Now comes a book which claims to give us the key of the whole problem of
human destiny--a book containing some assertions regarding occult
science, belief in which must remain suspended in our minds, and some
points in cosmogony which conflict with our Christian convictions--yet a
book making statements about human history which, though in the highest
degree startling, are not contradicted by anything we know of the past,
but are rather an explanation of some of its dark passages--a book
developing a system of human growth which cannot be disproved and which
makes plain some of the riddles of destiny.

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the book is its tremendous
assumption. "All that have hitherto written on this subject have been
only half-taught. They have not been admitted to the real inner
doctrine. Here is the first putting-forth, to the world, of the real
teaching, as the Buddhists present it to those who have been initiated
into occult science." Such is, in substance, the author's claim. We may
believe just as much of this as we can. I, for my part, knowing nothing
about the matter, choose, just now, and for our purpose, to assume that
the doctrines of Esoteric Buddhism are what Sinnett says they are,
because they suggest to my mind so many attractive avenues for my
imagination to wander in.

There are two main points in this book which give it its chief interest:
(1) "The past history of the human race as now living on this planet;"
and (2) "The manner in which, and the circumstances under which, any
individual man works out his own salvation." But before entering upon
these, we should say a word about the Buddhist statements regarding the
nature of man.

Seven is the sacred number in the Buddhist system. As there are seven