The Secret Doctrine · 66 of 137

Volume II — Anthropogenesis: Part II. The Archaic Symbolism of the World‐Religions

The narratives of the Doctrine are its cloak. The simple look only at the garment—that is, upon the narrative of the Doctrine; more they know not. The instructed, however, see not merely the cloak, but what the cloak covers.—Zohar (iii. 152; FRANCK, 119).

Context

Part II of Volume II, on archaic symbolism, marks a structural shift from the Stanzas-and-commentary mode of Part I to a more discursive engagement with comparative religion and biblical exegesis. The next twelve chapters (67 through 78) work through Genesis, Kabbalah, Greek myth, the Book of Enoch, the IAO mystery-name, the Cross, and the Hebdomad, all read through the same comparative lens. Read this Part as Blavatsky’s attempt to show that the hidden anthropogony the Stanzas teach is the same anthropogony partially preserved in every tradition that takes the question of human origins seriously - and that the apparent differences are mostly the result of forgotten symbolism, dead-letter literalism, and lost initiation chains. You can disagree with the conclusion while still seeing what an extraordinary cross-traditional reading is being attempted.

The Mysteries of the Faith (are) not to be divulged to all.... It is requisite to hide in a mystery the wisdom spoken.—Stromateis (12; CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS).