Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 2 of 6 · tr. C.E. Rolt
Chapter 7, Section 1b
(2) Wisdom as a whole = Wisdom embodied in the universe as a whole.
(3) Wisdom in each individual instance = Wisdom as shown in the structure of some particular plant or animal, or part of a plant or animal.
(1) Is an Emanation; (2) and (3) are created.
2.
From It the intelligible and intelligent powers of the Angelic Minds derive their blessed simple perceptions, not collecting their knowledge of God in partial fragments or from partial activities of Sensation or of discursive Reason, nor yet being circumscribed by aught that is akin to these, 406 406 i.
e.
They are not limited by the material world, which, with its laws, is known through sensation and discursive reason.
but rather, being free from all taint of matter and multiplicity, they perceive the spiritual truths of Divine things in a single immaterial and spiritual intuition.
And their intuitive faculty and activity shines in its unalloyed and undefiled purity and possesses its Divine intuitions all together in an indivisible and immaterial manner, being by that Godlike unification made similar (as far as may be) to the Supra-Sapient Mind and Reason of 149 God through the working of the Divine Wisdom.
407 407 This speculation is, no doubt, based on experience.
A concentration of the spiritual faculties in the act of contemplation produces that unity of the soul of which all mystics often speak.
The angels are conceived of as being always in such a state of contemplation.
And human souls possess Reason, whereby they turn with a discursive motion round about the Truth of things, and, through the partial and manifold activities of their complex nature, are inferior to the Unified Intelligences: yet they too, through the concentration of their many faculties, are vouchsafed (so far as their nature allows) intuitions like unto those of the Angels.
Nay, even our sense-perceptions themselves may be rightly described as an echo of that Wisdom; even diabolic intelligence, qua intelligence, belongs thereto, though in so far as it is a distraught intelligence, not knowing how to obtain its true desire, nor wishing to obtain it, we must call it rather a declension from Wisdom.
Now we have already said that the Divine Wisdom is the Beginning, the Cause, the Fount, the Perfecting Power, the Protector and the Goal of Very Wisdom and all created Wisdom, and of all Mind, Reason, and Sense-Perception.
We must now ask in what sense God, 408 408 God is the Manifested Absolute.
Hence qua Absolute He is supra-sapient, qua Manifested He is wise (cf.
ch.
i, § 1).
The Persons of the Trinity possess one common Godhead (= the Absolute) which is supra-sapient, and in that Godhead.
They are One.
Yet they are known by us only in their differentiation wherein Supra-Sapience is revealed as Wisdom.
Who is Supra-Sapient, can be spoken of as Wisdom, Mind, Reason, and Knowledge?
How can He have an intellectual intuition of intelligible things when He possesses no intellectual activities?
Or how can He know the things perceived by sense when His existence transcends all sense-perception?
And yet the Scripture says that He knoweth all things and that nothing escapes the Divine Knowledge.
But, as I have often said, we must interpret Divine Things in a manner 150 suitable to their nature.
For the lack of Mind and Sensation must be predicated of God by excess and not by defect.
409 409 Via Negativa.
It is not mere negation.
Themes
◆Active Contemplationpraxis
A form of meditation that uses imagery, imagination, or symbolic thought rather than purely empty stillness.
The passage describes angels possessing a 'concentration of the spiritual faculties' in the act of contemplation that produces unity.
All passages →◆Apophatic Theologytheology
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
The text explicitly advocates for interpreting Divine Things by excess and not by defect regarding Mind and Sensation.
All passages →◆Correspondencecosmology
The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.
Wisdom is linked to the structure of plants and animals, reflecting a cosmic mapping between levels of being.
All passages →◆Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
God is described as supra-sapient and wise only in His differentiation, implying a hidden nature beyond ordinary perception.
All passages →◆Divine Simplicitytheology
The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.
The text emphasizes that God possesses no intellectual activities or parts, being supra-sapient and undivided.
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 passage distinguishes between Wisdom as an Emanation and created Wisdom in particular instances.
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.
Diabolic intelligence is described as a 'declension from Wisdom' rather than a positive entity.
All passages →◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
The text describes angels possessing 'Divine intuitions' and 'intuitive faculty' that transcend partial knowledge.
All passages →◆Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
God is portrayed as an active Protector and Goal of Very Wisdom rather than a static abstract principle.
All passages →◆Meditationpraxis
Disciplined inward attention — sitting, focused, or open-awareness practice — as a stand-alone term that umbrellas active_contemplation, inner_silence, and dhyana-style sitting.
The text references the 'concentration of the spiritual faculties' in the act of contemplation as a means to produce unity.
All passages →◆Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
The angels are made similar to the Supra-Sapient Mind through the working of Divine Wisdom in a Godlike unification.
All passages →◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
The text implies a movement toward the Divine through the concentration of faculties.
All passages →◆Theosis Deificationsoteriology
The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.
The angels are made similar to the Supra-Sapient Mind and Reason of God through the working of Divine Wisdom.
All passages →Related passages · 141 parallels
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn IX. NATURE (part 2)
“And Proclus in forms us, that she connects all the parts of the universe together: containing in herself intellectual life, by which she illuminates the whole, and unifying powers by which she superintends all the opposing natures of the wo…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine wisdom or intelligence and its relationship to the material world. They describe how divine unity and intelligence permeate and connect all things, and how the material world is a reflection or emanation of this divine wisdom.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn XXXIII. APOLLO (part 3)
“Ζεὺς δέ τε πάντων ἐςὶ ϑεὸς, πάντων τε κεραςὴς, Πνέυμασι συζι#ων, ( ) φωναῖσι τε ἀερομικτοις· That is, "But Jupiter is the God of all, and the mingler of all things; whistling with the breathing winds and aerial voices." And this perfectly a…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a divine being (Apollo/Zeus in Passage A and God in Passage B) as the source and embodiment of all wisdom and intelligible forms. They both emphasize the immaterial and perfect nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the material world.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Kabbalah Unveiled|Introduction, Section 1b
“[But the first idea of equilibrium is the Ancient One (the first Sephira, or Crown Kether), because it is the first potential limitation of the boundless light which proceeds from the Limitless One.
That is, the central point of Kether is…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine emanation and the structure of higher and lower realms of existence. They explore the idea of a supreme, incomprehensible source from which all things derive, and the hierarchical nature of divine attributes or emanations.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter Vb
“Again, however, according to another mode of considering the subject, it is necessary to ascribe to the Gods the whole of that which is united, of whatever kind it may be; that which is firmly established in itself, and which is the cause o…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine and spiritual realities, emphasizing the transcendent, immaterial, and unified aspects of the divine, as well as the relationship between the divine and created beings. They share a focus on the immaterial and intuitive understanding of divine truths.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter IXb
“For in things which are of a kindred nature, according to essence and power, or which are, in a certain respect, of the same species, or homogeneous, a certain comprehension, or conservation, may be discovered.
But in such things as are en…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine participation and the limitations of human understanding in comprehending the divine. They explore how different entities (divinities in Passage A and angelic minds in Passage B) interact with the divine realm, emphasizing the purity and unity of these interactions.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIXa
“In the next place, therefore, we shall answer your question, “ What it is which conjoins the Gods that have a body in the heavens with the incorporeal Gods.
” What this is, therefore, is evident from what has been before said.
