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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 152 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 18 (part 11)

He shall (5) enter into the Fields of Aaru in peace, to learn the bidding of him who dwelleth in Tattu; (6) there shall wheat and barley be given unto him; there shall he flourish as he did upon (7) earth; and he shall do whatsoever pleaseth him, even as [do] the gods who are in the underworld, (8) for everlasting millions of ages, world without end. Appendix: The text of Chapter LXXII. does not occur in the Papyrus of Ani. It is given by M. Naville (see Todtenbuch , I., Bl. 84) from, a papyrus in the Louvre. In the vignettes which accompany it, the deceased is represented as adoring three gods, who are either standing in a shrine or are seated upon it. In other instances, the deceased stands by a sepulchral chest or outside a pylon with hands raised in adoration. The following is a translation of the Louvre text:-- (1) CHAPTER OF COMING FORTH BY DAY AND OF PASSING THROUGH THE AMMAHET. (2) "Homage to you, O ye lords of kas , ye lords of right and truth, infallible, who shall endure for ever and shall exist through countless ages, grant that (3) 1 may enter into your [presence]. I, even I, am pure and holy, and I have gotten power over the spells which are mine. judgment (4) hath been passed [1. A variant gives the reading ### (Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. IL, Bl. 84). For the situation of the pool, see Brugsch, Dict. Géog , p. 359. 2 The following lines of text form the XXIst chapter of the Saïte recension of the Book of the Dead. See Lepsius, Todtenbuch , plate xiv.; and Pierret, Le Livre des Morts , p. 91. 3 Compare ###. 4 The chapter which Lepsius has numbered XXIII., as being most closely connected with the XXIInd chapter, and which refers to the opening of the mouth of the deceased, follows on Plate XV.] upon me in my glorified form. Deliver ye me from the crocodile which is in the place of the lords of right and truth. Grant ye unto me (5) my mouth that I may speak therewith. May offerings be made unto me in your presence, for I know you and I know your names, and I know (6) the name of the great god. Grant ye abundance of food for his nostrils. The god Rekem passeth through the western horizon of heaven. He (7) travelleth on, and I travel on he goeth forth, and I go forth. Let me not be destroyed in the place Mesqet let not the Fiend get the mastery over me; let me not be driven back from your gates; (8) let not your doors be shut against me; for I have [eaten] bread in Pe and I have drunken ale in Tepu. If my arms be fettered in the (9) holy habitation, may my father Tmu stablish for me my mansion in the place above [this] earth where there are wheat and barley in abundance which cannot be told. May feasts be made for me there, for my soul and for my (10) body. Grant me even offerings of the dead, bread, and ale, and wine, oxen, and ducks, linen bandages and incense, wax, and all the good and fair and pure things whereby the gods do live. May I rise again in all the forms which (11) I desire without fail and for ever.
Themes
◆Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

The text states that judgment has been passed upon the deceased as a condition for entry.

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◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

Salvation and power are contingent upon knowing the names of gods and possessing spells.

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◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis

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

The narrative describes moving upward or through gates into higher divine realms.

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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 seeks to flourish and act 'even as [do] the gods' in a glorified form.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The vignettes describe gods standing, seated, or with hands raised in adoration, attributing human forms to the divine.

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◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text is explicitly from the Book of the Dead, designed to guide the deceased through death and into the afterlife realms.

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◇Maat Cosmic Ordercosmology

The Egyptian principle of truth, balance, and right order underlying both the cosmos and human conduct; the parallel to Zoroastrian asha and Greek dike.

[auto] The text explicitly invokes the 'lords of right and truth' and references judgment based on purity.

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◇Prayerpraxis

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

[auto] The text consists largely of direct petitions and homages addressed to the gods.

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◇Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The passage describes the soul's guided passage through specific afterlife realms like the Ammahet and Fields of Aaru.

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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 deceased explicitly declares 'I, even I, am pure and holy' as a prerequisite for entering the divine presence.

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◇Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The text invokes specific divine titles such as 'lords of kas' and 'lords of right and truth' to gain access.

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Related passages · 8 parallels
◆buddhism|The Dhammapada|Chapter XIV, Section 1c
“But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is not delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge. 190. He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, [188-192. These verses occur in Sanskrit in the Prâtihârya…”
Both passages discuss the concept of finding refuge or salvation through divine or enlightened beings and following a path or set of truths that lead to liberation from suffering. The Dhammapada emphasizes the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, while the Egyptian text focuses on deities and the afterlife, but both share the theme of seeking and attaining a higher, peaceful state.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 7)
“This light moderates the action of the fiery will still active in them, the blessings of their good deeds surround them, the hope for still greater glorification is their life, and from the trouble and persecution which they have suffered t…”
Both passages describe the afterlife as a state of bliss and reward for the righteous, emphasizing the continuation of a glorified existence where the deceased are provided with sustenance and joy. They share a theme of divine judgment leading to eternal happiness and the presence of divine beings.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXVII
“XXVII. The Purpose of the Accursed Valley . CHAPTER XXVII. 1. Then said I: 'For what object is this blessed land, which is entirely filled with trees, and this accursed valley ⌈⌈ between ⌉⌉ ?' 2. ⌈⌈ Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who wa…”
Both passages describe a place of judgement and reward in the afterlife, with the righteous being blessed and the accursed being punished. They share the theme of divine justice and the allocation of souls based on their deeds.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XLV
“XLV-LVII. The Second Parable . The Lot of the Apostates: the New Heaven and the New Earth . CHAPTER XLV. 1. And this is the Second Parable concerning those who deny the name of the dwelling of the holy ones and the Lord of Spirits. 2. And i…”
Both passages describe a final judgment where the righteous are rewarded with eternal blessings and the wicked are excluded. They share the theme of divine justice and the transformation of the world for the righteous, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXII
“LXII. Judgement of the Kings and the Mighty: Blessedness of the Righteous . CHAPTER LXII. 1. And thus the Lord commanded the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, and said: 'Open your eyes and lift up your…”
Both passages describe a final judgment where the righteous are rewarded and the unrighteous are punished. They also share themes of divine glory, eternal life, and the transformation of the righteous into a glorified state.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter CIV
“CIV. Assurances given to the Righteous: Admonitions to Sinners and the Falsifiers of the Words of Uprightness . CHAPTER CIV. 1. I swear unto you, that in heaven the angels remember you for good before the glory of the Great One: and your na…”
Both passages describe the afterlife rewards for the righteous, emphasizing eternal joy, prosperity, and divine favor. They share themes of divine judgment, the importance of righteousness, and the promise of a blessed existence in the afterlife.
◆mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1k
“May he hold the Beginning and the Future, may they pay homage unto him, Saying, "He who forced his way through the midst of Tiamat without resting, Let his name be Nibiru, 'the Seizer of the Midst'! For the stars of heaven he upheld the pa…”
Both passages describe a journey to an afterlife where the deceased or the deity is honored and provided for. They share themes of divine judgment, offerings, and eternal existence, though they come from different cultural and religious contexts.
◆norse|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…”
Both passages describe a vision of an afterlife where the righteous or the deceased will dwell in a place of happiness and abundance. They share a common theme of a blessed existence after death, though they come from different mystical traditions.