theology
Divine Providence
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
751 passages · 19 traditions
neoplatonism145
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter XIII
“Moreover, “ the pacifications of anger ” will become manifest, if we understand what the anger of the Gods is. [32] This, therefore, is not, as it appears to be to some, a certain ancient and inveterate rage, but an abandonment of the benef…”
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter I
“It is also necessary to demonstrate to you, in what dæmons, heroes, and souls differ from each other, and whether this difference is according to essence, or according to power, or according to energy. I say, therefore, that dæmons are prod…”
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter IX
“In the last place, the dispositions of the soul of those that invoke the Gods to appear receive, when they become visible, a liberation from the passions, a transcendent perfection, and an energy entirely more excellent, and participate of…”
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter I
“In the first place, therefore, you ask me to explain to you distinctly, “ what that is which is effected in the foreknowledge of future events? ” Immediately, however, that which you endeavour to learn is impossible. For, according to the m…”
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter III
“The wise, [49] therefore, speak as follows: The soul having a twofold life, one being in conjunction with body, but the other being separate from all body; when we are awake we employ, for the most part, the life which is common with the bo…”
◆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…”
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter XIV
“Concerning another kind of divination, also, you say as follows: “ Others who are conscious what they are doing in other respects, are divinely inspired according to the phantastic part, some indeed receiving darkness for a cooperator, othe…”
◆Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter XV
“Let us, therefore, pass on to the mode of divination which is effected through human art, and which possesses much of conjecture and opinion. But concerning this you say as follows: “ Some also establish the art of the investigation of futu…”
Show all 145 →jewish_mysticism83
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Page 3 (part 8)
“Of special interest here is the mention of the Garden of Righteousness, and the Tree of Wisdom (xxviii.-xxxvi.).
Much that is written in these chapters may appear p.
xxi pointless and uninspiring; but we must bear in mind the purpose that…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Page 3 (part 9)
“The Apocalyptist prophesies further of the repentance of the Gentiles (chapter l.), an universalistic note of significance, and speaks of the Resurrection of the dead in a notable passage: And In those days shall the earth also give back th…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Chapter I
“p. 31 BOOK OF ENOCH I-XXXVI I-V. Parable of Enoch on the Future Lot of the Wicked and the Righteous CHAPTER I. 1. The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect ⌈⌈ and ⌉⌉ righteous, who will be living in the day of tribu…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Chapter V
“CHAPTER V. 1. Observe ⌈⌈ ye ⌉⌉ how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and bear fruit: wherefore give ye heed ⌈ and know ⌉ with regard to all ⌈ His works ⌉ , and recognize how He that liveth for ever hath made them so. 2. And ⌈ all…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Chapter IX
“CHAPTER IX. 1. And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. 2. And they said one to another: 'The earth made †without i…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Chapter X (part 1)
“CHAPTER X.
1.
Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 2.
' 〈 Go to Noah 〉 and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that th…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Chapter XI
“CHAPTER XI. 1. And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so as to send them down ⌈ upon the earth ⌉ over the work and labour of the children of men. 2. And truth and peace shall be associated toge…”
◆The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation) | Chapter XII
“XII-XVI. Dream Vision of Enoch: his intercession for Azâzêl and the fallen Angels: and his announcement to them of their first and final doom . CHAPTER XII. 1. Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew whe…”
Show all 83 →greek_mystery79
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 4 (part 1)
“SECT.
II.
LET us now proceed to his theology; exchanging the obscurity of conjecture for the light of clear evidence; and the intricate labyrinths of fable for the delightful though solitary paths of truth.
p.
13 And here I must acquain…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 4 (part 3)
“Because it is also necessary that the soul, essentially rational, should receive intellect by participation, and that intellectual energy should be of p.
22 two kinds; one primarily subsisting in the divine intellect; but the other subsist…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 4 (part 11)
“As the husbandman, therefore, performs sacred rites, by presenting handfuls of pulse and fruits, so ought we to sacrifice our purest thoughts, and other goods of the soul, thanking the divinities for the sublime contemplations they afford u…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 4 (part 12)
“But to the other Gods, to the world, and to the erratic and fixed stars, composed from body and soul, and to the visible divinities, testimonials of gratitude are to be offered by sacrificing with inanimate substances.
