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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 84 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 9 (part 3)

5. Lanzone, Domicile des Esprits , p. 1; Dizionario , p. 1292. 6. Maspero, La Mythologie Égyptienne ( Études , I. ii., p. 207); Jéquier, Le Livre , p. 3 The eastern mountain peak was called Bakhatet, and the western Manu. 7. I.e. , the Field of reed plants.] {p. cv} The Fields of Aaru and Hetep. Sekhet-Hetep,[l] and was supposed to lie to the north of Egypt. Here dwell Horus and Set, for the fields of Aaru and Hetep are their domains,[2] and here enters the deceased with two of the children of Horus on one side of him, and two on the other,[3] and the "two great chiefs who preside over the throne of the great god proclaim eternal life and power for him."[4] Here like the supreme God he is declared to be "one," and the four children of Horus proclaim his name to Ra. Having gone to the north of the Aaru Field he makes his way to the eastern portion of the tuat , where according to one legend he becomes like the morning star, near[6] his sister Sothis.[7] Here he lived in the form of the star Sothis, and "the great and little companies of the gods purify him in the Great Bear." The Egyptian theologians, who conceived that a ladder was necessary to enable the soul to ascend to the next world, provided it also with an address which it was to utter when it reached the top. As given in the pyramid of Unas it reads as follows':--"Hail to thee, O daughter of Amenta, mistress of Peteru(?) of heaven, thou gift of Thoth, thou mistress of the two sides of the ladder, open a way to Unas, let Unas pass. Hail to thee, O Nau, who art [seated] upon the brink of the Lake of Kha, open thou a way to Unas, let Unas pass. Hail to thee, O thou bull of four horns, thou who hast one horn to the west, and one to the east, and one to the north, and one to the south, . . . . . . let Unas pass, for he is a being from the purified Amenta, who goeth forth from the country of Baqta. Hail to thee, O Sekhet-Hetep, hail to thee, and to the fields which are in thee, the fields of Unas are in thee, for pure offerings are in thee." [1. I.e. , the Field of Peace. 2. Recueil de Travaux , t. v., p. 191 (l. 182). 3. Ibid. , p. 50 (l. 262). 4. Ibid. , t. vii., p. 163 (1. 402). 5. Ibid. , t. iv., p. 49. (l. 432). 6. Ibid. , t. v., p. 186 (ll. 80, 170, 177). 7. Ibid. , t. iv., p. 55 (l. 475). 8. Ibid. , t. iv., p. 68 (l. 567). 9 Ibid. , t. iv., p. 69 (l. 576 ff.).] {p. cvi} Power of the gods of Annu.
Themes
Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

The deceased transforms into the form of the star Sothis and is associated with the morning star.

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

Gods like Horus, Set, and Ra are depicted as active agents dwelling in specific domains and proclaiming life.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

The text contains liturgical addresses ('Hail to thee...') directed at divine entities to facilitate passage.

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Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The soul ascends to the next world and becomes like the morning star, returning to a divine celestial state.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The children of Horus proclaim the deceased's name to Ra, highlighting the ontological power of names.

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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 deceased is declared to be 'one' like the supreme God and lives in the form of a star, indicating transformation into a divine state.

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Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

The deceased is declared to be 'one' like the supreme God, implying a state of divine unity.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] Deities are described with human attributes such as children, thrones, and chiefs presiding over domains.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The passage is from the Book of the Dead and explicitly describes the deceased's path through the Fields of Aaru and the tuat.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

[auto] The deceased is declared to be 'one' like the supreme God, suggesting identification or union with the divine.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The deceased enters the fields accompanied by the children of Horus on either side, indicating guided passage.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

[auto] The text states that companies of gods purify the deceased in the Great Bear.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

[auto] The text concludes by mentioning a ladder necessary to enable the soul to ascend, indicating a staged journey upward.

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Related passages · 4 parallels
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XVIII
CHAPTER XVIII 1. I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation and the firm foundations of the earth. 2. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw the four winds which bear [ the earth a…”
Both passages describe mystical journeys and cosmological structures, including celestial bodies, divine realms, and the afterlife. They share themes of divine order, sacred geography, and the interplay between the earthly and heavenly realms.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXIV
XXIV. XXV. The Seven Mountains in the North-West and the Tree of Life . CHAPTER XXIV. 1. ⌈⌈ And from thence I went to another place of the earth ⌉⌉ , and he showed me a mountain range of fire which burnt ⌈⌈ day and night ⌉⌉ . 2. And I went…”
Both passages describe mystical landscapes with significant symbolic mountains and fields, representing the afterlife or divine realms. They share the theme of a journey to a sacred place where the deceased or the visionary encounters divine beings and experiences purification or enlightenment.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXVI
Jerusalem and the Mountains, Ravines and Streams . CHAPTER XXVI. 1. And I went from thence to the middle of the earth, and I saw a blessed place ⌈ in which there were trees ⌉ with branches abiding and blooming [ of a dismembered tree ] . 2.…”
Both passages describe a sacred geography with specific landmarks and divine beings. They share the theme of a journey to a blessed or divine realm, involving mountains, streams, and divine figures, indicating a conceptual parallel in their mystical traditions.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXXII
CHAPTER XXXII. E 1. And after these fragrant odours, as I looked towards the north over the mountains I saw seven mountains full of choice nard and fragrant trees and cinnamon and pepper. G g 1. To the north-east I beheld seven mountains fu…”
Both passages describe a journey to a divine or sacred realm where the protagonist encounters sacred trees or fields and gains knowledge or eternal life. The passages share themes of transformation and divine connection, reflecting a conceptual parallel in mystical traditions.