IDEAS COMMON TO DAVID-NEEL AND HUBBARD: As with Scientology, the Tibetans believe that they can escape the "wheel of rebirth", and the outcome of their previous actions (karma-vipaka, called the "overt-motivator sequence" in Scientology), by applying a set of techniques ("he may cause himself to be reborn in the most agreeable conditions possible" (66)). To quote from Hubbard "Not the least of the qualities of O.T. is personal and knowing immortality and freedom from the cycle of birth and death" (Auditor 19). The "cycle of birth and death" is a Buddhist concept, more usually expressed as the "cycle of death and rebirth" or the "wheel of suffering".
Hubbard claimed to differ from earlier researchers in defining the "spirit" as the "I" ("Basic Dictionary of Dianetics and Scientology", definition of "thetan", "Dianetics & Scientology Technical Dictionary", definition of "theta being"). However, David-Neel has "What is this 'that' which continues its way after the body has become a corpse? It is a special 'consciousness' among the several distinguished by Lamaists. The 'consciousness' of the 'I', or according to another definition 'the will to live'" (67).
The popular Tibetan idea of the "spirit" is much the same as Scientology's "thetan", both seem to derive from the Hindu "jiva" doctrine: "the large majority of unlearned Buddhists have lapsed into the old Indian doctrine which represents the jiva (self) periodically 'changing his worn-out body for a new one, as we cast away a worn-out garment to clothe ourself in a new.'" (68). David-Neel elsewhere quotes from the Hindu Bhagavad Gita: "Just as a man puts off his old clothing to put on new, so also 'that which is incarnated' (dehi) puts off his old bodies to assume new ones." (69).
The ultimate goal of Scientology is the ability of the "spirit", "self" or "thetan" to leave the body and travel at will with "full perception" ("Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary", definition of "exteriorization"). This goal is found in many magical systems. In Tibet those who supposedly have this ability are called delogs. The Tibetans believe in an "ethereal double" capable of what is elsewhere called "astral travel": "During life, in a normal state, this 'double' is closely united to the body. Nevertheless, certain circumstances may cause their separation. The 'double' can, then, leave the material body and show itself in different places; or being itself invisible, it can accomplish various peregrinations ... Tibetans say that those who have trained themselves for the purpose can effect it at will." (70).
Hubbard told his followers of the "between-lives area", where they supposedly go between incarnations ("Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary", definition "between-lives area"). This is the bardo of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Three levels of Hubbard's "bridge" relate to "implants". In the early 1960s, in the foreword to a book written by his then-follower Charles Berner, Hubbard admitted: "The more experienced auditor [Scientology practitioner] would recognise the Between Lives aspect and implants..." (71).
A fundamental aspect of Scientology is the belief that the human being is a composite of "entities" (72) or beings ("thetans" or "body thetans"). "by BODY THETAN is meant a thetan who is stuck to another thetan or body but is not in control." (73) and "What you see as a human being, a person, is not a single unit being ... It is the aggregate of all these factors which you address when you seek to guide or handle the usual human being ... When you are handling a human being, you are handling a composite." (74). Most of Scientology's esoteric teachings deal with supposed indwelling spirits, or demon possession in Christian terms. This belief in indwelling spirits has an origin with the Tibetans: "Animals have several 'consciousnesses', just as we have ourselves, and as it also happens in our case, these 'consciousnesses' do not all follow the same road after death. A living being is an assemblage, not a unity." (75). "Sustained attention, perspicacious investigation will show us that we are not a unit but a plurality, that we shelter, temporarily, guests of varying origins, come from all points of the universe and as the lengthy consequences of intermingled causes and effects ... the Buddhist is exhorted to discern the nature of the elements which make up what he calls his 'self'. He is encouraged to follow up, as far as possible, the line of causes and effects which have contributed to the constitution of these elements and have led to their momentary union. Buddhists are recommended to watch, with sustained attention, the behaviour of these diverse elements ... In truth each supposed ego is a meeting-place where jostles about a crowd that comes and goes continually by many roads, for members of this crowd are constantly on the move to join other crowds at other meeting-places of universal life" (76). The Tibetans call these indwelling spirits or demons "gDons" (77).