After these there re…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 4 (part 15)
“For the generative causes of things, are contained by similitude in their effects; and in causes themselves their progeny subsist, comprehended in perfect union and consent.
Hence the celestial orbs impart a copious defluxion of good to th…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 5 (part 3)
“Again, Vesta, in the Orphic hymns, is the same with the mother of the Gods; and the mother of the Gods is celebrated as "always governing rivers and every sea m ; which perfectly agrees with the appellations given both to Love and Proteus.…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 5 (part 4)
“Now Nature is called in these hymns, or rather initiations πολυμήχανε μῆτερ, or much-mechanic Mother, and παντοτεχνεσ or universal Artist; and Minerva is denominated μητερ τεχνῶν, or Mother of Arts.
Likewise Nature is expressly called ἀθαν…”
◆Orphic Hymns | Front Matter, p. 6 (part 1)
“THE INITIATIONS OF ORPHEUS .
p.
109 TO MUSÆUS * ATTEND Musæus to my sacred song, And learn what rites to sacrifice belong.
Jove I invoke, the earth, and solar light, The moon's pure splendor, and the stars of night; p.
110 Thee Neptune,…”
Show all 79 →celtic70
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINc
“The man looked upon me, and he smiled and said, ‘If I did not fear to distress thee too much, I would show thee that which thou seekest.’ Upon this I became anxious and sorrowful, and when the man perceived it, he said, ‘If thou wouldest ra…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINl
““My lord Arthur,” said Gwalchmai, “here is Owain, who has vanquished me, and will not take my arms.” “My lord,” said Owain, “it is he that has vanquished me, and he will not take my sword.” “Give me your swords,” said Arthur, “and then neit…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINn
“And when they came near to the Earl’s army, they could see neither its extent nor its extremity.
And Owain asked the pages in which troop the Earl was.
“In yonder troop,” said they, “in which are four yellow standards.
Two of them are be…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINo
“And I told them that they two were not a match for him alone.
So they imprisoned me in the stone vault, and said that I should be put to death, unless he came himself to deliver me, by a certain day; and that is no further off than the day…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINp
“And the lion fought with the giant much more fiercely than Owain did.
“Truly,” said the giant, “I should find no difficulty in fighting with thee, were it not for the animal that is with thee.” Upon that Owain took the lion back to the Cas…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAINq
“And we were thrown into a state of stupor, and while we were thus, the demon who owns this Castle slew all our husbands, and took from us our horses, and our raiment, and our gold, and our silver; and the corpses of our husbands are still i…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWCk
““Behold,” said he, “I am the knight through whom thou art in trouble, and he shall repent it, who has treated thee thus.” Thereupon, behold a knight rode up, and he inquired of Peredur, if he had seen a knight such as he was seeking.
“Hold…”
◆The Mabinogion | Tale PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWCn
“And Peredur put on garments like those that Gwalchmai wore, and they went together unto Arthur, and saluted him.
“Behold, lord,” said Gwalchmai, “him whom thou hast sought so long.” “Welcome unto thee, chieftain,” said Arthur.
“With me th…”
Show all 70 →finnic61
◆The Kalevala | Rune Ia
“OF WAINAMOINEN.
In primeval times, a maiden, Beauteous Daughter of the Ether, Passed for ages her existence In the great expanse of heaven, O'er the prairies yet enfolded.
Wearisome the maiden growing, Her existence sad and hopeless, Thus…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIa
“'S SOWING.
Then arose old Wainamoinen, With his feet upon the island, On the island washed by ocean, Broad expanse devoid of verdure; There remained be many summers, There he lived as many winters, On the island vast and vacant, well consi…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIb
“Wainamoinen, old and trusty, Thought awhile, and well considered, How to kill the mighty oak-tree, First created for his pleasure, How to fell the tree majestic, How to lop its hundred branches.
Sad the lives of man and hero, Sad the homes…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IId
“Down from heaven came the eagle, Through the air be came a-flying, That he might this thing consider; And he spake the words that follow: "Wherefore, ancient Wainamoinen, Hast thou left the slender birch-tree, Left the birch-tree only stand…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IIIg
“Careless thus be hastens homeward, Nears his home with noise and bustle, Reckless drives against the pent-house, Breaks the shafts against the portals, Breaks his handsome sledge in pieces.
