The Debate about Esoterism in Buddhism and Theosophy

The claim to have finally revealed the genuine wisdom, hidden for centuries in institutional religion, should not be considered a historical claim, but as a mythical expression of an urgent need. Olcott and Blavatsky fulfilled that need by "telepatic" contact with supposed Tibetan wisdom teachers. The eminent Sanskritisch Max Müller failed to recognize the mythical layer and understandably challenged the historical claim. A similar mythical pattern may be detected in gnostic and hermetic circles claiming to have acces to the genuine teaching of Jesus.