Tibetans also use visualization techniques (also called "guided fantasy" or "induced positive hallucination") which Hubbard called "creative processing" during his Philadelphia Doctorate Course in 1952 (78).
In the original "Operating Thetan section VII course", Scientologists were given exercises which would supposedly lead to the ability to implant thoughts into another person's mind. Scientologists believe that they will ultimately be capable of psychic feats including telepathy and telepathic control of others (the aim of all forms of black magic). Practices with similar ends are described by David-Neel (79).
Hubbard's use of a triangle as a symbol of Dianetics can be explained by the common use of this symbol to denote black magic (also true in the Crowley system practised by Hubbard in 1946): "The word kyilkhors means a circle, nevertheless, amongst the numberless forms of kyilkhors, there exist square and quadrangular forms, while those used in black magic or for the coercion or destruction of malignant entities are triangular." (80).
A central aspect of Dianetics and Scientology is the notion of "clearing" which supposedly comes from an analogy with a calculating machine with a held-down number which interferes with all calculations. The held-down number is "cleared", so that the machine once more functions accurately. "Clearing" is achieved through the application of "processes" ("Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary" definitions of "clear" and "clearing"). However, David-Neel too spoke of the "process" of "clearing" (81).
Hubbard asserted that the being, spirit or "thetan" is capable of transmitting pure energy in the form of "tractor" and "pressor" beams ("Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary", definitions "tractor beam", "pressor beam"). This too is an aspect of Tibetan teaching: "Mystic masters affirm that by the means of such concentration of mind, waves of energy are produced" (82).
Hubbard asserted that "reality is the agreed-upon apparency of existence" (Scientology Axiom 26) and "Considerations take rank over the mechanics of space, energy and time ... it is conceived that space, energy and time are themselves broadly agreed-upon considerations. That so many minds agree brings about Reality in the form of space, energy and time." (Scientology 0-8, p.27). Further, "REALITY: That agreement upon illusion which became the MEST [Matter, Energy, Space and Time] universe" (Scientology 8-8008, p.133). This is the doctrine of illusion: "In Tibet the learned adepts of the Dzogschen Sect ... regard the world as a pure mirage which we ourselves produce, and which has no sort of existence outside ourselves. All that we see, all that we feel, is identical with that which we see and feel in our dreams..." (Buddhism, p.140); "The bodhisattva practically exercises his compassion when he has freed himself from the illusion which creates belief in the reality of the world as we perceive it." (IIT, p.135); "'Like visions seen in a dream, so must we regard all things.' ... For intellectual Buddhists of the Mahayana School, the world is not the dream of some fabled Brahma, but our own dream ... Each one of us fabricates, continuously, in his spirit, images of the world with its many aspects which, so it seems to him, surrounds him and in which he sees himself playing a part as he may do in a dream. The world is not outside us but in us." (IIT, p.170).
Scientology holds that the highest state is "serenity of beingness" ("Tone Scale in Full"), which once again is held in common with Buddhism: "The model he sets before the disciple is the calm figure of the arahan ... who has attained immovable serenity of mind" (IIT, p.136).
The "what's true for you is true" idea, which Hubbard ascribed to the Buddha (Story of Dianetics and Scientology, taped lecture, 1958), appears in David-Neel as "Be your own guide and your own torch" (citing the Buddha, IIT, p.147).
The Tibetans also speak of the seniority of "being" to "doing", an essential theme in Hubbard's work (IIT, p.162). Buddhist doctrine makes a clear distinction between "being" and "becoming". The Sanskrit bhava and the Tibetan sipa or sridpaconnote "Existence in the sense of 'becoming'." The Sanskrit sat and the Tibetan yeu or yod connote "Existence in the absolute sense of being." (IIT, p.218). With Hubbard this becomes: "There is beingness, but Man believes there is only becomingness." (Scientology 0-8, Factor 27). Hubbard asserts that "Space, time and energy become Be, Have and Do ... Space could be said to be BE." (Journal of Scientology, 1952, c. late November. Technical volume 1, p.295) and "In life experience space becomes beingness" (Journal of Scientology, 31 January 1954, Technical volume 2, p.13). David-Neel has "As the mind possesses no independent existence, no true 'self', we must know that it is like space itself." (IIT, p.183).