Then his mother, quickly guessing, Would have chi…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune IVc
“Deck thy brow with silken ribbon, Trim with gold thy throbbing temples, And thy neck with pearly necklace, Hang the gold-cross on thy bosom, Robe thyself in pure, white linen Spun from flax of finest fiber; Wear withal the richest short-fro…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune VIb
“Neither clouds on the horizon, Nor the dawning of the morning; It is ancient Wainamoinen, The renowned and wise enchanter, Riding on his way to Northland; On his steed, the royal racer, Magic courser of Wainola." Quickly now young Youkahain…”
◆The Kalevala | Rune VIIb
“What will happen if I perish, If I sink below the billows, Perish here from cold and hunger?" Thus the bird of Ether answered "Be not in the least disheartened, Place thyself between my shoulders, On my back be firmly seated, I will lift th…”
Show all 61 →christian_mysticism48
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 10, Section 1a
“CHAPTER X Concerning ” Omnipotent ,” ” Ancient of Days “; and also concerning ” Eternity “ and ” Time .” 1.
Now ‘tis time that our Discourse should celebrate God (Whose Names are many) as “Omnipotent” and “Ancient of Days.” The former titl…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 1, Section 1d
“And we press upwards to those beams which in the Holy Scripture shine upon us; wherefrom we gain the light which leads us unto 55 the Divine praises 64 64 πρὸς τοὺς θεαρχικοὺς ὕμνους.
Either (1) “leads us to declare the Divine praises”; or…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 1, Section 1e
“These mysteries we learn from the Divine Scriptures, and thou wilt find that in well-nigh all the utterances of the Sacred Writers the Divine Names refer in a Symbolical Revelation 72 72 ἐκφαντορικῶς καὶ ὑμνητικῶς.
to Its beneficent Emanat…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 1, Section 1h
“that which makes an individual thing to be one thing); (2) Mental or Spiritual intercourse; (3) Physical intercourse; (4) Sense perception.
Here it = either (1) or (2), probably (1).
limit, infinity, everything that exists.
And yet since…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 1, Section 1j
“143 143 God is above Time.
For the Nameless Goodness is not only the cause of cohesion or life or perfection in such wise as to derive Its Name from this or that providential activity alone; nay, rather does It contain all things beforehan…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 11, Section 1c
“And the perfect Peace guards each several individuality unalloyed by Its providential gift of peace, keeping all things without internal or mutual discord or confusion, and establishing all things, in the power of unswerving stability, so a…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 12, Section 1a
“181 CHAPTER XII Concerning ” Holy of holies ,” ” King of kings ,” ” Lord of lords ,” ” God of gods .” 1.
Forasmuch as the things which needed to be said concerning this matter have been brought, I think, to a proper ending, we must praise…”
◆Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names | Chapter 2, Section 1b
“And if they deny that the whole Godhead is Life, how can that Sacred Word be true Which declared “As the Father raiseth the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will,” 175 175 John v.
21 .
and also, “It is the Spir…”
Show all 48 →platonism42
◆Plato: Phaedo | Section 1}
“For I cannot understand how, when separated from the other, each of them was one and not two, and now, when they are brought together, the mere juxtaposition of them can be the cause of their becoming two: nor can I understand how the divis…”
◆Plato: Phaedo | Section 1
“The wise and orderly soul is conscious of her situation and follows in the path; but the soul which desires the body, and which, as I was relating before, has long been fluttering about the lifeless frame and the world of sight, is after ma…”
◆Plato: Phaedo | Section 1
“And upon the earth are animals and men, some in a middle region, others dwelling about the air as we dwell about the sea; others in islands which the air flows round, near the continent: and in a word, the air is used by them as the water a…”
◆Plato: Phaedo | Section 1
“And some burst forth again on the opposite side, and some on the same side, and some wind round the earth with one or many folds, like the coils of a serpent, and descend as far as they can, but always return and fall into the lake.
The ri…”
◆Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1m
“For prophecy is a madness, and the prophetess at Delphi and the priestesses at Dodona when out of their senses have conferred great benefits on Hellas, both in public and private life, but when in their senses few or none.
And I might also…”
◆Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1p
“And there is a law of Destiny, that the soul which attains any vision of truth in company with a god is preserved from harm until the next period, and if attaining always is always unharmed.
