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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 172 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 20 (part 7)

"Lo, the Lover of fire, the purifier of sinners (?), the lover of slaughter, the chief of those who adore, the lady of the temple, the slaughterer of the fiends in the night. She judgeth the feeble bandaged one." THE NINETEENTH PYLON. "Lo, the Dispenser of light while she liveth, the mistress of flames, the lady of the strength and of the writings of Ptah himself. She maketh trial of the swathings of Pa-an." THE TWENTIETH PYLON. "Lo, she who is within the cavern of her lord, Clother is her name; she hideth what she hath made, she carrieth away hearts and greedily drinketh water. She judgeth the feeble swathed one." THE TWENTY-FIRST PYLON. "Lo, the knife which cutteth when [its name] is uttered, and slayeth those who advance towards its flames. It hath secret plots and counsels." In the late recensions of the Book of the Dead, the text referring to the twenty-first Pylon reads:-- (71) "Hail," saith Horus, "O twenty-first pylon of the Still-Heart. (72) I have made the way, I know thee, I know thy name, I know the name of the goddess who guardeth thee: 'Sword that smiteth at the utterance of its [own] name, the unknown (?) goddess with back-turned face, the overthrower of those who draw nigh unto her flame' is her name. Thou keepest the secret things of the avenger of the god whom thou guardest, and his name is Amem. (73) He maketh it to come to pass that the persea trees grow not, that the acacia trees bring not forth, and that copper is not begotten in the mountain. The godlike beings of this pylon are seven gods. (74) Tchen or At is the name of the one at (?) the door; Hetep-mes is the name of the second one; Mes-Sep is the name of the third one Utch-re is the name of the fourth one; "Ap-uat is the name of the fifth one; Beq is the name of the sixth one; Anubis is the name of the seventh one." (75) "I have made the way. I am Amsu-Horus, the avenger of his father, the heir of his father Un-nefer. I have come and I have overthrown all foes of my father Osiris. I have come day by day with victory, doing myself the worship of the god, (76) in the house of his father Tmu, lord of Annu, triumphant in the southern sky. I have done what is right and true to him that hath made right and truth; I have made the Haker festival for the lord thereof; I have led the way in the festival; (77) I have made offerings of cakes to the lords of the altars; and I have brought offerings and oblations, and cakes and ale, and oxen and ducks, to my father Osiris Un-nefer. I rise up in order that my soul may be made one wholly; I cause the bennu bird to come forth at [my] words. I have come daily into the holy house to make offerings of incense. (78) I have brought garments of byssus. I have set forth on the lake in the boat.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] Divine beings are described with human actions and forms, such as judging, drinking water, and having a face.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

There is an implied opposition between the light-bearing deities and the 'fiends in the night'.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

Describes a goddess with a 'back-turned face' who is 'unknown' and hides what she has made.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

[auto] Deities are described as the 'Dispenser of light' and 'mistress of flames', highlighting luminous divine attributes.

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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.

Mentions judgment of the 'feeble bandaged one' by the goddesses at the pylons.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text is from the Book of the Dead and explicitly details the passage through specific pylons in the afterlife.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

[auto] The text asserts that knowing the names and secrets of the guardians is the key to overcoming them and passing through.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The text mentions 'secret plots and counsels' associated with the knife/guardian.

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Living Godtheology

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

The goddess is described as active and present ('while she liveth', 'judgeth').

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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.

The text references doing 'what is right and true' to the god who made right and truth, reflecting Maat.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

The speaker seeks for their soul to be 'made one wholly' with the divine.

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Prayerpraxis

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

The text contains liturgical declarations ('Hail'), offerings, and direct address to deities.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] Horus speaks to guide the deceased through the pylons, representing a guided passage through afterlife realms.

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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 goal is to rise up and become one with the father Osiris/Un-nefer, reversing separation.

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Ritual Firepraxis

Fire as medium of divine presence.

[auto] Fire is repeatedly invoked as a medium of divine presence and power ('Lover of fire', 'mistress of flames').

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Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The passage emphasizes knowing the names of guardians and deities as the mechanism for safe passage and power.

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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 progression through the Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-first Pylons implies a staged journey upward or forward.

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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 identifies as Amsu-Horus and heir of Osiris, claiming divine status through ritual.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

Ritual declarations, offerings, and knowledge of names are used to engage divine powers for safe passage.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
western_esoteric|The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite)|Page 38 (part 2)
The attempt to propitiate the Deity by means of prayers, sacrifices and abstinence, and thus to obtain the Divine assistance for the successful consummation of hideous offences and preposterous or impossible undertakings, is, of course, mad…”
Shared concept: Sacred Names — Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice. (derived)
neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter XXI
I think, therefore, that all who are lovers of the contemplation of theurgic truth will acknowledge this, that the piety which pertains to divine natures ought not to be exercised towards them partially or imperfectly. Hence, since prior to…”
Shared concept: Theurgy — Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 2, Section 1n
200 Redemption is a work performed by the whole Trinity through the Second Person. (So, too, is Creation. Cf. p. 65, n. 2). 201 i. e. We strive to distinguish the two planes of Being in God. Cf. Athan. Creed: “Neither confounding…”
Shared concept: Theosis Deification — 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. (derived)
neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter III
According to another order, however, he arranges the God Emeph 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 itself. B…”
Shared concept: Maat Cosmic Order — The Egyptian principle of truth, balance, and right order underlying both the cosmos and human conduct; the parallel to Zoroastrian asha and Greek dike. (derived)
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Page 3 (part 11)
1-10, 18, 19 as a natural sequel, where p. xxvi [paragraph continues] Enoch summons his children to receive his parting words. Then comes the Apocalypse of weeks, xciii. 1-10, xci. 12-17. The original order of the text, therefore, was:…”
Shared concept: Eschatological Judgment — 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. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Mystical Theology|Chapter I-a
Wheat is the Divine Gloom. T rinty, which exceedeth all Being, Deity, and Goodness! 514 514 Lit. “Super-Essential, Supra-Divine, Super-Excellent.” Thou that instructeth Christians in Thy heavenly wisdom! Guide us to that topmost height…”
Shared concept: Prayer — Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward. (derived)