Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 1 of 39 · tr. C.E. Rolt
Chapter 4, Section 1a
CHAPTER IV Concerning ” Good ,” ” Light ,” ” Beautiful ,” “ Desire ,” ” Ecstasy ,” “ Jealousy .” Also that Evil is neither existent nor Sprung from anything existent nor inherent in existent things .
1.
Now let us consider the name of “Good” which the Sacred Writers apply to the Supra-Divine Godhead in a transcendent manner, calling the Supreme Divine Existence Itself “Goodness” (as it seems to me) in a sense that separates It from the whole creation, and meaning, by this term, to indicate that the Good, under the form of Good-Being, 243 243 ὡς οὐσιῶδις ἀγαθύν.
extends Its goodness by the very fact of Its existence unto all 87 things.
244 244 God’s activity cannot be distinguished from Himself.
Cf.
p.
81, n.
4.
God acts simply by being what He is—by being Good.
This fits in with the doctrine that He creates the world as being the Object of its desire.
He attracts it into existence.
For as our sun, through no choice or deliberation, but by the very fact of its existence, gives light to all those things which have any inherent power of sharing its illumination, even so the Good (which is above the sun, as the transcendent archetype by the very mode of its existence is above its faded image) sends forth upon all things according to their receptive powers, the rays of Its undivided Goodness.
Through these all Spiritual Beings and faculties and activities (whether perceived or percipient 245 245 αἱ νοηταὶ καὶ νοεραὶ πᾶσαι καὶ οὐσίαι καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ ἐνέργειαι.
Angels and men are percipient Essences; their powers when quiescent or dormant on the one hand and active on the other are respectively percipient faculties and activities.
But angels and men with their faculties and activities can also be perceived.
Cf.
next sentence.
) began; through these they exist and possess a life incapable of failure or diminution, and are untainted by any corruption or death or materiality or birth, being separate above all instability and flux and restlessness of change.
And whereas they are bodiless and immaterial they are perceived by our minds, and whereas they are minds themselves, they possess a supernatural perception and receive an illumination (after their own manner) concerning the hidden nature of things, 246 246 This doctrine may be based on some psychic experience enjoyed by D.
or recounted to him.
George Fox received an experience of this kind in which he had an intuitive knowledge concerning the hidden properties of plants.
See his Diary near the beginning.
from whence they pass on their own knowledge to other kindred spirits.
Their rest is in the Divine Goodness, wherein they are grounded, and This Goodness maintains them and protects them and feasts them with Its good things.
Through desiring this they possess their being and their blessedness, and, being conformed thereto (according 88 to their powers, they are goodly, and, as the Divine Law commands, pass on to those that are below them, of the gifts which have come unto them from the Good.
2.
Themes
◆Apophatic Theologytheology
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
The passage explicitly defines God by negation, stating that Evil is neither existent nor sprung from anything existent.
All passages →◆Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
The Good is described as transcendent and above the sun, hidden from ordinary perception.
All passages →◆Divine Lighttheology
The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.
The passage uses light as a central metaphor for divine illumination extending from the Good to all things.
All passages →◆Divine Simplicitytheology
The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.
God is described as undivided Goodness that acts simply by being what He is.
All passages →◆Emanation Hierarchycosmology
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
The text describes a flow of rays from the Good to Spiritual Beings and faculties according to their powers.
All passages →◆Evil As Privationtheology
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
The passage explicitly states that Evil is neither existent nor inherent in existent things, defining it as a lack rather than a positive being.
All passages →◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
It mentions spirits possessing supernatural perception concerning the hidden nature of things.
All passages →◆Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
God is described as active and dynamic, sending forth rays of Goodness to all things.
All passages →◆Monadcosmology
The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.
The text refers to the 'Supra-Divine Godhead' as a singular transcendent source from which goodness extends.
All passages →◆Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
Spiritual Beings are grounded in and rest in the Divine Goodness where they are maintained by It.
All passages →◆Paradox As Teachingethics
Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.
The statement that God's activity cannot be distinguished from Himself presents a paradoxical unity of being and action.
All passages →◆Return To Sourcesoteriology
The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.
The passage describes spirits resting in the Divine Goodness from which they derive their being and blessedness.
All passages →◆Sacred Namestheology
Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.
The chapter title and opening sentence focus on the theological significance of divine names like 'Good' and 'Light'.
All passages →◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
The movement of spirits from below to the Good implies an upward journey toward divine origin.
All passages →Related passages · 51 parallels
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1i
“Therefore it is called the Pra gñ â-pâramitâ.
'Then, what do you think, O Subhûti, is there anything (dharma) that was preached by the Tathâgata?' Subhûti said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagvat, there is not anything that was preached by the Tathâga…”
Both passages explore the paradoxical nature of ultimate reality and the limitations of human perception and language in describing it. The Diamond Sutra emphasizes the emptiness of all phenomena, including the Buddha's teachings, while the passage from Dionysius discusses the transcendent nature of the divine Good, which is beyond human comprehension and yet the source of all existence.
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1j
“Therefore the Tathâgata preaches: "A true idea, a true idea indeed!" 'It is no wonder to me, O Bhagavat, that I accept and believe this treatise of the Law, which has been preached.
And those beings also, O Bhagavat, [1.
Will possess mira…”
Both passages discuss the transcendence of conventional concepts and the nature of ultimate reality. The Diamond Sutra emphasizes the absence of self and ideas, while Dionysius focuses on the transcendence of the divine goodness beyond creation, but both explore the idea of moving beyond ordinary conceptual frameworks to understand ultimate truth.
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1k
“Therefore the Tathâgata preaches: "A gift should not be given by a Bodhisattva[1] who believes in anything, it should not be given by one who believes in form, sound, smell, taste, or anything that can be touched." 'And again, O Subhûti, a…”
Both passages discuss the nature of reality and the transcendence of conventional categories. The Diamond Sutra emphasizes the emptiness of all phenomena and the importance of non-attachment, while Dionysius the Areopagite discusses the transcendence of the divine goodness and its relationship to creation. Both texts explore the idea that ultimate reality is beyond ordinary conceptual understanding.
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1n
“This prophecy is supposed to have been addressed by Dîpankara to S âkyamuni, before he had become a Buddha.] perfect knowledge has been known, he would speak an untruth, and would slander me, O Subhûti, with some untruth that he has learned…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the limitations of language in describing ultimate truths. The Diamond Sutra emphasizes the emptiness of all things and the ineffability of ultimate reality, while Dionysius discusses the transcendent nature of the divine good and its relationship to creation, highlighting the limitations of human language and understanding.
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1q
“Free from self, free from being, free from life, free from personality, that highest perfect knowledge is always the same, and thus known with all good things.
And why?
Because, what were preached as good things, good things indeed, O Sub…”
Both passages discuss the nature of ultimate reality and the transcendence of conventional concepts such as self, being, and good things. They emphasize the non-dualistic and formless nature of the highest truth, which is beyond ordinary perception and conceptualization.
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1s
“Because, O Bhagavat, if there were a sphere of worlds, there would exist a belief in matter; and what was preached as a belief in matter by the Tathâgata, that was preached as no-belief by the Tathâgata; and therefore it is called a belief…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the limitations of conceptual understanding. The Diamond Sutra emphasizes the emptiness of all phenomena and the futility of clinging to concepts, while Dionysius discusses the transcendent nature of the divine good and the limitations of human language and understanding in describing it.
◆buddhism|Prajña-pâramitâ-hridaya (Heart Sutra)|Section 1
“THE SMALLER PRA GÑ Â-PÂRAMITÂ- H RI DAYA-SÛTRA. ADORATION TO THE OMNISCIENT! The venerable Bodhisattva Avalokite s vara, performing his study in the deep Pra gñ âpâramitâ (perfection of wisdom), thought thus: 'There are the five Skandhas, a…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the ultimate state of being. The Heart Sutra discusses the concept of emptiness and the transcendence of dualities, while the passage from Chapter 4 discusses the nature of the Supreme Divine Goodness and its relationship with creation, both pointing towards a profound, non-dualistic understanding of existence.
◆gnosticism|Gospel of Philip|Section 1m
“If we know the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth within us.
If we join it, it will fulfill us.
THE STRONG AND WEAK, THE MANIFEST AND HIDDEN Now we have the manifest things of creation.
We say, “The strong are they who are held…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine light and goodness, emphasizing the hidden nature of truth and the transformative power of divine revelation. They share a mystical perspective on the relationship between the divine and the human, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 2: The Serapeum|Section 1c
“H: Alack, Asclepius, for thy far-wandering from the truth!
Think'st thou that things most full and most replete are void?
11.
A: How meanest thou, Thrice-greatest one?
H: Is not air body?
A: It is.
H: And doth this body not pervade al…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as the source of goodness and the relationship between the divine and creation. They emphasize that the divine is the cause of all things and that goodness is inherent in the divine nature, extending to all creation.
◆hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 5: The Discourse of Hermes to Asclepius|Section 1c
“And for this cause hath He all names, in that they are one Father's.
And for this cause hath He Himself no nome, in that He's Father of [them] all.
Who, then, may sing Thee praise of Thee, or [praise] to Thee?
Whither, again, am I to tur…”
Both passages describe a divine being that is the source and essence of all things, using similar language to convey the idea of an all-encompassing, transcendent Godhead. They emphasize the unity and immanence of the divine in creation, though from different mystical traditions.
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◆hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 6: The All-Father|Section 1a
“In God Alone Is Good And Elsewhere Nowhere <This sermon on the nature of the Good, like To Asclepius (CH II), relies heavily on the technical language of classical Greek philosophy - a point which some of Mead's translations tend to obscure…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Good as being inherently connected to the divine and transcendent, emphasizing that the Good is not found in the created world but is the essence of the divine itself. They share a similar metaphysical understanding of the Good as self-caused and self-sufficient.
◆hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 11: The Hymn|Section 1d
“And this is, My beloved, Life; this is the Beautiful; this is the Good; this, God.
14.
And if thou wouldst in practice understand [this work], behold what taketh place with thee desiring to beget.
Yet this is not like unto that, for He d…”
Both passages discuss the nature of God as the source of all life and goodness, emphasizing that God's activity is intrinsic to His being and that all things exist and are sustained by God's essence. They also explore the concept of life and death in relation to the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIV
“Farther still, with respect to “ what are called the necessities of the Gods ,” the whole truth of this is, that necessities are peculiar to, and subsist in such a way as accords with the nature of, the Gods. [34] Hence they do not subsist…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine necessity and goodness, emphasizing that the divine acts simply by being what it is, and that this divine nature is immutable and beneficent. They share a conceptual parallel in their understanding of the divine as inherently good and necessary, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 72
“Section 1 1. We can scarcely conceive that for any entity the Good can be other than the natural Act expressing its life-force, or in the case of an entity made up of parts the Act, appropriate, natural and complete, expressive of that in i…”
Both passages describe the concept of the Good as a transcendent, self-sufficient source of all existence and aspiration, using the metaphor of the sun to illustrate its central and radiant nature. They share a mystical understanding of the Good as being beyond being and intellect, and as the ultimate object of desire and aspiration.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 76
“Section 1 1. Those enquiring whence Evil enters into beings, or rather into a certain order of beings, would be making the best beginning if they established, first of all, what precisely Evil is, what constitutes its Nature. At once we sho…”
Both passages explore the nature of Good and Evil, emphasizing that Evil is not an Ideal-Form or an existent entity but rather an absence of Good. They also discuss the relationship between Good and existence, with both texts highlighting the primacy and inherent nature of Good.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 77
“Section 2 2. For the moment let us define the nature of the Good as far as the immediate purpose demands. The Good is that on which all else depends, towards which all Existences aspire as to their source and their need, while Itself is wit…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the Good as a transcendent, self-sufficient source of all existence and beauty. They describe the Good as the ultimate principle from which all things derive their being and goodness, and emphasize the blissful and untainted nature of divine beings in relation to the Good.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 78
“Section 3 3. If such be the Nature of Beings and of That which transcends all the realm of Being, Evil cannot have place among Beings or in the Beyond-Being; these are good. There remains, only, if Evil exist at all, that it be situate in t…”
Both passages discuss the nature of good and evil, positing that evil is not a substantive entity but rather a lack or absence of being and good. They both explore the concept of evil as something that exists in a realm apart from true being, and good as an inherent quality of the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 82
“Section 7 7. But why does the existence of the Principle of Good necessarily comport the existence of a Principle of Evil? Is it because the All necessarily comports the existence of Matter? Yes: for necessarily this All is made up of contr…”
Both passages discuss the nature of Good and Evil, with Passage A describing the necessary existence of Evil as a counterpart to the Principle of Good, and Passage B describing the transcendent nature of Good and its relationship to creation. Both explore the metaphysical implications of these concepts within their respective traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 87
“Section 12 12. If the existence of Matter be denied, the necessity of this Principle must be demonstrated from the treatises "On Matter" where the question is copiously treated. To deny Evil a place among realities is necessarily to do away…”
Both passages discuss the nature of Good and Evil, the role of desire in relation to the Good, and the concept of Evil as something that is not purely existent but is bound with elements of the Good. They explore the interaction between the Soul (or spiritual beings) and the Intellectual-Principle (or Divine Goodness), highlighting the aspiration towards the higher principle as a means to avoid Evil.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 138
“Section 16 16. Then Matter is simply Alienism [the Principle of Difference]? No: it is merely that part of Alienism which stands in contradiction with the Authentic Existents which are Reason-Principles. So understood, this non-existent has…”
Both passages explore the nature of evil and good in relation to existence and non-existence. Plotinus discusses Matter as a principle of difference and privation, while Dionysius describes the Supra-Divine Godhead as the source of goodness, highlighting the contrast between existence and non-existence in their respective traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 140
“Section 1 1. A distinction is made between things existing actually and things existing potentially; a certain Actuality, also, is spoken of as a really existent entity. We must consider what content there is in these terms. Can we distingu…”
Both passages explore the nature of potentiality and actuality, with Passage A discussing the philosophical distinctions between these states and Passage B describing the divine Goodness as an actuality that extends its influence by its very existence. Both texts delve into the metaphysical implications of these concepts within their respective traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 142
“Section 3 3. We come now to the purpose of all this discussion; to make clear in what sense or to what degree Actualization is predicable in the Intellectual Realm and whether all is in Actualization there, each and every member of that rea…”
Both passages discuss the nature of reality in the intellectual or divine realm, emphasizing actualization and the inherent goodness and perfection of beings in these realms. They share a focus on the eternal, unchangeable nature of these higher realities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 157 (part 1)
“Section 1 1.
We have seen elsewhere that the Good, the Principle, is simplex, and, correspondingly, primal- for the secondary can never be simplex- that it contains nothing: that it is an integral Unity.
Now the same Nature belongs to the…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as a simple, transcendent principle that is the source of all goodness and existence. They both emphasize the unity and self-sufficiency of this principle, and its role in the creation and sustenance of all things.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 275 (part 1)
“Section 9 9.
Clearly a Being of this nature is not the primal existent; there must exist that which transcends it, that Being [the Absolute], to which all our discussion has been leading.
In the first place, Plurality is later than Unity.…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a transcendent, supreme being that is the source of all existence and goodness. They explore the nature of this being as beyond intellect and intelligible objects, emphasizing its simplicity and the way it extends its essence to all things.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 276 (part 1)
“Section 10 10.
And what will such a Principle essentially be?
The potentiality of the Universe: the potentiality whose non-existence would mean the non-existence of all the Universe and even of the Intellectual-Principle which is the prim…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a supreme, transcendent principle that is the source of all existence and goodness. They describe this principle as being beyond being, and as the cause of all life and existence, using similar metaphors and conceptual frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 276 (part 2)
“It cannot be, itself, The Good, since then it would not need to see or to perform any other Act; for The Good is the centre of all else, and it is by means of The Good that every thing has Act, while the Good is in need of nothing and there…”
Both passages discuss the concept of The Good as a transcendent, self-sufficient entity that is the source of all existence and perfection. They both emphasize that The Good does not need anything else and is beyond intellect and form.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 280 (part 1)
“Section 3 3.
(A)...
How, then, does Unity give rise to Multiplicity?
By its omnipresence: there is nowhere where it is not; it occupies, therefore, all that is; at once, it is manifold- or, rather, it is all things.
If it were simply an…”
Both passages explore the concept of a supreme, transcendent principle that gives rise to multiplicity and existence through its inherent nature. They discuss the omnipresence and the role of this principle in the creation and sustenance of all things, highlighting the relationship between the divine and the intellectual or spiritual realms.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 451
“Section 1 1. Anything existing after The First must necessarily arise from that First, whether immediately or as tracing back to it through intervenients; there must be an order of secondaries and tertiaries, in which any second is to be re…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a supreme, transcendent First Principle or Godhead that is the source of all existence and goodness. They describe how this principle extends its essence or goodness to all things, emphasizing the self-sufficiency and perfection of the First.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 462
“Section 9 9. Everything brought into being under some principle not itself is contained either within its maker or, if there is any intermediate, within that: having a prior essential to its being, it needs that prior always, otherwise it w…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as a transcendent, uncontained source of goodness and existence. They describe how this divine principle extends its influence and presence to all things without being contained by them, emphasizing the omnipresent and unifying nature of the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 464
“Section 11 11. It is infinite also by right of being a pure unity with nothing towards which to direct any partial content. Absolutely One, it has never known measure and stands outside of number, and so is under no limit either in regard t…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as a transcendent, unknowable unity that is the source of all being and goodness. They emphasize the inability of human senses to comprehend the divine fully and the divine's role in sustaining creation.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 466
“Section 13 13. The Supreme, as the Absolute Good and not merely a good being or thing, can contain nothing, since there is nothing that could be its good. Anything it could contain must be either good to it or not good; but in the supremely…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Supreme Good as transcendent, containing nothing else, and being the source of all goodness. They both emphasize the absolute and isolated nature of the Good, which is beyond all other beings and qualities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 471
“Section 4 4. Another consideration is that if The Good [and First] is simplex and without need, it can neither need the intellective act nor possess what it does not need: it will therefore not have intellection. (Interpolation or corruptio…”
Both passages discuss the nature of The Good as a simplex, self-standing entity that is the source of light and intellect. They also explore the relationship between The Good and other beings, emphasizing the independence and transcendence of The Good.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 555
“Section 17 17. Why are not beauty, goodness and the virtues, together with knowledge and intelligence, included among the primary genera? If by goodness we mean The First- what we call the Principle of Goodness, the Principle of which we ca…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the Good as a transcendent principle that is the source of all goodness and being. They explore the relationship between the Good and Being, emphasizing that the Good is prior to and beyond Being, and that all things participate in the Good to varying degrees.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 559 (part 2)
“Clearly nothing may legitimately be excluded [from Being], for the whole must be complete in the higher sphere which, otherwise, would not be the whole.
Life, too, burst upon Being, or rather was inseparably bound up with it; and thus it w…”
Both passages discuss the nature of existence and the unity of all things within a divine or higher sphere. They emphasize the interconnectedness of being, life, and intellect, and the eternal, unchanging nature of these concepts.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 592
“Section 2 2. Side by side exist the Authentic All and its counterpart, the visible universe. The Authentic is contained in nothing, since nothing existed before it; of necessity anything coming after it must, as a first condition of existen…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a transcendent, all-encompassing reality (the Authentic All in Plotinus and the Supra-Divine Godhead in Dionysius) that permeates and sustains all existence. They both emphasize the omnipresence and unity of this reality, which is beyond spatial limitations and is the source of all being and goodness.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 593
“Section 3 3. But are we to think of this Authentic Being as, itself, present, or does it remain detached, omnipresent in the sense only that powers from it enter everywhere? Under the theory of presence by powers, souls are described as ray…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a divine or authentic being and its relationship to creation. They explore the idea of the divine being present everywhere through its powers or goodness, without being fragmented or diminished.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 626
“Section 6 6. Granted, then, that there exist, apart from things, a unity absolute and a decad absolute in other words, that the Intellectual beings, together with their characteristic essence have also their order, Henads, Dyads, Triads, wh…”
Both passages explore the nature of abstract concepts (Justice in Passage A and Good in Passage B) as inherent, self-existing entities within the Intellectual or Divine realm. They share the idea that these concepts are not merely thoughts or definitions but are fundamental aspects of reality that exist independently and are perceived directly.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 628
“Section 8 8. As then there is a Life-Form primal- which therefore is the Life-Form Absolute- and there is Intellectual-Principle or Being, Authentic Being, these, we affirm, contain all living things and all Number, and Absolute Justice and…”
Both passages discuss the nature of ultimate reality and its emanation, with Plotinus focusing on the Intellectual-Principle and the Living-Form, while Dionysius emphasizes the Supra-Divine Godhead and its goodness. Both describe a hierarchy of being and the emanation of lower realities from a higher, unchanging principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 633 (part 2)
“If Unity is necessary to the substantial existence of all that really is- and nothing exists which is not one- Unity must precede Reality and be its author.
It is therefore, an existent Unity, not an existent that develops Unity; considere…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a supreme, transcendent principle (Unity in Plotinus, Goodness in Dionysius) that precedes and sustains all existence. They emphasize the inherent, indivisible nature of this principle and its role in creation.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 641 (part 1)
“Section 2 2.
Thus we have even here the means of knowing the nature of the Intellectual-Principle, though, seeing it more closely than anything else, we still see it at less than its worth.
We know that it exists but its cause we do not s…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine and its relationship to creation, emphasizing the unity and causality within the divine realm. They both discuss the idea that the divine is the cause of all things and that this cause is inherent within the divine nature itself.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 641 (part 2)
“The why is inherent, therefore, in the entity, that is to say in every thought and activity of the Intellectual-Principle.
Take for example the Idea of Man; Man entire is found to contribute to it; he is in that Idea in all his fulness inc…”
Both passages discuss the inherent nature of divine principles and their relationship to creation. Passage A focuses on the completeness of the Idea of Man within the Intellectual-Principle, while Passage B describes the inherent goodness of the Supreme Divine Existence extending to all things. Both emphasize the indivisibility of the divine nature and its role in sustaining creation.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 695 (part 1)
“Section 13 13.