But when she is unable to follow, and fails to b…”
◆Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1r
“But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”
◆Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1u
“And the beloved when he has received him into communion and intimacy, is quite amazed at the good-will of the lover; he recognises that the inspired friend is worth all other friends or kinsmen; they have nothing of friendship in them worth…”
Show all 42 →gnosticism35
◆Gospel of Philip | Section 1b
“TRUTH MADE NAMES Truth made names in the world, and without them we can’t think.
Truth is one and is many, teaching one thing through the many.
RULERS The rulers wanted to fool us, since they saw we were connected with the good.
They too…”
◆Gospel of Philip | Section 1d
“When the child is grown, however, then the father turns over all he possesses.
THE LOST Those who have gone astray are those born of the spirit.
And they are usually lost because of the spirit.
So from one single breath of spirit the fir…”
◆Gospel of Thomas | Logion 36
“Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear."…”
◆Gospel of Thomas | Logion 40
“Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside of the father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed."…”
◆Gospel of Thomas | Logion 57
“Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a man who had good seed. His enemy came by night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The man did not allow them to pull up the weeds; he said to them, 'I am afraid that you will go intending t…”
◆Gospel of Thomas | Logion 73
“Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few. Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest."…”
◆Pistis Sophia | Document FIRSTd
“It happened while I am sitting being distant from you [9 ] a little upon the mountain of the Olives, thinking of the arrangement of the service concerning which they sent me, that it was finished: and the Last mystery dispatched not to me m…”
◆Pistis Sophia | Document FIRSTf
“And when your time was finished they produced you in [14 ] the World, there not being soul of the Rulers in you; and ye took your part out of the power, this which breathed in unto the Confusion the last Helper, this (power) which is mixed…”
Show all 35 →western_esoteric32
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | Ceremonial Magic and Sorceryf
“The words about the circle are the names of the invisible intelligences, and the small crosses mark points at which certain prayers and invocations are recited.
The small circle outside is prepared for the spirit to be invoked, and while i…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | Qabbalistic Keys to the Creation of Manj
“Many of the early Church Fathers sought to establish a direct relationship between Adam and Christ, thereby obviously discounting the extremely sinful nature of man's common ancestor, since it is quite certain that when St.
Augustine liken…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | Rosicrucian Doctrines and Tenetsb
“By our divinely revealed system--which partakes much of theology and medicine but little of jurisprudence--we analyze the heavens and the earth; but mostly we study man himself, within whose nature is concealed the supreme secret.
If the l…”
◆The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall) | The Mysteries and Their Emissariesk
“It was a grave moment and not a few of those present feared that their lives would be the forfeit for their audacity.
In the midst of the debate a fierce voice rang out.
The debaters stopped and turned to look upon the stranger.
Who was…”
◆Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XIII (part 3)
“Just as it is impossible for a savage to attain to an understanding of the nature of a watch by a study of its phenomenal side—the number of wheels, and the number of teeth in each gear—so also for the positivistic scientist, studying the e…”
◆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…”
◆Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XVIII (part 2)
“Evolutionists, followers of Darwin, say that the struggle for existence and the selection of the fittest created the mind and feeling of contemporary man—that mind and feeling SERVE LIFE, preserve the life of separate individuals and of the…”
◆Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XXII (part 22)
“I seemed to be directly under the foot of God, and I thought he was grinding his own life up out of my pain.
Then I saw that what he had been trying with all his might to do was to change his course, to bend the line of lightning to which…”
Show all 32 →renaissance_hermeticism30
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter VI — Of the Wonderful Natures of Water, Air and Winds | Chapter VI, Section 1a
“CHAPTER VI.
Of the Wonderful Natures of Water, Air and Winds .
The other two Elements, viz., Water and Air, are not less efficacious than the former; neither is Nature wanting to work wonderful things in them.
There is so great a necessi…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XII — How It Is That Particular Virtues Are Infused into Particular Individuals, even of the Same Species | Chapter XII, Section 1
“CHAPTER XII. How It Is That Particular Virtues Are Infused into Particular Individuals, even of the Same Species . There are also in many individuals, or particular things, peculiar gifts, as wonderful as in the species and these also are f…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XIII — Whence the Occult Virtues of Things Proceed | Chapter XIII, Section 1b
“For God, in the first place, is the end and beginning of all Virtues; he gives the seal of the Ideas to his servants, the Intelligences; who, as faithful officers, sign all things intrusted to them with an Ideal Virtue; the Heavens and Star…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LVI — Of the Soothsayings of Flashes and Lightnings, and how Monstrous and Prodigious Things are to be Interpreted | Chapter LVI, Section 1a
“CHAPTER LVI.
Of the Soothsayings of Flashes and Lightnings, and how Monstrous and Prodigious Things are to be Interpreted .
Now, the soothsayings of flashes and lightnings, and of wonders, and how monstrous and prodigious things are to be…”
◆Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LXXIV — Of the Proportion, Correspondency, and Reduction of Letters to the Celestial Signs and Planets, According to Various Tongues, and a Table Thereof | Chapter LXXIV, Section 1a
“CHAPTER LXXIV.
Of the Proportion, Correspondency, and Reduction of Letters to the Celestial Signs and Planets, According to Various Tongues, and a Table Thereof .
God gave to man a mind and speech, which (as saith Mercurius Trismegistus)…”
◆The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | INTRODUCTIONh
“The primal idea of Pythagoras, which Bruno worked out to a more distinct development is this: numbers are the beginning of things; in other words numbers are the cause of the existence of material things; they are not final, but are always…”
◆The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | First Dialoguec
“Hence he cries: "O mountain of Parnassus, where I abide!
Muses, with whom I converse!
Fountain of Helicon, where I am nourished.
Mountain, that affordest me a quiet dwelling-place!
Muses, that inspire me with pro found doctrines.
Fount…”
◆The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | First Dialogued
“Some are called in vain to put in a ready appearance, and are chiefly those which proceed from the lower instincts, and which obey the reason either not at all, or very little; and forcing himself to prevent their actions and condemn those…”
Show all 30 →hermeticism27
◆Corpus Hermeticum 1: Poimandres | Section 1b
“But when He raised His head, I see in Mind the Light, [but] now in Powers no man could number, and Cosmos grown beyond all bounds, and that the Fire was compassed round about by a most mighty Power, and [now] subdued had come unto a stand.…”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 5: The Discourse of Hermes to Asclepius | Section 1c
“And for this cause hath He all names, in that they are one Father's.
And for this cause hath He Himself no nome, in that He's Father of [them] all.
Who, then, may sing Thee praise of Thee, or [praise] to Thee?
Whither, again, am I to tur…”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 6: The All-Father | Section 1a
“In God Alone Is Good And Elsewhere Nowhere <This sermon on the nature of the Good, like To Asclepius (CH II), relies heavily on the technical language of classical Greek philosophy - a point which some of Mead's translations tend to obscure…”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 8: The Eight Sphere | Section 1a
“That No One of Existing Things doth Perish, but Men in Error Speak of Their Changes as Destructions and as Deaths <The idea of cyclic change central to CH III, "The Sacred Sermon", also takes center stage here.
A current of ancient specula…”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 8: The Eight Sphere | Section 1b
“Now the third life - Man, after the image of the Cosmos made, [and] having mind, after the Father's will, beyond all earthly lives - not only doth have feeling with the second God <i.e., the Cosmos>, but also hath conception of the first; f…”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 9: The Decalogue | Section 1b
“But I return once more to the Discourse (Logos) on Sense.
That sense doth share with thought in man, doth constitute him man.
But 'tis not [every] man, as I have said, who benefits by thought; for this man is material, that other one subs…”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 9: The Decalogue | Section 1c
“This is God's sense-and-thought, ever to move all things.
And never time shall be when e'en a whit of things that are shall cease; and when I say "a whit of things that are", I mean a whit of God.
For thigs that are, God hath; nor aught […”
◆Corpus Hermeticum 10: The Sermon on the Mount | Section 1a
“The Key <This longer tractate presents itself explicitly as a summary or abridgement of the General Sermons (CH II-IX), and discusses the Hermetic view of knowledge and its role in the lives and afterlives of human beings.
The attentive re…”
Show all 27 →mesopotamian27
◆Adapa and the Food of Life | Section 1a
“ADAPA AND THE FOOD OF LIFE .
TABLET NO.1 He possessed intelligence .
.
.
, His command like the command of Anu ...
