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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 228 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 38 (part 8)

I am he who riseth and shineth; the wall of walls; the only One, [son] of an only One. Ra (24) never lacketh his form, he never passeth away, he never passeth away. Verily, I say: I am the plant which cometh forth from Nu, and my mother is Nut. Hail, (25) O my Creator, I am he who hath no power to walk, the great knot within yesterday. My power is in my hand. I am not known, [but] I am he who knoweth (26) thee. I cannot be held with the hand, but I am he who can hold thee in his hand. [Hail] O Egg! [Hail] O Egg! I am Horus who live for millions of years, whose flame lighteth upon your faces and (27) blazeth in your hearts. I have the command of my throne, and I advance in mine hour. I have opened the paths, I have turned myself away from all evil. I am (28) the ape of gold, three palms and two fingers [high], which is without legs and without arms, and which dwelleth in the House of Ptah. I go forth even as goeth forth the ape Of (29) gold three palms and two fingers [high], which hath neither legs nor arms, and which dwelleth in the house of Ptah." When [thou] hast said this chapter thou shalt open a way and enter thereon.
Themes
◆Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The text functions as a protective measure during the soul's passage through the afterlife, preventing seizure or harm.

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◇Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The text extensively attributes human physical characteristics (eyes, ears, nose, hands) to various deities, defining the divine in human form.

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◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] This passage is a spell from the Book of the Dead explicitly designed to protect the deceased and guide them through the afterlife realms.

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◇Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

[auto] The declaration that no member of the body is not a god's member implies the divine realm is fully present and accessible within the individual.

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◇Living Godtheology

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

[auto] Deities are portrayed as active, personal agents who shield the body and define the deceased's daily existence like Ra.

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◇Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

[auto] The speaker asserts a complete identification with the divine by stating every body part belongs to a specific god, merging human and divine identity.

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◇Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The invocation of specific deity names (Hathor, Osiris, Ra) functions as a magical formula to establish protection and ontological status.

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Related passages · 5 parallels
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND‹
“Now therefore not only ye will reign with me, but every man who will receive the Mystery of the Ineffable, they will become ruling with me in my kingdom, and I am them, and they are I: but my throne will become more excellent than they, bec…”
Both passages express themes of divine unity, transcendence, and the mystical knowledge that leads to union with the divine. They share a conceptual parallel in the idea of the mystical self being one with the divine, yet distinct in their cultural and religious contexts.
◆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 emphasize the divine nature of the cosmos and the interconnectedness of all things. Passage A from the Egyptian Book of the Dead describes the unity of the individual with various deities, while Passage B from the Orphic Hymns portrays Nature as the all-encompassing, divine force that governs the universe.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn X (part 2)
“For the World is one, and only-begotten. Opusc. Mythol. p. 203. 131:17 Ver. 17] The sportive nymphs . This is because Pan rejoices in the exhalations produced from humid substances; without which the world cannot subsist. Phurnutus…”
Both passages describe a divine being that embodies and unifies various aspects of the natural world and the cosmos. The Egyptian Book of the Dead passage identifies the deceased with various gods representing different body parts, while the Hymn to Pan describes Pan as the substance of the whole, encompassing all parts of the world.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn XXVIII. PROSERPINE (part 2)
“371, informs us, that, according to the Eleusinian mysteries, Proserpine together with Pluto, governs terrestrial concerns, and the recesses of the earth: that she supplies life to the extreme p. 155 parts of the universe, and imparts soul…”
Both passages describe a deity or divine figure with multiple aspects or attributes, reflecting a complex and multifaceted divine nature. They also emphasize the divine's role in life, death, and the afterlife, as well as the deity's power and authority.
◆hermeticism|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.…”
Both passages describe a mystical transformation where the individual identifies with divine attributes and cosmic principles. The Egyptian Book of the Dead emphasizes the unification of the individual with various gods and cosmic elements, while the Hermetic text describes the union of the individual with the divine Mind and the cosmic order.