For 72 if t…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the unity and intelligible nature of higher realities. They explore how divine forms or wisdom manifest in the material realm while maintaining their transcendent nature.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIXb
“And secondary genera, indeed, remain with invariable sameness in the one of such as are primary; but the primary impart from themselves union to the secondary genera, and all of them possess in each other the communion of an indissoluble co…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the intelligible and sensible realms, emphasizing the unity and interconnectedness of divine and material realities. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the universe.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XIa
“In what follows, in which you think that ignorance and deception about these things are impiety and impurity, and in which you exhort us to the true developement of these particulars, is not, indeed, attended with any ambiguity, but is ackn…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine knowledge and the limitations of human understanding in relation to the divine. They emphasize the ineffable and transcendent nature of divine actions and knowledge, highlighting that human intellectual activities are not the primary means of achieving union or understanding with the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XII
“It appears, therefore, that the divination of oracles accords with all the hypotheses which we have before adduced concerning prediction. For if a power of this kind was inseparable from the nature of places, and of the bodies which are the…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine wisdom or prophetic power as being separate, transcendent, and pervading all things. They emphasize the unity and omnipresence of this divine essence, which is beyond the limitations of material and temporal existence.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIII
“We may, however, beginning from another hypothesis, demonstrate the same thing. We must admit that the corporeal parts of the universe are neither sluggish nor destitute of power, but as much as they excel our concerns in perfection, beauty…”
Both passages discuss the interconnectedness and hierarchy of powers within the universe, emphasizing the role of higher entities (wholes, Divine Wisdom) in influencing lower ones (parts, individual instances). They also explore the limitations and capacities of different levels of existence.
131 more
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter IX
“After the body of the universe, also, many things are generated by the nature of it. For the concord of similars, and the contrariety of dissimilars, effect not a few things. Farther still, the assemblage of many things into the one animal…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the whole and its parts within a cosmic or divine framework. They explore how the unity and perfection of the whole are reflected or degraded in the parts, and how higher intelligences or divine wisdom transcend the limitations of material and partial existence.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter X
“We shall collect, therefore, what happens from these conclusions. For if certain invocators employ the physical or corporeal powers [91] of the universe, an involuntary gift of energy [from these powers], and which is without vice, takes pl…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between divine wisdom or powers and their manifestation in the material world. They explore how human actions or perceptions can pervert or align with these divine influences, highlighting the distinction between the divine source and its corrupted use by humans.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XII
“It is, necessary, however, to discuss these things particularly, and to show how they subsist, and what reason they possess. It is requisite, therefore, to understand that the universe is one animal; and that the parts in it are, indeed, se…”
Both passages discuss the interconnectedness and unity of the universe, emphasizing the role of a higher power or principle that binds all things together. They explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, highlighting the perfection of the whole and the imperfection of the parts.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter I
“Leaving, therefore, these particulars, you wish in the next place that I would unfold to you “ What the Egyptians conceive the first cause to be; whether intellect, or above intellect; whether alone, or subsisting with some other or others;…”
Both passages explore the nature of the first cause or divine wisdom, discussing its relationship to intellect, creation, and the structure of reality. They share a mystical approach to understanding the divine, though they come from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter III
“According to another order, however, he arranges the God Emeph [134] prior to, and as the leader of, the celestial Gods. And he says that this God is an intellect, itself intellectually perceiving itself, and converting intellections to its…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical structure of divine intelligences and the emanation of wisdom or intellect from a supreme principle. They explore the relationship between the divine and the created, emphasizing the unity and the multiplicity within the divine order.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIIId
“For it is necessary that every form in the universe should be never failing, in order that the universe may be perfect, and that, being generated from an immoveable cause, it may be immoveable in its essence.
But every wholeness is a form,…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the universe. They explore the idea of immutable divine forms and the participation of lower realms in higher, unchanging truths, though from different theological perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIIIj
“the connective, perfective, demiurgic, assimilative, and such others as are celebrated posterior to these; so that all are in all, and yet each is at the same time separate and distinct.
“Indeed we obtain this knowledge of their union and…”
Both passages discuss the emanation and manifestation of divine wisdom or unity through various levels of existence, emphasizing the interconnectedness and distinctness of divine natures and their influence on lower realms. They also explore the concept of divine knowledge and its perception by different beings.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VIIIw
“Cathartic virtue, therefore, alone must be called the salvation of souls; since this cuts off, and vehemently obliterates, material natures, and the passions which adhere to us from generation; separates the soul and leads it to intellect;…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical structure of divine and intellectual realms, emphasizing the progression from a monadic principle to triadic manifestations. They also explore the nature of intellectual and spiritual perception, highlighting the purity and unity of higher intelligences.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 7
“Section 3 3. We may treat of the Soul as in the body- whether it be set above it or actually within it- since the association of the two constitutes the one thing called the living organism, the Animate. Now from this relation, from the Sou…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the soul or mind and the body or material world, discussing how the higher aspects of being (soul, wisdom) interact with or transcend the lower (body, sense-perception). They both emphasize the distinction between the intellectual or spiritual faculties and the physical or sensory experiences.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 10
“Section 6 6. It may seem reasonable to lay down as a law that when any powers are contained by a recipient, every action or state expressive of them must be the action or state of that recipient, they themselves remaining unaffected as mere…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between higher principles (Soul in Plotinus, Divine Wisdom in the second passage) and their manifestations in lower realms (Animate, Sense-Perception in Plotinus; created wisdom, sense-perceptions in the second passage). They explore how the higher principles interact with and influence the lower realms, showing a genuine conceptual parallel.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 11
“Section 7 7. The truth lies in the Consideration that the Couplement subsists by virtue of the Soul's presence. This, however, is not to say that the Soul gives itself as it is in itself to form either the Couplement or the body. No; from t…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the soul, perception, and higher intellectual faculties. They explore how the soul interacts with the body and the external world, and how higher cognitive functions like reason and intuition operate. The passages share a mystical perspective on the nature of human consciousness and its connection to divine or higher realities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 30
“Section 4 4. But this science, this Dialectic essential to all the three classes alike, what, in sum, is it? It is the Method, or Discipline, that brings with it the power of pronouncing with final truth upon the nature and relation of thin…”
Both passages discuss the nature of higher knowledge and the process of intellectual contemplation. They emphasize the transcendence of material reality and the unity of understanding, though they come from different mystical traditions (Neoplatonism and Christian mysticism).
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 43
“Section 10 10. Perhaps the reason this continuous activity remains unperceived is that it has no touch whatever with things of sense. No doubt action upon material things, or action dictated by them, must proceed through the sensitive facul…”
Both passages discuss the nature of intellectual and spiritual perception, emphasizing the distinction between higher, non-sensory understanding and lower, sensory-based perception. They also explore the idea of pure, unobserved activity of the intellect or soul.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 64
“Section 3 3. And the soul includes a faculty peculiarly addressed to Beauty- one incomparably sure in the appreciation of its own, never in doubt whenever any lovely thing presents itself for judgement. Or perhaps the soul itself acts immed…”
Both passages discuss the concept of beauty and wisdom as emanations of a higher, ideal principle. They explore the relationship between the material world and the ideal forms that underlie it, emphasizing the unity and perfection of these forms.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 73
“Section 2 2. But the Universe outside; how is it aligned towards the Good? The soulless by direction toward Soul: Soul towards the Good itself, through the Intellectual-Principle. Everything has something of the Good, by virtue of possessin…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the created world, emphasizing the role of intellect and unity in achieving a connection with the divine. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of reality and the path to understanding the divine.
◆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 nature of the divine and the emanation of intelligence and wisdom from a supreme, transcendent principle. They share a focus on the unity and simplicity of the divine intellect and its relationship to lower forms of existence and knowledge.
◆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 explore the nature of evil and good within a metaphysical framework. Plotinus discusses evil as a lack of being and good as authentic being, while the second passage discusses the emanation of wisdom and the nature of divine knowledge, contrasting it with evil as a declension from wisdom.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 102
“Section 3 3. The truth may be resumed in this way: There is a lowest power of the Soul, a nearest to earth, and this is interwoven throughout the entire universe: another phase possesses sensation, while yet another includes the Reason whic…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between higher and lower aspects of the soul or mind, and the interaction between the spiritual and material realms. They also explore the nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the universe.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 120
“Section 17 17. But these Reason-Principles, contained in the Soul, are they Thoughts? And if so, by what process does the Soul create in accordance with these Thoughts? It is upon Matter that this act of the Reason is exercised; and what ac…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between higher intellectual principles and their manifestation in lower, material realms. They explore the idea of emanation and the transmission of divine or intellectual principles through different levels of being, highlighting the imperfect nature of creation in the material world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 134
“Section 12 12. It is the corporeal, then, that demands magnitude: the Ideal-Forms of body are Ideas installed in Mass. But these Ideas enter, not into Magnitude itself but into some subject that has been brought to Magnitude. For to suppose…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material and the immaterial, discussing how the immaterial (Ideas, Reason-Principles, Wisdom) interacts with or underlies the material world. They both delve into the nature of reality and the role of higher principles in shaping the physical realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 152
“Section 3 3. We have thus covered our main ground, but since corporeity has been mentioned, we must consider its nature: is it the conjunction of all the qualities or is it an Idea, or Reason-Principle, whose presence in Matter constitutes…”
Both passages discuss the nature of immaterial principles that inform and structure the material world. Plotinus explores the concept of a Reason-Principle that shapes Matter, while the second passage discusses Divine Wisdom as an immaterial, spiritual intuition that informs the structure of the universe and individual entities.
◆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 and the hierarchy of existence, emphasizing the unity and simplicity of the highest principle and the emanation of lower principles or beings from it.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 180
“Section 4 4. Another theory: The Universe is permeated by one Soul, Cause of all things and events; every separate phenomenon as a member of a whole moves in its place with the general movement; all the various causes spring into action fro…”
Both passages discuss the nature of unity and individuality within a larger cosmic framework. Passage A explores the idea of a universal soul and the interconnection of all things, while Passage B discusses the emanation of wisdom from a divine source and the unity of spiritual truths. Both texts grapple with the balance between individual agency and a higher, unifying principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 188
“Section 1 1. To make the existence and coherent structure of this Universe depend upon automatic activity and upon chance is against all good sense. Such a notion could be entertained only where there is neither intelligence nor even ordina…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine intelligence and its relationship to the creation and structure of the universe. They emphasize the unity and perfection of the divine, and the emanation or derivation of the cosmos from this divine intelligence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 225
“Section 4 4. Does each individual Soul, then, contain within itself such a Love in essence and substantial reality? Since not only the pure All-Soul but also that of the Universe contain such a Love, it would be difficult to explain why our…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a universal wisdom or love that emanates from a higher source and is reflected in individual instances. They explore the relationship between the universal and the particular, and the nature of divine intuition or perception.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 238 (part 1)
“Section 6 6.
the Intellectual Essence, wholly of the order of Ideal-form, must be taken as impassive has been already established.
But Matter also is an incorporeal, though after a mode of its own; we must examine, therefore, how this sta…”
Both passages discuss the nature of ultimate reality and the distinction between the intellectual/spiritual realm and the material realm. They both emphasize the impassivity and perfection of the higher, intellectual essence and its role as the source of all existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 239
“Section 7 7. We are thus brought back to the nature of that underlying matter and the things believed to be based upon it; investigation will show us that Matter has no reality and is not capable of being affected. Matter must be bodiless-…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the limitations of material existence. Passage A discusses the concept of Matter as a non-being and its lack of real existence, while Passage B explores the nature of Divine Wisdom and the limitations of material and discursive understanding, highlighting the superiority of immaterial and spiritual intuition.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 274 (part 1)
“Section 8 8.
From this basis we proceed: In the advancing stages of Contemplation rising from that in Nature, to that in the Soul and thence again to that in the Intellectual-Principle itself- the object contemplated becomes progressively…”
Both passages explore the concept of unity and multiplicity in divine contemplation and intelligence, emphasizing the oneness of the knower and the known, and the progression from a higher, unified state to a more differentiated one. They also discuss the nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in various forms of life and intelligence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 279
“Section 2 2.... For in any one science the reduction of the total of knowledge into its separate propositions does not shatter its unity, chipping it into unrelated fragments; in each distinct item is talent the entire body of the science,…”
Both passages discuss the concept of unity and the relationship between the divine and the individual soul or intellect. They explore the idea of ascending towards a higher, unified reality and the nature of existence and non-existence in relation to the divine.
◆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 relationship between a transcendent unity and the multiplicity of existence, as well as the nature of intellect and intellection. They discuss the emanation of lower realities from a higher, unknowable principle and the nature of divine knowledge and perception.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 285 (part 2)
“The magnitude present in any mass is definitely one thing, yet its identity from part to part does not imply any such community as would entail common experience; within that identity there is diversity, for it is a condition only, not the…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a transcendent, indivisible essence (soul or wisdom) that is present in all things without being partitioned or limited by them. They explore the idea of unity and presence in multiplicity, though from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 286 (part 2)
“In the case of things not endowed with intelligence, the "leading-principle" is their mere unity- a lower reproduction of the soul's efficiency.
This is the deeper meaning of the profound passage [in the Timaeus], where we read "By blendin…”
Both passages discuss the nature of unity and multiplicity in relation to divine and intellectual principles, exploring how the one manifests in the many and the role of the soul or intellect in this process.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 290
“Section 3 3. Is it a question of part in the sense that, taking one living being, the soul in a finger might be called a part of the soul entire? This would carry the alternative that either there is no soul outside of body, or that- no sou…”
Both passages discuss the unity and omnipresence of a higher, non-material intelligence or soul. They explore the idea that this intelligence is not divided but is present in all things, and that it operates in a unified manner despite the diversity of its manifestations.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 297
“Section 10 10. In view of all this we must now work back from the items to the unit, and consider the entire scheme as one enduring thing. We ascend from air, light, sun- or, moon and light and sun- in detail, to these things as constitutin…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the divine into the material world and the role of the soul or wisdom in shaping reality. They share a conceptual framework of a hierarchical universe where the higher principles influence the lower ones, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 298
“Section 11 11. I think, therefore, that those ancient sages, who sought to secure the presence of divine beings by the erection of shrines and statues, showed insight into the nature of the All; they perceived that, though this Soul is ever…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the created world, emphasizing the role of intermediaries (such as the Soul and the Intellectual-Principle in Passage A, and the Angelic Minds in Passage B) in connecting the divine with the material realm. They also highlight the unity and interconnectedness of all things within the divine framework.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 331
“Section 11 11. The administration of the kosmos is to be thought of as that of a living unit: there is the action determined by what is external, and has to do with the parts, and there is that determined by the internal and by the principl…”
Both passages discuss the concept of wisdom as an eternal, unchanging principle that governs the cosmos and all its parts. They emphasize the unity and simplicity of this wisdom despite the diversity and complexity of the created world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 333
“Section 13 13. But what is the difference between the Wisdom thus conducting the universe and the principle known as Nature? This Wisdom is a first [within the All-Soul] while Nature is a last: for Nature is an image of that Wisdom, and, as…”
Both passages discuss the concept of Wisdom and its relationship to the material world and higher intellectual principles. They explore the hierarchy of being and the nature of divine intelligence, showing a genuine conceptual parallel despite originating from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 343 (part 1)
“Section 23 23.
A first principle is that the knowing of sensible objects is an act of the soul, or of the living conjoint, becoming aware of the quality of certain corporeal entities, and appropriating the ideas present in them.
This appr…”
Both passages discuss the nature of perception and the role of intermediaries in the process of knowing. They explore how the soul or intellect interacts with the external world, emphasizing the need for an intermediary to bridge the gap between the knower and the known.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 352
“Section 32 32. If we can trace neither to material agencies [blind elements] nor to any deliberate intention the influences from without which reach to us and to the other forms of life and to the terrestrial in general, what cause satisfac…”
Both passages discuss the interconnectedness of all things within a unified whole, emphasizing the concept of a universal living being or wisdom that encompasses and connects all individual entities. They share a mystical perspective on the unity and interdependence of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 355 (part 1)
“Section 35 35.
But we must give some explanation of these powers.
The matter requires a more definite handling.
How can there be a difference of power between one triangular configuration and another?
How can there be the exercise of po…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine powers and their manifestation in the universe. They explore the concept of a unified, rational order governing all existence, with a focus on the interplay between the divine and the created world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 357
“Section 37 37. We must not rob the universe of any factor in its being. If any of our theorists of to-day seek to explain the action of fire- or of any other such form, thought of as an agent- they will find themselves in difficulties unles…”
Both passages discuss the interconnectedness and inherent wisdom or power within the universe and its components. They explore the idea that individual entities partake in a greater whole, whether through soul or divine wisdom, and that these powers or wisdom are not dependent on intention or attention.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 359
“Section 39 39. We cannot, then, refer all that exists to Reason-Principles inherent in the seed of things [Spermatic Reasons]; the universe is to be traced further back, to the more primal forces, to the principles by which that seed itself…”
Both passages discuss the nature of wisdom and its manifestation in the universe, emphasizing the unity and interconnectedness of all things. They also explore the relationship between the divine and the individual, as well as the role of matter and reason in the cosmic order.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 378 (part 1)
“Section 3 3.
With this prologue we come to our discussion of Memory.
That the soul, or mind, having taken no imprint, yet achieves perception of what it in no way contains need not surprise us; or rather, surprising though it is, we canno…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul or mind and its relationship with higher intellectual realms and the material world. They explore the concepts of intuition, memory, and the soul's ability to perceive and interact with different spheres of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 385
“Section 6 6. It is easy to show that if the Soul were a corporeal entity, there could be no sense-perception, no mental act, no knowledge, no moral excellence, nothing of all that is noble. There can be no perception without a unitary perci…”
Both passages discuss the nature of perception and consciousness, emphasizing the unity and indivisibility of the perceiving subject. They explore how a material understanding of the soul or mind would fail to account for the holistic nature of perception and knowledge.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 387
“Section 8 8. It can be shown also that the intellectual act would similarly be impossible if the soul were any form of body. If sensation is apprehension by means of the soul's employment of the body, intellection cannot be a similar use of…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the intellect and its relationship to the body and spiritual truths. They emphasize the immaterial and partless nature of intellectual and spiritual perceptions, contrasting them with bodily and material limitations.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 420
“Section 4 4. But there is yet another way to this knowledge: Admiring the world of sense as we look out upon its vastness and beauty and the order of its eternal march, thinking of the gods within it, seen and hidden, and the celestial spir…”
Both passages discuss the concept of an intellectual or divine principle that encompasses all existence and knowledge. They describe a state of perfect, unchanging existence and the unity of the divine mind, though they use different terminology and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 421
“Section 5 5. As a manifold, then, this God, the Intellectual-Principle, exists within the Soul here, the Soul which once for all stands linked a member of the divine, unless by a deliberate apostasy. Bringing itself close to the divine Inte…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine intellect and the emanation of lower realities from a higher, unitary principle. They explore the relationship between the One (or Absolute) and the manifold, emphasizing the role of intellect and reason in understanding divine truths.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 422 (part 1)
“Section 6 6.
But how and what does the Intellectual-Principle see and, especially, how has it sprung from that which is to become the object of its vision?
The mind demands the existence of these Beings, but it is still in trouble over th…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of divine intelligence or mind from a supreme, transcendent unity. They explore the relationship between the ultimate reality and the intellect, emphasizing the immaterial and intuitive nature of divine knowledge.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 425
“Section 9 9. Anaxagoras, again, in his assertion of a Mind pure and unmixed, affirms a simplex First and a sundered One, though writing long ago he failed in precision. Heraclitus, with his sense of bodily forms as things of ceaseless proce…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine intellect and its relationship to the material and intellectual realms. They explore the concept of a supreme, transcendent principle that is the source of all wisdom and intelligence, and how this principle manifests in the universe and in individual beings.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 426
“Section 10 10. We have shown the inevitability of certain convictions as to the scheme of things: There exists a Principle which transcends Being; this is The One, whose nature we have sought to establish in so far as such matters lend them…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul and its relationship to higher principles, emphasizing the immaterial and intellectual aspects of the soul. They also explore the idea of a transcendent principle that is beyond being and intellect.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 428
“Section 12 12. Possessed of such powers, how does it happen that we do not lay hold of them, but for the most part, let these high activities go idle- some, even, of us never bringing them in any degree to effect? The answer is that all the…”
Both passages discuss the concept of inner perception and the higher faculties of the soul. They emphasize the need to turn inward to perceive higher truths and the distinction between sensory perception and higher, intellectual or spiritual intuition.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 433
“Section 1 1. Are we to think that a being knowing itself must contain diversity, that self-knowledge can be affirmed only when some one phase of the self perceives other phases, and that therefore an absolutely simplex entity would be equal…”
Both passages discuss the nature of self-knowledge and the intellect, particularly in the context of higher, non-material beings or principles. They explore the idea of self-awareness and the understanding of intellectual objects, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 434
“Section 2 2. We begin with the soul, asking whether it is to be allowed self-knowledge and what the knowing principle in it would be and how operating. The sense-principle in it we may at once decide, takes cognisance only of the external;…”
Both passages explore the nature of the soul's knowledge and its relationship with higher intellectual or divine principles. They discuss the distinction between sensory perception and higher cognitive functions, and the role of the intellect in understanding divine or spiritual truths.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 438
“Section 6 6. Thus we have shown that there exists that which in the strictest sense possesses self-knowing. This self-knowing agent, perfect in the Intellectual-Principle, is modified in the Soul. The difference is that, while the soul know…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Wisdom and its self-knowing nature. They explore the idea of pure intellect and the distinction between the soul's understanding and the higher, unchanging Intellectual-Principle or Divine Wisdom.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 440 (part 1)
“Section 8 8.
Now comes the question what sort of thing does the Intellectual-Principle see in seeing the Intellectual Realm and what in seeing itself?
We are not to look for an Intellectual realm reminding us of the colour or shape to be…”
Both passages discuss the nature of intellectual or divine vision and the unity of the seer and the seen. They explore the idea of an intellectual principle or divine wisdom that transcends material perception and operates in a realm of pure, unified understanding.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 442 (part 1)
“Section 10 10.
This matter need not be elaborated at present: it suffices to say that if the created were all, these ultimates [the higher] need not exist: but the Supreme does include primals, the primals because the producers.
In other…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Mind, emphasizing the necessity of multiplicity and distinction for cognition and the transcendence of the Supreme. They explore the relationship between the Creator and the created, and the role of vision or intuition in understanding divine truths.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 443
“Section 11 11. Thus the Intellectual-Principle, in the act of knowing the Transcendent, is a manifold. It knows the Transcendent in very essence but, with all its effort to grasp that prior as a pure unity, it goes forth amassing successive…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between a higher, transcendent principle and the intellectual or wise principle that seeks to understand it. They explore the nature of unity and multiplicity in the process of intellectual or spiritual perception, highlighting the limitations of the intellectual principle in fully grasping the transcendent.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 448
“Section 16 16. We have, of course, already seen that a secondary must follow upon the First, and that this is a power immeasurably fruitful; and we indicated that this truth is confirmed by the entire order of things since there is nothing,…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a transcendent first principle from which all other things emanate or derive. They explore the nature of this principle and its relationship to the intellect and the created world, showing a genuine conceptual parallel.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 452 (part 1)
“Section 2 2.
If the Intellectual-Principle were the engendering Source, then the engendered secondary, while less perfect than the Intellectual-Principle, would be close to it and similar to it: but since the engendering Source is above th…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between a higher, transcendent principle and a lower, intellectual principle. They explore the nature of emanation and the act of intellection, with a focus on the unity and multiplicity within the divine order.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 452 (part 2)
“And again, if that secondary is all things, and if above its multiplicity there is a unity not ranking among those things, once more this unity transcends Real Being and therefore transcends the Intellectual-Principle as well.
There is thu…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Wisdom and its relationship to the material and immaterial worlds. They both emphasize the unity and transcendence of the higher principle beyond the material and intellectual realms.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 454 (part 1)
“Section 1 1.
The Intellectual-Principle, the veritably and essentially intellective, can this be conceived as ever falling into error, ever failing to think reality?
Assuredly no: it would no longer be intelligent and therefore no longer…”
Both passages explore the nature of intellectual or divine knowledge, discussing the inherent certainty and unity of knowledge within the intellectual or divine realm. They both delve into the distinction between sensory perception and higher forms of understanding, emphasizing the purity and unity of higher knowledge.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 468
“Section 1 1. There is a principle having intellection of the external and another having self-intellection and thus further removed from duality. Even the first mentioned is not without an effort towards the pure unity of which it is not so…”
Both passages discuss the nature of intellection and the unity of the intellective principle. They explore the relationship between unity and duality in the process of understanding, with Plotinus focusing on the primal intellection and the Neoplatonic text discussing the intuitive faculty of Angelic Minds and their unity with Divine Wisdom.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 469
“Section 2 2. Thus there is the primally intellective and there is that in which intellection has taken another mode; but this indicates that what transcends the primarily intellective has no intellection; for, to have intellection, it must…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and the relationship between the divine and intellectual activity. They explore the idea of a supreme principle that transcends intellect and the nature of intellection or wisdom in relation to this principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 470
“Section 3 3. We may be told that nothing prevents an identity being thus multiple. But there must be a unity underlying the aggregate: a manifold is impossible without a unity for its source or ground, or at least, failing some unity, relat…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a singular, transcendent unity or principle that underlies the multiplicity of existence. They explore the nature of this unity and its relationship to the manifold, emphasizing the primacy and simplicity of the ultimate reality.
◆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 divine and its relationship to intellect and wisdom. They explore the idea of a supreme, simplex entity that transcends intellect and the limitations of material existence, showing a genuine conceptual parallel across different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 472
“Section 5 5. And again: the multiple must be always seeking its identity, desiring self-accord and self-awareness: but what scope is there within what is an absolute unity in which to move towards its identity or at what term may it hope fo…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and the relationship between the divine and intellectual or intuitive faculties. They explore the idea of self-awareness and the contemplation of the divine, though within different theological frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 473
“Section 6 6. If this reasoning is valid, The Good has no scope whatever for intellection which demands something attractive from outside. The Good, then, is without Act. What Act indeed, could be vested in Activity's self? No activity has y…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and its relationship to intellect and being. They explore the idea of a supreme principle that transcends intellect and being, emphasizing the unity and simplicity of the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 484
“Section 6 6. Similarly, as it seems to me, the wise of Egypt- whether in precise knowledge or by a prompting of nature- indicated the truth where, in their effort towards philosophical statement, they left aside the writing-forms that take…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine wisdom emanating from a supreme source and the nature of this wisdom as it manifests in the created world. They share a mystical perspective on the unity and simplicity of divine knowledge.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 487
“Section 9 9. Let us, then, make a mental picture of our universe: each member shall remain what it is, distinctly apart; yet all is to form, as far as possible, a complete unity so that whatever comes into view shall show as if it were the…”
Both passages explore the concept of a unified divine reality that encompasses all existence, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all things and the transcendence of the divine beyond material limitations. They also discuss the nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the universe.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 495
“Section 3 3. We will have to examine this Nature, the Intellectual, which our reasoning identifies as the authentically existent and the veritable essential: but first we must take another path and make certain that such a principle does ne…”
Both passages discuss the nature of an Intellectual or Divine Principle that underlies and shapes the universe. They explore the relationship between this principle and the material world, as well as the nature of perception and understanding in relation to this principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 498
“Section 6 6. We take it, then, that the Intellectual-Principle is the authentic existences and contains them all- not as in a place but as possessing itself and being one thing with this its content. All are one there and yet are distinct:…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Wisdom, emphasizing the unity and multiplicity of beings or powers within a higher, transcendent reality. They share a mystical perspective on the relationship between the divine and the manifest world, though they come from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 500
“Section 8 8. If, then, the Intellection is an act upon the inner content [of a perfect unity], that content is at once the Idea [as object: eidos] and the Idea itself [as concept: idea]. What, then, is that content? An Intellectual-Principl…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Wisdom, emphasizing the unity and activity of the divine intellect. They explore how the divine essence is both the source and the content of all existence, though they use different terminology and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 501
“Section 9 9. What, then, is the content- inevitably separated by our minds- of this one Intellectual-Principle? For there is no resource but to represent the items in accessible form just as we study the various articles constituting one sc…”
Both passages discuss the concept of an Intellectual or Divine Principle that is the source of all creation and wisdom. They describe a hierarchy of being where the highest principle is beyond intellect and matter, and from which all lower forms derive their existence and knowledge.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 502
“Section 10 10. All, then, that is present in the sense realm as Idea comes from the Supreme. But what is not present as Idea, does not. Thus of things conflicting with nature, none is There: the inartistic is not contained in the arts; lame…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a higher, intellectual realm (Intellectual Kosmos in Plotinus and Divine Wisdom in the second passage) and the relationship between this realm and the material world. They both emphasize the purity and unity of the higher realm and its influence on the lower.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 506
“Section 14 14. There is, thus, a Nature comprehending in the Intellectual all that exists, and this Principle must be the source of all. But how, seeing that the veritable source must be a unity, simplex utterly? The mode by which from the…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual or Divine Principle and its relationship to the material world and multiplicity. They explore the idea of a higher, unified source from which all things emanate, and the distinction between the pure, intelligible realm and the imperfect, material realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 511
“Section 3 3. But perhaps we should rather speak of some single category, embracing Intellectual Substance, Matter, Form, and the Composite of Matter and Form. One might refer to the family of the Heraclids as a unity in the sense, not of a…”
Both passages explore the nature of ultimate reality and the hierarchy of existence. Plotinus discusses the derivation of substances from a primary substance, while the second passage talks about the emanation of wisdom and the hierarchy of intelligences, both reflecting a mystical understanding of the divine and its manifestations.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 541
“Section 3 3. We assert, then, a plurality of Existents, but a plurality not fortuitous and therefore a plurality deriving from a unity. But even admitting this derivation from a unity- a unity however not predicated of them in respect of th…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a transcendent unity that is the source of multiplicity. Plotinus describes the One as beyond existence, while the second passage discusses the Divine Wisdom as the source of all created wisdom and intelligence, highlighting the unity and simplicity of divine perception.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 545
“Section 7 7. What, then, are the several entities observable in this plurality? We have found Substance [Essence] and life simultaneously present in Soul. Now, this Substance is a common property of Soul, but life, common to all souls, diff…”
Both passages explore the relationship between different aspects of existence, such as Being, Motion, and Stability in Plotinus, and Wisdom, Mind, and Reason in the second passage. They both delve into the nature of these concepts and their interrelationships, showing a genuine conceptual parallel in their mystical explorations.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 546 (part 1)
“Section 8 8.
We cannot indeed escape positing these three, Being, Motion, Stability, once it is the fact that the Intellect discerns them as separates; and if it thinks of them at all, it posits them by that very thinking; if they are thou…”
Both passages explore the nature of intellect and being, emphasizing the unity and interconnection of different aspects of reality. They discuss the transcendence of pure intellect or wisdom and its relationship to the material world, highlighting the importance of contemplation and the unity of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 548
“Section 10 10. In what sense is the particular manifestation of Being a unity? Clearly, in so far as it is one thing, it forfeits its unity; with "one" and "thing" we have already plurality. No species can be a unity in more than an equivoc…”
Both passages explore the nature of unity and its relationship to being and multiplicity. Plotinus discusses unity as a principle that cannot be a genus, while the second passage discusses the unity of wisdom and the intuitive faculty of angelic minds, highlighting the concept of unity in divine and intellectual contexts.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 558
“Section 20 20. We may thus distinguish two phases of Intellect, in one of which it may be taken as having no contact whatever with particulars and no Act upon anything; thus it is kept apart from being a particular intellect. In the same wa…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between a universal intellect or wisdom and its particular manifestations. They explore the idea of a higher, unified intelligence that encompasses and gives rise to individual instances of intellect or wisdom, showing a conceptual parallel across different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 559 (part 1)
“Section 21 21.
How then does the universal Intellect produce the particulars while, in virtue of its Reason-Principle, remaining a unity?
In other words, how do the various grades of Being, as we call them, arise from the four primaries?…”
Both passages explore the nature of intellect and its relationship to the divine, discussing the unity and plurality of being, and the role of intellect in understanding and embodying divine wisdom. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of reality and the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 560 (part 1)
“Section 22 22.
We may here adduce the pregnant words of Plato: "Inasmuch as Intellect perceives the variety and plurality of the Forms present in the complete Living Being...." The words apply equally to Soul; Soul is subsequent to Intelle…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between higher and lower realms of existence, with a focus on intellect and soul. They explore the nature of unity and plurality, and the emanation or derivation of lower entities from higher principles, reflecting a shared mystical and metaphysical perspective.
◆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 the divine or ultimate reality and its relationship to the created universe. They explore the concepts of omnipresence and the unity of being, though from different philosophical and religious perspectives.
◆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 divine presence and the relationship between the divine and individual beings. They explore the concept of emanation and the idea that the divine is integrally present yet distinct, using similar metaphors and philosophical reasoning.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 594
“Section 4 4. But how explain beings by the side of Being, and the variety of intelligences and of souls, when Being has the unity of omnipresent identity and not merely that of a species, and when intellect and soul are likewise numerically…”
Both passages discuss the nature of unity and multiplicity within a divine or metaphysical context. They explore how a singular, omnipresent principle can give rise to diverse intelligences or souls without compromising its unity, reflecting a conceptual parallel in mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 597
“Section 7 7. Let us consider once more how it is possible for an identity to extend over a universe. This comes to the question how each variously placed entity in the multiplicity of the sense order can have its share in one identical Prin…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a unified principle or wisdom that permeates the entire universe without being divided or distributed among its parts. They explore the idea of an indivisible, omnipresent power or intelligence that transcends physical limitations.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 601
“Section 11 11. Still, this integral omnipresence admitted, why do not all things participate in the Intellectual Order in its entirety? Why has it a first participant, a second, and so on? We can but see that presence is determined by the f…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the universe and individual beings. They explore the concepts of unity, differentiation, and the relationship between the divine and the created, showing a genuine conceptual parallel across different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 603
“Section 13 13. But how account, at this, for its extension over all the heavens and all living beings? There is no such extension. Sense-perception, by insistence upon which we doubt, tells of Here and There; but reason certifies that the H…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a transcendent, indivisible principle that permeates the universe. Plotinus describes the indivisible soul present at every point of the universe, while the second passage discusses the omnipresent Divine Wisdom that transcends material limitations and is perceived through spiritual intuition.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 610
“Section 3 3. If this principle is the Authentic Existent and holds unchanging identity, does not go forth from itself, is untouched by any process of becoming or, as we have said, by any situation in place, then it must be always self-gathe…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a supreme, transcendent principle (The One in Plotinus, Divine Wisdom in the second passage) and its relationship to the rest of existence. They explore the idea of a unified, omnipresent principle that is not divided or contained within anything else, yet is participated in by all other things.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 618
“Section 11 11. But how can the unextended reach over the defined extension of the corporeal? How can it, so, maintain itself as a unity, an identity? This is a problem often raised and reason calls vehemently for a solution of the difficult…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a transcendent, immaterial principle that is the source of all existence and knowledge. They explore the relationship between this principle and the material world, emphasizing the unity and omnipresence of the higher power.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 624
“Section 4 4. We have to enquire into the existence of the Numbers in the Intellectual. Are they Ideas added to the other Ideas? Or are they no more than necessary concomitants to the Ideas? In the latter case, Being, as the first [in the In…”
Both passages explore the nature of intellectual and spiritual realities, discussing the relationship between the divine, the intelligible, and the human mind. They both delve into the concept of unity and multiplicity in the context of higher realities, though from different philosophical and mystical traditions.
◆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 discuss the nature of intellectual and spiritual realities, emphasizing the unity and immediacy of knowledge in the intellectual realm. They both explore the relationship between the divine and the intelligible, highlighting the direct perception of truth without the mediation of material or discursive processes.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 627
“Section 7 7. It is inevitably necessary to think of all as contained within one nature; one nature must hold and encompass all; there cannot be as in the realm of sense thing apart from thing, here a sun and elsewhere something else; all mu…”
Both passages discuss the unity and interconnectedness of all things within a higher, intellectual or divine principle. They emphasize the idea of a collective, all-encompassing nature that contains and unifies all entities, highlighting the concept of participation and the longing for this higher unity.
◆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 higher realities and the process of understanding them through intellectual principles. They emphasize the transcendence of these principles beyond material perception and the unity of higher forms of existence.