Our enquiry obliges us to use terms not strictly applicable: we insist, once more, that not even for the purpose of forming the concept of the Supreme may we make it a duality; if now we do, it is merely for the sake of conv…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Supreme Good, emphasizing its self-caused existence, its unity of will and essence, and its role in sustaining other beings. They share a mystical perspective on the divine as a source of goodness and being.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 702
“Section 20 20. The difficulty will be raised that God would seem to have existed before thus coming into existence; if He makes Himself, then in regard to the self which He makes He is not yet in being and as maker He exists before this Him…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as pure activity and being, emphasizing that God's essence and activity are inseparable. They both explore the idea that God's existence is not dependent on anything else, highlighting the unity and self-sufficiency of the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 710 (part 2)
“Unity, self-present, it has no need of self-intellection: indeed this "self-presence" were better left out, the more surely to preserve the unity; we must eliminate all knowing and all association, all intellection whether internal or exter…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as a transcendent, unifying principle that is the source of goodness and existence. They emphasize the idea that the divine is not to be identified with its effects or attributes but is the cause of all things.
◆platonism|Plato: Timaeus|Section 1h
“First then, in my judgment, we must make a distinction and ask, What is that which always is and has no becoming; and what is that which is always becoming and never is?
That which is apprehended by intelligence and reason is always in the…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine creator and the relationship between the eternal and the created. They explore the idea of a benevolent creator who fashioned the world according to an unchangeable, eternal pattern, emphasizing the goodness and perfection of the creator.
◆platonism|Plato: Timaeus|Section 1v
“In the same way that which is to receive perpetually and through its whole extent the resemblances of all eternal beings ought to be devoid of any particular form.
Wherefore, the mother and receptacle of all created and visible and in any…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the existence of higher, intelligible forms or divine principles that are beyond the physical realm. Plato discusses the intelligible world and the receptacle of all things, while Dionysius talks about the Supra-Divine Godhead and the nature of Goodness, both emphasizing the transcendent and the role of the mind or perception.
◆sufism|The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi)|PROLOGUEb
“Knowest thou why thy mirror reflects not?
Because the rust has not been scoured from its face.
If it were purified from all rust and defilement, It would reflect the shining of the SUN Of GOD.6 O friends, ye have now heard this tale, Whic…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine goodness and its relationship to creation. They emphasize the idea that the divine essence is the source of all existence and goodness, and that creatures are drawn to it. The passages use similar metaphors, such as the sun and light, to illustrate the divine influence.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Bembine Table of Isish
“Goodness is sought by all.
It is the Prime Cause of causes.
Goodness is self-diffused and hence exists in all things, for nothing can produce that which it does not have in itself.
The Table demonstrates that all is in God and God is in…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine goodness as the prime cause that permeates all creation, using similar metaphors of light and the sun to illustrate the diffusion of goodness. They also emphasize the interconnectedness of all things within the divine framework.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|Fundamentals of Qabbalistic Cosmogonya
“THE Qabbalists conceive of the Supreme Deity as an Incomprehensible Principle to be discovered only through the process of eliminating, in order, all its cognizable attributes.
That which remains--when every knowable thing has been removed…”
Both passages describe an ultimate, incomprehensible divine principle that is the source of all creation. They share the concept of an unknowable, transcendent deity that manifests creation through its essence, though they use different terminology and cultural frameworks.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|1. The Candidatef
“There is only one dogma in Magic, and it is this: The visible is the manifestation of the invisible, or, in other terms, the perfect word, in things appreciable and visible, bears an exact proportion to the things which are inappreciable by…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the visible and invisible realms, emphasizing the unity and interconnectedness of all things. Passage A speaks of the visible as a manifestation of the invisible, while Passage B describes the Supreme Divine Existence extending its goodness to all things by its very nature.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|8. Realizationa
“HOD VIVENS CAUSES manifest by effects, and effects are proportioned to causes.
The Divine Word, the One Word, the Tetragram, is self-affirmed by tetradic creation.
Human fecundity proves divine fecundity; the JOD of the Divine Name is the…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine emanation and the relationship between the divine and the created world. Passage A describes the divine Word manifesting through creation and the realization of divine attributes in human understanding, while Passage B explains how the Supreme Divine Existence extends Its goodness to all things by its very nature, attracting them into existence. Both emphasize the idea that the divine is realized or manifested through creation.