He (Ea) granted him a wide ear to reveal the destiny of the land, He granted him wisdom, but he did not grant him eterna…”
◆The Descent of the Goddess Ishtar into the Lower World | Section 1a
“Return to Ancient Near East index Return to Main Index DESCENT OF THE GODDESS ISHTAR INTO THE LOWER WORLD [From The Civilization of Babylonia and Assyria, M.
Jastrow, 1915] To the land of no return, the land of darkness, Ishtar, the daught…”
◆Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation | 1a
“THE FIRST TABLET When in the height heaven was not named, And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name, And the primeval Apsu, who begat them, And chaos, Tiamut, the mother of them both Their waters were mingled together, And no field was…”
◆Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation | 1c
“Whoever beholdeth them is overcome by terror, Their bodies rear up and none can withstand their attack.
She hath set up vipers, and dragons, and the monster Lahamu, And hurricanes and raging hounds, and scorpion-men, And mighty tempests, a…”
◆Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation | 1g
“When the gods, his fathers, beheld the fulfillment of his word, They rejoiced, and they did homage unto him, saying, " Marduk is king!" They bestowed upon him the scepter, and the throne, and the ring, They give him an invincible weapony wh…”
◆Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation | 1h
“She recited an incantation, she pronounced her spell, And the gods of the battle cried out for their weapons.
Then advanced Tiamat and Marduk, the counselor of the gods; To the fight they came on, to the battle they drew nigh.
The lord sp…”
◆Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation | 1i
“He opened great gates on both sides, He made strong the bolt on the left and on the right.
In the midst thereof he fixed the zenith; The Moon-god he caused to shine forth, the night he entrusted to him.
He appointed him, a being of the ni…”
◆Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation | 1j
“Tutu [Marduk] is "He who created them anew"; Should their wants be pure, then are they satisfied; Should he make an incantation, then are the gods appeased; Should they attack him in anger, he withstandeth their onslaught!
Let him therefor…”
Show all 27 →egyptian23
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 7 (part 3)
“xi.) that the Prisse papyrus was copied about the period of the XVIIth dynasty and that the works in it only date from the XIIth dynasty; but many Egyptologists assign the composition of the work to the age of Assa.
See Wiedemann, Aegyptis…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 8 (part 2)
“Verily it shall be cast forth by my healing words of power, and I will drive it away from before the sight of thy sunbeams." The holy god opened his mouth and said, "I was passing along my path, and I was going through the two regions of my…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 8 (part 7)
“The sacred Form, beloved, terrible and mighty in his two risings (?), the lord of space, the mighty one of the form of Khepera, who came into existence through Khepera, the lord of the form of Khepera; when he came into being nothing existe…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 10 (part 14)
“see also Maspero, Hymne au Nil, publié et traduit d'après les deux textes A Musée Britannique , Paris, 1868.
4to.
2 Pyramid of Unas, l.
219; Pyramid of Teta, ll.
60, 286; Pyramid of Pepi I., ll.
444, 593, etc.
3.
Pyramid of Pepi I.,…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 10 (part 17)
“It has been urged that the Egyptians never advanced to pure monotheism because they never succeeded in freeing themselves from the belief in the existence of other gods, but when they say that a god has "no second," even though they mention…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 28 (part 1)
“PLATE XX.
Vignette: Osiris and Isis in a sepulchral shrine.
Text [CHAPTER XV.]: (I) A HYMN OF PRAISE To RA WHEN HE RISETH IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE HEAVEN.
They who are in (2) his train rejoice, and lo!
Osiris Ani in triumph saith "Hai…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 43 (part 22)
“If the name of Osiris flourisheth in This, the name of Pepi shall flourish, and this pyramid shall flourish, and this his work shall endure to all eternity.
If the name of Osiris Khent-Amenta flourisheth, the name of Pepi shall flourish, a…”
◆The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) | Chapter 43 (part 36)
“The days are called in hieroglyphics ###, "the five additional days of the year," e?pago'menai!hme'rai pe'nte ; see Brugsch, Thesaurus Inscriptionum Aegytiacarum , Abt.
ii.
( Kalendarische Inschriften ), Leipzig, 1883, pp.
479, 480; Brug…”
Show all 23 →sufism18
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY Ia
“The Prince and the Handmaid.