◆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 Intellectual-Principle or Divine Wisdom, emphasizing the unity and self-contained nature of the higher realm. They discuss the idea that the cause and essence of things are identical in the higher realm, and that this realm is not subject to chance or multiplicity.
◆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 nature of divine wisdom and its manifestation in the intellectual and spiritual realms. They explore the idea of completeness and unity in divine knowledge, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 648
“Section 9 9. Admitted, then- it will be said- for the nobler forms of life; but how can the divine contain the mean, the unreasoning? The mean is the unreasoning, since value depends upon reason and the worth of the intellective implies wor…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the manifest world, emphasizing the emanation of intelligence and wisdom from a higher, unified principle. They explore how different forms of life and intelligence derive from a single, transcendent source, albeit using different terminology and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 653
“Section 14 14. On the nature of the Intellectual-Principle we get light from its manifestations; they show that it demands such diversity as is compatible with its being a monad. Take what principle you will, that of plant or animal: if thi…”
Both passages discuss the nature of an intellectual or divine principle that encompasses unity and multiplicity. They explore how this principle manifests diversity while maintaining an underlying unity, reflecting a similar mystical insight across different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 678
“Section 39 39. Since the Supreme has no interval, no self-differentiation what can have this intuitional approach to it but itself? Therefore it quite naturally assumes difference at the point where Intellectual-Principle and Being are diff…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Supreme or Divine and its relationship with intellection and knowledge. They explore the idea of a transcendent principle that is beyond intellectual activities and the limitations of multiplicity, emphasizing a state of pure, undifferentiated existence or repose.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 699
“Section 17 17. Or consider it another way: We hold the universe, with its content entire, to be as all would be if the design of the maker had so willed it, elaborating it with purpose and prevision by reasonings amounting to a Providence.…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine wisdom and the Intellectual Principle that underlies the universe. They explore the idea of a supreme, self-poised entity that is the source of all creation and wisdom, emphasizing the unity and perfection of this divine principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 707 (part 1)
“Section 3 3.
What then must The Unity be, what nature is left for it?
No wonder that to state it is not easy; even Being and Form are not easy, though we have a way, an approach through the Ideas.
The soul or mind reaching towards the fo…”
Both passages discuss the concept of unity and the difficulty of comprehending it. They describe a process of unification or concentration of the mind to attain knowledge of a higher, formless principle that transcends being and intellect.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 709
“Section 5 5. Those to whom existence comes about by chance and automatic action and is held together by material forces have drifted far from God and from the concept of unity; we are not here addressing them but only such as accept another…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a transcendent unity or divine principle that is the source of all existence and knowledge. They explore the hierarchy of being, from the highest unity to the emanations that derive from it, and the nature of intellectual and spiritual perception.
◆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 and the relationship between the divine and intellect. They explore the idea of a supreme principle that is beyond intellect and the source of all goodness and wisdom.
◆platonism|Plato: Timaeus|Section 1i
“And being free from jealousy, he desired that all things should be as like himself as they could be.
This is in the truest sense the origin of creation and of the world, as we shall do well in believing on the testimony of wise men: God de…”
Both passages discuss the nature of creation and the role of a divine intelligence in bringing order and wisdom to the universe. They share a conceptual parallel in their emphasis on the unity and perfection of the created world, reflecting the divine mind.
◆platonism|Plato: Timaeus|Section 1l
“This entire compound he divided lengthways into two parts, which he joined to one another at the centre like the letter X, and bent them into a circular form, connecting them with themselves and each other at the point opposite to their ori…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the cosmos and the soul, emphasizing the unity and harmony of the universe. They explore the relationship between the divine and the created, and the role of reason and intuition in understanding the divine.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialogueg
“This special human intelligence which influences all individuals is like the moon, which partakes of no other species but that one alone which always renews itself by the transmutation caused in it by the sun, which is the primal and univer…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between a universal intelligence or divine wisdom and individual human intelligence. They explore the idea of a higher, stable intelligence that influences and is reflected in the more varied and uncertain human intellect.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Ancient Mysteries and Secret Societies Which Have Influenced Modern Masonic Symbolism
“The Bacchic state signifies the unity of the rational soul in a state of self-knowledge, and the Titanic state the diversity of the rational soul which, being scattered throughout creation, loses the consciousness of its own essential one-n…”
Both passages explore the concept of the rational soul or divine wisdom being fragmented and dispersed within the material world, and the process of reintegrating or reuniting this fragmented essence. They also discuss the role of higher beings (Jupiter in Passage A and the Angelic Minds in Passage B) in facilitating this reintegration or unification.
◆western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Bembine Table of Isisj
“Out of these three intangible spheres emerges the sensible universe, which Plutarch calls the 'House of Horns' and the Egyptians, the 'Great Gate of the Gods.' The top of the throne is in the midst of diffused serpent-shaped flames, indicat…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of divine wisdom or mind into the created universe, describing a hierarchical structure of intellectual and material worlds. They share the concept of a supreme, transcendent principle that communicates its essence through intermediary stages or beings, reflecting a common mystical insight into the nature of divine creation and manifestation.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter I (part 3)
“Positivism as the study of the phenomenal side of life.
Of what does the "two-dimensionality" of positive philosophy consist?
The regarding of everything upon a single plane, in one physical sequence.
The streams which flow underneath th…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the phenomenal and noumenal worlds, emphasizing the limitations of purely materialistic or rationalistic understandings and advocating for a deeper, more intuitive or spiritual comprehension of reality. They both discuss the nature of wisdom and knowledge, highlighting the importance of transcending ordinary perception to grasp higher truths.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVI (part 7)
“From the STANDPOINT OF LOGIC such a theory is more correct than the theory of two classes of actions—REASONED AND UN-REASONED.
It at least establishes the principle of NECESSARY UNIFORMITY.
It is really impossible to suppose that in an im…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and consciousness, suggesting that the universe is not merely mechanical but possesses some form of intelligence or wisdom. They both argue against a purely materialistic or mechanistic view of the world.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVI (part 10)
“By trying to think out of the usual categories, by trying to look at things and at ourselves from a new angle and simultaneously from many sides, by trying to liberate our thinking from its accustomed categories of perception in space and t…”
Both passages explore the idea of a higher plane of existence and the transformation of the individual's perception and understanding. They discuss the discovery of new analogies and the existence of a psychic or spiritual life that transcends the ordinary human experience.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVI (part 11)
“All the beings assumed by us to exist in the world of many dimensions , cannot know one another, i.e., cannot know that we are binding them together in different wholes in our phenomenal world, just as in general they cannot know our phenom…”
Both passages explore the limitations of human perception and the existence of higher, non-material realities. They discuss the idea that our usual modes of understanding are insufficient to grasp the full nature of existence, and that there are beings or intelligences that operate beyond our typical sensory and rational faculties.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVI (part 13)
“We do not know the world of causes; we are confined in the jail of the phenomenal world simply because we do not know how to discern where one ends and where the other begins.
We are in constant touch with the world of causes, we live in i…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality beyond the phenomenal world, emphasizing the limitations of human perception and the need for a deeper understanding of the underlying causes or divine wisdom. They both highlight the inadequacy of materialistic or three-dimensional frameworks in comprehending the true nature of existence.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 1)
“p.
198 CHAPTER XVII A living and rational universe.
Different forms and lines of rationality.
Animated nature.
The souls of stones and the souls of trees.
The soul of a forest.
