We take great pleasure in presenting to the attention of students and investigators of the Secret Doctrines1Secret Doctrines 秘密の教義（ヘルメス主義の秘伝的教えの総体） this little work based upon the world-old Hermetic Teachings. There has been so little written upon this subject, not withstanding the countless references to the Teachings in the many works upon occultism2occultism 神秘学、オカルティズム, that the many earnest searchers after the Arcane3Arcane 秘義の、深遠なる Truths will doubtless welcome the appearance of this present volume.

The purpose of this work is not the enunciation4enunciation 陳述、公式宣言（教義を公式に表明すること） of any special philosophy or doctrine, but rather is to give to the students a statement of the Truth that will serve to reconcile the many bits of occult knowledge that they may have acquired, but which are apparently opposed to each other and which often serve to discourage and disgust the beginner in the study. Our intent is not to erect a new Temple of Knowledge, but rather to place in the hands of the student a Master-Key5Master-Key 万能鍵（すべての神秘学的知識を統合する核心原理の比喩） with which he may open the many inner doors in the Temple of Mystery through the main portals he has already entered.

There is no portion of the occult teachings possessed by the world which have been so closely guarded as the fragments of the Hermetic Teachings which have come down to us over the tens of centuries which have elapsed since the lifetime of its great founder, Hermes Trismegistus6Hermes Trismegistus ヘルメス・トリスメギストス（「三重に偉大なるヘルメス」。古代エジプトの神トートとギリシャの神ヘルメスが融合した神秘的存在）, the “scribe of the gods,” who dwelt in old Egypt in the days when the present race of men was in its infancy. Contemporary with Abraham, and, if the legends be true, an instructor of that venerable7venerable 尊崇すべき、高徳の sage, Hermes was, and is, the Great Central Sun of Occultism, whose rays have served to illumine the countless teachings which have been promulgated8promulgated 伝播された、布告された since his time.

From the land of the Ganges many advanced occultists wandered to the land of Egypt, and sat at the feet of the Master. From him they obtained the Master-Key which explained and reconciled their divergent9divergent 相異なる、分岐する（互いに異なる方向へと分かれていく） views, and thus the Secret Doctrine was firmly established. From other lands also came the learned ones, all of whom regarded Hermes as the Master of Masters, and his influence was so great that in spite of the many wanderings from the path on the part of the centuries of teachers in these different lands, there may still be found a certain basic resemblance and correspondence which underlies the many and often quite divergent theories entertained and taught by the occultists of these different lands today.

The lifework of Hermes seems to have been in the direction of planting the great Seed-Truth which has grown and blossomed in so many strange forms, rather than to establish a school of philosophy which would dominate the world’s thought. But, nevertheless, the original truths taught by him have been kept intact in their original purity by a few men each age, who, refusing great numbers of half-developed students and followers, followed the Hermetic custom and reserved their truth for the few who were ready to comprehend and master it. From lip to ear the truth has been handed down among the few. There have always been a few Initiates10Initiates 入門者たち（ヘルメスの秘伝を授けられた者たち） in each generation, in the various lands of the earth, who kept alive the sacred flame of the Hermetic Teachings.

These men have never sought popular approval, nor numbers of followers. They reserve their pearls of wisdom for the few elect, who recognize their value. But still these men have never forgotten or overlooked the original teachings of Hermes, regarding the passing on of the words of truth to those ready to receive it, which teaching is stated in The Kybalion as follows:

But their customary attitude has always been strictly in accordance with the other Hermetic aphorism11aphorism 格言、箴言（簡潔に表現された真理の言葉）, also in The Kybalion:

There are those who have criticized this attitude of the Hermetists, and who have claimed that they did not manifest the proper spirit in their policy of seclusion12seclusion 隠遁、隔絶（外部との断絶） and reticence13reticence 寡黙、言葉を慎むこと. But a moment’s glance back over the pages of history will show the wisdom of the Masters, who knew the folly of attempting to teach to the world that which it was neither ready or willing to receive. The Hermetists have never sought to be martyrs14martyrs 殉教者（信じる真理のために命を捧げた者）, and have, instead, sat silently aside with a pitying smile on their closed lips.

And the spirit of persecution has not as yet died out in the land. There are certain Hermetic Teachings, which, if publicly promulgated, would bring down upon the teachers a great cry of scorn and revilement15revilement 罵倒、誹謗、中傷 from the multitude, who would again raise the cry of “Crucify! Crucify.”

In this little work we have endeavored to give you an idea of the fundamental teachings of The Kybalion, striving to give you the working Principles, leaving you to apply them yourselves, rather than attempting to work out the teaching in detail. If you are a true student, you will be able to work out and apply these Principles—if not, then you must develop yourself into one, for otherwise the Hermetic Teachings will be as “words, words, words” to you.