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The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 319 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 43 (part 80)

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
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.

Osiris is identified as the judge of the kingdom of the departed who proclaims eternal life for the deceased.

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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 passage reflects the Egyptian principle of cosmic order and judgment underlying the journey to the afterlife.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

The text states the deceased is declared to be 'one' with the supreme God, suggesting a merging of identities.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

Specific numbers structure the cosmology, such as the twelve hours of night and the four children of Horus.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The text mentions that the children of Horus proclaim the deceased's name to Ra.

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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 deceased makes their way to the abode in the other world by a ladder or through mountain gaps, indicating an upward journey.

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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, indicating a transformation into divine status.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The text vividly describes deities with human-like physical forms and actions, such as a god bending with toes touching his head and Nut standing with outstretched hands.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The passage is excerpted from the Book of the Dead and explicitly describes the Tuat, the place of departed souls, serving as a guide for the afterlife journey.

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Living Godtheology

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

[auto] The deities are depicted as active, dynamic agents performing specific actions like standing, receiving the sun disk, and bending.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The passage details the circuit and geography of the Tuat through which the soul (Osiris) travels, outlining the path of the afterlife.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
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 a journey to a sacred or divine place involving symbolic landscapes and celestial bodies. They share themes of transformation and ascension, though within different cultural and religious contexts.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXXIV
XXXIV. XXXV. Enoch's Journey to the North . CHAPTER XXXIV. 1. And from thence I went towards the north to the ends of the earth, and there I saw a great and glorious device at the ends of the whole earth. 2. And here I saw three portals of…”
Both passages describe a journey to the north and encounter celestial portals or gates. They share a theme of cosmic travel and interaction with divine or mystical elements, reflecting a common mystical insight across different traditions.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter XXXVI
XXXVI. The Journey to the South . CHAPTER XXXVI. 1. And from thence I went to the south to the ends of the earth, and saw there three open portals of the heaven: and thence there come dew, rain, †and wind†. 2. And from thence I went to the…”
Both passages describe a journey to a celestial realm and involve interactions with divine entities. They share the theme of a soul or individual ascending to a higher plane of existence and seeking passage or purification, reflecting a common mystical quest across different traditions.
mesopotamian|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…”
Both passages describe a journey to the afterlife and the interaction with divine entities. They share themes of transformation, purification, and the need for divine assistance to navigate the afterlife, reflecting a conceptual parallel in mystical traditions.
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 the afterlife or a celestial realm, involving deities and specific rituals or invocations. They share themes of transformation, purification, and the need for divine intervention to pass through different realms.
platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1o
Zeus, the mighty lord, holding the reins of a winged chariot, leads the way in heaven, ordering all and taking care of all; and there follows him the array of gods and demigods, marshalled in eleven bands; Hestia alone abides at home in the…”
Both passages describe a journey to a higher realm or afterlife, involving deities and a process of purification or enlightenment. They share the theme of ascension and the soul's interaction with divine beings, though they come from different cultural and religious contexts.