The human "I" as a collective rationality.
Man as a comp…”
Both passages explore the idea of a living and rational universe, with Passage A discussing animism and rationality in nature, and Passage B describing the divine wisdom embodied in the universe and the intuitive faculties of angelic minds. Both texts emphasize the interconnectedness and intelligence inherent in the natural world and the universe as a whole.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 2)
“If in general life and feeling exist, they must exist in all.
Life and rationality make up the world.
If we consider nature from our side , from the side of phenomena, then it is necessary to say that each thing, each phenomenon , possess…”
Both passages explore the idea of consciousness and rationality in all aspects of nature, albeit from different perspectives. Passage A discusses the psyche of inanimate objects and their manifestations, while Passage B delves into the divine wisdom embodied in the universe and the intuitive faculties of angelic minds.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 3)
“The snail is a complex centre of transmutation of some physical energies into others.
This centre possesses a consciousness of its own.
It is for this reason that the snail is indivisible.
Its psyche is infinitely higher than that of the…”
Both passages explore the concept of higher consciousness and the interconnectedness of life forms, with Passage A discussing the psyche of various life forms and Passage B describing the divine wisdom embodied in the universe and individual instances.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 7)
“The activity of the life of such a composite being as a forest is not the same as the activity of different species of plants and animals, and the activity of the life of a species is again different from the life of separate individuals.…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a universal intelligence or soul that permeates all beings and phenomena. They explore the idea of a higher rationality or wisdom that exists beyond individual entities, connecting to mystical traditions that describe a unified, divine intelligence.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 8)
“Doesn't this show a singularly indigent imagination?
Isn't this brave universe made on a richer pattern, with room in it for a long hierarchy of beings?
Materialistic science makes it infinitely richer in terms, with its molecules, and et…”
Both passages explore the concept of a hierarchical and interconnected universe, where higher levels of consciousness or wisdom are embedded in the structure of reality. They also emphasize the importance of analogy and the unity of the cosmos, though from different philosophical and mystical perspectives.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 9)
“In ourselves, visual consciousness goes with our eyes, tactile consciousness with our skin.
But although neither skin nor eye knows aught of the sensations of the other, they come together and figure in some sort of relation and combinatio…”
Both passages explore the idea of a higher, unified consciousness that encompasses and integrates individual consciousnesses. Passage A discusses the concept of an earth-consciousness that unifies human and animal consciousness, while Passage B describes the Divine Wisdom that unifies all created wisdom and intelligence.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 10)
“By ourselves we are simply out of relation with each other, for we are both of us there, and different from each other, which is a positive relation.
What we are without knowing, it knows that we are.
It is as if the total universe of inn…”
Both passages discuss the idea of a higher, unified consciousness or wisdom that encompasses individual perceptions and knowledge. Passage A describes individual persons as sense-organs of a larger earth-soul, while Passage B discusses the emanation of wisdom from a divine source that is perceived by angelic minds and human souls.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXI (part 6)
“Of course absurdity , as such, is indeed not an index of the attributes of noumena, but the attributes of noumena will certainly be expressed in what are absurdities to us.
To hope to find in the world of causes anything logical from our s…”
Both passages discuss the limitations of human perception and understanding when trying to comprehend higher realities. Passage A uses the analogy of a two-dimensional being trying to understand a three-dimensional world, while Passage B describes the limitations of human reason and sensation in understanding divine wisdom.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXI (part 7)
“_______ Where are our "idols?" From what shall we liberate ourselves in order to pass to an understanding of the multi-dimensional world?
First of all we must get rid of our assurance that we see and sense that which exists in reality, and…”
Both passages discuss the limitations of human perception and logic in understanding reality. Passage A emphasizes the need to move beyond dualistic logic to comprehend a multi-dimensional world, while Passage B describes the limitations of human reason and the need for a unified, spiritual intuition to grasp divine wisdom.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 4)
“Both philosophies, that of the East and that of the West [says Müller] start from a common point, namely from the conviction that our ordinary knowledge is uncertain, if not altogether wrong.
This revolt of the human mind against itself is…”
Both passages explore the concept of an ultimate, unchangeable reality (Brahman in Passage A and Divine Wisdom in Passage B) and the relationship between this reality and individual souls or intelligences. They both emphasize the unity and non-duality of this ultimate reality and the limitations of ordinary knowledge.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 12)
“"The cause of all things is neither soul nor intellect; nor has it imagination, opinion, or reason, or intelligence; nor is it reason or intelligence; nor is it spoken or thought.
It is neither number, nor order, nor magnitude, nor littlen…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine and the human experience of it, emphasizing the transcendence of the divine beyond human concepts and the transformative experience of approaching the divine. They also discuss the unity and interconnectedness of beings in relation to the divine.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXIII (part 8)
“V It remains to say a few words upon the psychological origin of what is called in this book Cosmic Consciousness.
Although in the birth of Cosmic Consciousness the moral nature plays an important part, it will be better for many reasons t…”
Both passages discuss the evolution and nature of higher cognitive functions, with Passage A focusing on the development of intellect from percepts to concepts, and Passage B describing the intuitive and discursive faculties of the soul and their relation to divine wisdom. Both explore the progression from basic sensory impressions to more abstract and unified forms of understanding.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXIII (part 9)
“Further, it should be noted, as the possession of concepts implies the possession of language, so the possession of concepts and language (which are in reality two aspects of the same thing) implies the possession of self-consciousness.
Al…”
Both passages discuss the evolution of consciousness beyond ordinary human understanding, with Passage A describing the transition to 'Cosmic Consciousness' and Passage B detailing the intuitive, spiritual perceptions of angelic minds and the potential for human souls to achieve similar states through contemplation.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXIII (part 10)
“The mind becomes overcrowded (as it were) with concepts and these are constantly becoming larger, more numerous and more and more complex; some day (the conditions being all favorable) the fusion, or what might be called the chemical union,…”
Both passages discuss the concept of higher consciousness or intuition, describing a state where individuals gain a deeper understanding or vision of the universe. They also explore the limitations of language and intellect in expressing these higher states of awareness.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|5. The Pentagramb
“Here let us state distinctly that this work is being performed continually in the world by some of the flower of mankind; that there is hence a permanent revelation by intuition; and that there is no insuperable barrier which separates soul…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a universal, all-pervading intelligence or light that contains all forms and ideas. They also explore the idea of human faculties being able to perceive and interact with this universal intelligence, whether through intuition, contemplation, or magical practices.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|21. Divinationb
“In philosophy, it gives absolute certitude; in religion, the universal secret of faith; in physics, the composition, decomposition, recomposition, realization and adaptation of Philosophical Mercury, called AzOTH by the alchemists; in dynam…”
Both passages discuss the concept of intuition as a means of understanding divine or universal truths. Passage A emphasizes the role of intuition in divination and the interpretation of visions, while Passage B describes the intuitive faculty of angelic minds and human souls in perceiving spiritual truths. Both highlight the unity and purity of this intuitive understanding.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|22. Summary And General Key Of The Four Secret Sciencesa
“SIGNA TROT PAN LET us now summarize the entire science by its principles.
Analogy is the final word of science and the first word of faith.
Harmony consists in equilibrium, and equilibrium subsists by the analogy of contraries.
Absolute…”
Both passages explore the relationship between reason and faith, and the nature of divine wisdom. They discuss the limitations of human understanding and the role of analogy in bridging the finite and the infinite, though they use different terminology and frameworks.