hierarchies: Each with its own Beginning and Ending. Sishtas and the 'Life Surplus'

46. The Life of the Chelas. Seven and Ten Life-Waves: the Course of the Monads around the Seven Globes: Laws of 'Quickening' on the Descending and of 'Retardation' on the Ascending Arc. Fifth and Sixth Rounders. The Sacred 'Word'

47. Teacher and Pupil. Requirements for Chelaship

48. The Heart of the Universe. The way to peace, happiness, understanding is within. The great task: Know Thyself: the whole secret of initiation.
Our Responsibility: Ethical Values and the Laws of the Universe: Harmony

INDEX