Hubbard asserted that "absolute truth" is unknowable (Scientology 0-8, Logic 6: "Absolutes are unobtainable.", Logic 7: "COROLLARY: Any datum has only relative truth."), this too reflects one of David-Neel's texts: "We must distinguish, they say, two sorts of truth - relative and absolute. Of these two kinds only the former, relative truth, is accessible to us." (IIT, p.169).
Buddhism contains a belief in reincarnation, David-Neel says "Buddhists are often heard to speak of the 'memory' which an individual may retain concerning his former incarnations." (IIT, p.166). Dianetics and Scientology both depend upon the supposed recollection of former incarnations ("past lives"). This is termed "whole track recall" by Scientologists.
David-Neel has "Seek friends who share your beliefs and habits and in whom you can put your trust" and "Avoid the friends, companions, relatives, or disciples whose company injures your peace of mind or your spiritual growth" (IIT, p.182). Hubbard has "Acquisition or proximity of matter, energy or organisms which assist the survival of an organism increase the survival potentials of an organism" and "Acquisition or proximity of matter, energy or organisms which inhibit the survival of an organism decrease its survival potential" (Dianetic Axioms 157, 158).
Hubbard shares the Tibetans concern for the interplay of the static and the kinetic (Dianetic Axioms 34 & 36). David-Neel quotes from a Sutra: "By rubbing two sticks against each other, fire is produced. And by the fire born of them, both sticks are consumed. Likewise, by the intelligence born of them, the couple formed by 'the motionless' and by 'the moving', and the observer who considers their duality are alike consumed." (IIT, p.204).
The Hubbard notion of "postulates" (Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary, definition 2, "postulate") can also be found in David-Neel: "Wishes, or vows, in Tibetan meulam (smonlam) and in Sanskrit pranidhana, occupy in Buddhism a place analagous to that of prayers in theistic religions. Buddhists do not pray, they wish and in general, they believe that if the mental power of him who expresses the wish is sufficiently intense, such a wish acquires proficiency and produces the realisation of the result desired." (IIT, p.214, footnote).
Hubbard has "Absolute good and absolute evil do not exist in the MEST [matter, energy, space and time] universe." (Dianetic axiom 188) and "Goodness and badness, beautifulness and ugliness, are alike considerations and have no other basis than opinion." (Scientology axiom 31). David-Neel has "It would be imprudent, they [the Tibetan intelligentsia] hold, to reveal, indiscrimin|ately to one and all, that, really, there is neither good nor evil, that both are but conventions of a relative character." (IIT, p.216).
Hubbard taught a simplified version of the Hindu and Buddhist doctrine of "karma-vipaka" (literally "action and reaction"), with his "overt-motivator" sequence. David-Neel: "Man is dependent on the general Karman [or "karma"] of humanity, and he is also dependent on the cosmic Karman. If a man finds himself caught in the midst of a war, or an epidemic of plague, or if a cataclysm, such as an earthquake, occurs in the place where he is living, the sequence of his own deeds, and perhaps his character, will be altered by these circumstances. Some ts will say that past deeds have led the man to be born in the place where these calamities were going to happen, or perhaps to move to it if the place of his birth was destined to be immune to such troubles." (Buddhism, pp.198-199).
Buddhism: Buddhism its Doctrines and Methods, David-Neel, 1939.
IIT: Initiates and Initiations in Tibet, David-Neel, 1931.
MMT: Magic and Mystery in Tibet, David-Neel, 1929.
By the way, I like to use the terms Western and Eastern rather than Vedic and Semitic, as the Semites were/are peoples in the Middle East who were named after the son of Noah, Shem. Of course, the three Western religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) emerged in this region, but we would need to turn to Europe and the United States (as well as Mecca) for what they have become. In fact most Catholics would not consider their religion Middle-Eastern. On the other hand, I personally have no objection to your use of the term Semitic. Just a thought. 
