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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell · 40 of 96 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 7 (part 8)

99 Hour-goddess --TUATET-MAKTET-EN-NEB-S. Division X. Name --METET-QA-UTCHEBU. Name of the Gate --AA-KHEPERU-MES-ARU. Hour-goddess --TENTENIT-UHETES-KHAK-AB. Division XI. Name --RE-EN-QERERT-APT-KHATU. Name of the Gate --SEKHEN-TUATIU. Hour-goddess --SEBIT-NEBT-UAA-KHESFET-SEBA-EM-PERT-F. Division XII. Name --KHEPER-KEKIU-KHAU-MEST. p. 100 Name of the Gate --THEN-NETERU. Hour-goddess --MAA-NEFERT-RA. The divisions of the Tuat according to the BOOK OF GATES are usually marked by Gates, which are guarded by serpents; they are as follows:-- Division I. Name of Guardian Gods .--SET and TAT. Name of the Region .--SET-AMENTET, Western Vestibule. Division II. Name of the Serpent --SAA-SET. Division III. Name of the Serpent --AQEBI. Name of the Gate --SEPTET-UAUAU. Division IV. Name of the Serpent --TCHETBI. Name of the Gate --NEBT-S-TCHEFAU. p. 101 Division V. Name of the Serpent --TEKA-HRA. Name of the Gate --ARIT. Division VI. At the entrance to this division is the Judgment Hall of Osiris. Name of the Serpent --SET-EM-MAAT-F. Name of the Gate --NEBT-AHA. Division VII. Name of the Serpent --AKHA-EN-MAAT. Name of the Gate --PESTIT. Division VIII. Name of the Serpent --SET-HRA. Name of the Gate --BEKHKHI. Division IX. Name of the Serpent --AB-TA. Name of the Gate --AAT-SHEFSHEFT. Division X. Name of the Serpent --SETHU. Name of the Gate --TCHESERIT. p. 102 Division XI. Name of the Serpent--AM-NETU-F. Name of the Gate--SHETAT-BESU. Division XII. Names of the Serpents--SEBI, and RERI. Name of the Gate--TESERT-BAIU, Eastern Vestibule. From the above lists it is clear that in the BOOK AM-TUAT the actual divisions of the Tuat are considered without any reference to Gates, even if such existed in the scheme of the priests of Amen-Ra, and that according to the Book of Gates, the Gates of the divisions in the Tuat are the most important and most characteristic features. The absence of Gates in the BOOK AM-TUAT is not difficult to explain; the compilers of this work, wishing to exalt Amen-Ra, did away with the Gates, which were the most important features of the kingdom of Osiris, so that the necessity for Amen-Ra to seek permission of their warders, who were appointed by Osiris, was obviated. Footnotes 81:1 The tombs of Amen-hetep II. and Thothmes III. were discovered by M. Loret in 1898, and, according to the description of them published in the French journals, the copies of Am-Tuat on their walls were in a good state of preservation.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine beings are described with human-like roles such as warders, hour-goddesses, and travelers in boats.

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Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

The text notes that the god's water travel is consistent with the experience of kings traveling through Egypt by water.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

AMENTI is explicitly defined in the text as the 'hidden place' or Other World where the Tuat exists.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

Ra is identified as the Sun-god whose fire consumes animals and chariots during his journey through the Tuat.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The text references funeral works from the XVIIIth and XIXth Dynasties designed to guide passage through the Tuat.

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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] Safety and power are attributed to knowledge of words rather than inherent divine status or virtue.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

[auto] The knowledge of magical words is described as esoteric information obtained from Thoth through Isis.

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Living Godtheology

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

Ra is depicted as an active deity who travels, issues edicts, and is praised by other gods.

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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.

Division I is named MAATI, reflecting the Egyptian principle of truth and order underlying the cosmic structure.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] Osiris and Ra require help from Horus and Isis to perform their journey through the Tuat in safety.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

[auto] The passage explicitly states that gods could only pass through the Tuat through their knowledge of magical names and formulae.

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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.

The texts and pictures function as ritual tools to provide necessary information for navigating divine realms.

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Related passages · 5 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)
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)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 2, Section 1g
“Their ultimate nature, which they possess in their own original being, is beyond Mind and beyond all Being and Knowledge. 203 203 Even the Differentiations finally lead us up into the Undifferenced Godhead Where they transcend themselves.…”
Shared concept: Divine Hiddenness — The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father. (derived)
platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1r
“But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”
Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)