A prince, while engaged on a hunting excursion, espied a fair maiden, and by promises of gold induced her to accompany him.
After a time she fell sick, and the prince had her tended by divers physicians.
As,…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY IIIa
“The Jewish King, his Vazir, and the Christians.
A certain Jewish king used to persecute the Christians, desiring to exterminate their faith.
His Vazir persuaded him to try a stratagem, namely, to mutilate the Vazir himself, and expel him…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY IV
“Another Tyrannical Jewish King. A certain Jewish king, the same who is referred to in the Sura "Signs of the Zodiac," I made up his mind to utterly exterminate the Christian faith, and with that view he set up a huge idol, and issued comman…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY Vc
“The skill taught by God to the silkworm Is a learning beyond the reach of the elephant.
The earthly Adam was taught of God names, 4 So that his glory reached the seventh heaven.
He laid low the name and fame of the angels, 5 Yet blind ind…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY Vd
“But the light that lights the heart is the Light of God, Which is distinct from the light of reason and sense.
At night there is no light, and colors are not seen; Hence we know what light is by its opposite, darkness.
At night no colors…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY Ve
“"In yourselves are signs; will ye not behold them?" (Koran li, 21).
12.
See Gulshan i Raz, I.
92.
Mr.
Mansel (Bampton Lectures, p.
49) says: "A thing can be known as that which it is only by being distinguished from that which it is n…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY VIa
“Omar and the Ambassador.
The hare, having delivered his companions from the tyranny of the lion, in the manner just described, proceeds to improve the occasion by exhorting them to engage in a greater and more arduous warfare, viz., the st…”
◆The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY VIb
“They possess freewill and compulsion besides, 4 As in oyster-shells raindrops are pearls.
Outside the shell they are raindrops, great and small; Inside they are precious pearls, big and little.
These men also resemble the musk deer's bag;…”
Show all 18 →taoism13
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 34
“All-pervading is the Great Tao! It may be found on the left hand and on the right. All things depend on it for their production, which it gives to them, not one refusing obedience to it. When its work is accomplished, it does not claim the…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 41
“Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao, earnestly carry it into practice. Scholars of the middle class, when they have heard about it, seem now to keep it and now to lose it. Scholars of the lowest class, when they have…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 51
“All things are produced by the Tao, and nourished by its outflowing operation. They receive their forms according to the nature of each, and are completed according to the circumstances of their condition. Therefore all things without excep…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 60
“Governing a great state is like cooking small fish. Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest their spiritual energy. It is not that those manes have not that spiritual energy, but it…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 62
“Tao has of all things the most honoured place. No treasures give good men so rich a grace; Bad men it guards, and doth their ill efface. (Its) admirable words can purchase honour; (its) admirable deeds can raise their performer above others…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 67
“All the world says that, while my Tao is great, it yet appears to be inferior (to other systems of teaching). Now it is just its greatness that makes it seem to be inferior. If it were like any other (system), for long would its smallness h…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 74
“The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to (try to) frighten them with death? If the people were always in awe of death, and I could always seize those who do wrong, and put them to death, who would dare to do wrong? There is al…”
◆Tao Te Ching | Chapter 77
“May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where…”
Show all 13 →norse8
◆The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1e
“Hotter than fire | between false friends Does friendship five days burn; When the sixth day comes | the fire cools, And ended is all the love.
52.
No great thing needs | a man to give, Oft little will purchase praise; With half a loaf | a…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1e
“Fili, Kili, | Fundin, Nali, Heptifili, | Hannar, Sviur, Frar, Hornbori, | Fræg and Loni, Aurvang, Jari, | Eikinskjaldi.
14.
The race of the dwarfs | in Dvalin's throng Down to Lofar | the list must I tell; The rocks they left, | and throu…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1f
“Lothur : apparently an older name for Loki, the treacherous but ingenious son of Laufey, whose divinity Snorri regards as somewhat doubtful.
He was adopted by Othin, who subsequently had good reason to regret it.
Loki probably represents…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1g
“Lines 5-6, one or both of them probably interpolated, seem to symbolize the refining of gold by fire.
Hor ("The High One"): Othin.
22.
Heith ("Shining One"?): a name often applied to wise women and prophetesses.
The application of this…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1i
“On all sides saw I | Valkyries assemble, Ready to ride | to the ranks of the gods; Skuld bore the shield, | and Skogul rode next, Guth, Hild, Gondul, | and Geirskogul.
Of Herjan's maidens | the list have ye heard, Valkyries ready | to ride…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1m
“This stanza refers to the story that he was sent by the gods with Hönir as a hostage to the Wanes after their war (cf.
stanza 21 and note), and that the Wanes cut off his head and returned it to the gods.
Othin embalmed the head, and by m…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1o
“The sun turns black, | earth sinks in the sea, The hot stars down | from heaven are whirled; Fierce grows the steam | and the life-feeding flame, Till fire leaps high | about heaven itself.
58.
Now Garm howls loud | before Gnipahellir, Th…”
◆The Poetic Edda: Voluspo | Section 1p
“More fair than the sun, | a hall I see, Roofed with gold, | on Gimle it stands; There shall the righteous | rulers dwell, And happiness ever | there shall they have.
65.
There comes on high, | all power to hold, A mighty lord, | all lands…”
zoroastrianism7
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Ahunavaiti Gatha, Yasna XXIX, Section 1a
“(Homage to you, O Sacred Gâthas!) 1.
Unto you (O Ahura and Asha!) the Soul of the Kine (our sacred herds and folk) cried aloud: For whom did ye create me, and by 1 whom did ye fashion me?
On me comes the assault of wrath, and of violent p…”
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Ahunavaiti Gatha, Yasna XXXI, Section 1a
“1.
These doctrines (therefore) we are earnestly declaring to You as we recite them forth from memory, words (till now) unheard 1 (with faith) by those who by means of the doctrinal vows 2 of the harmful Lie are delivering the settlements o…”
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Ahunavaiti Gatha, Yasna XXXI, Section 1b
“as the one to be adored with the mind in the creation, as the Father of the Good Mind within us, when I beheld Thee 7 with my (enlightened) eyes as the veritable maker of our Righteousness, as the Lord of the actions of life 8 !
9.
Thine,…”
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Ushtavaiti Gatha, Yasna XLIII, Section 1b
“102 righteous may I be a mighty help and joy 1 , since to preparations 2 for Thy Kingdom, and in desire (for its approach), I would devote myself so long as to Thee, O Mazda!
I may praise, and weave my song.
9.
Yea, I conceived of Thee a…”
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Ushtavaiti Gatha, Yasna XLIV, Section 1a
“1.
This I ask Thee, O Ahura!
tell me aright; when praise is to be offered, how (shall I complete) the praise of the One like You 1 , O Mazda?
Let p.
112 the One like Thee declare it earnestly to the friend who is such as I, thus through…”
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Spenta Mainyu Gatha, Yasna XLVIII, Section 1a
“1.
If through his action 1 in the offering of gifts in accordance with the Righteous Order, (Thy saint 2 ) shall smite the Demon-of-the-Lie (the inspiring spirit of our foes), when that in very truth shall come 3 , which has been (and is s…”
◆Avesta (Gathas) | Vohu Khshathra Gatha, Yasna LI, Section 1a
“1.
The good Government (of Ahura 1 ) is to be chosen (among all wished-for things 2 ) as that lot which most of all brings on (our happiness).
Actions that oppress us it opposes 3 , through the holy Order (which pervades it), and with the…”
mandaean2
◆Gnostic John the Baptizer — Portents at John's Birth | Section 3
“Then all of the priests arose and said to Old Father Zakhriā, [they
said] in reproach: "Be at rest and keep thy seat, Old Father, and let the
calm of the Good (pl.) rest upon thee. Old p. 39 Father, if there were no dreams
in Judća, then wo…”
◆Gnostic John the Baptizer — Portents at John's Birth | Section 15
“When the youth saw her alone, he set himself free and fell down from
the cloud. He set himself free and fell down from the cloud and kissed the
mouth of Enishbai. When Anōsh, the treasure, saw him [do this], he spake unto
Yahyā in Jerusalem…”
upanishads1
◆Îsâ-Upanishad | Îsâ, Section 1b
“Remember thy deeds 5 !
18.
Agni, lead us on to wealth (beatitude) by a good path, thou, O God, who knowest all things!
p.
314 [paragraph continues] Keep far from us crooked evil, and we shall offer thee the fullest praise!
(Rv.
I, 189…”