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Pistis Sophia · 88 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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And that Mystery [206 ] indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the Boundless (ones) and because of what they set them up being twelve Boundless Spaces, and they placed them being three arrays of Spaces according to the arrangement of the Only One, the Ineffable, and because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the twelve Uncontainable (ones) these which belong to (the) arrays of the Only One, the Ineffable One, and because of what indeed they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones), until they bring them indeed unto the Space of the First Mystery, namely, the second Space. And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves [206 ] the twenty-four ten thousand of hymners, and because of what indeed they distributed them outside of the Veil of the First Mystery, namely, the twin Mysteries of the Only One, the Ineffable, that (One) which looketh inward and that (One) which looketh outward, and because of what indeed they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves all the Uncontainable (ones), these whom I finished saying, these which (are) in the Places of the second Space of the Ineffable, namely, the Space of the First Mystery, and because of what those Uncontainable (ones) with those Boundless (ones) proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of [207 ] what despoiled themselves, the twenty-four Mysteries of the first Triple spirit, and because of what they called them, The twenty-four Spaces 112 of the first Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded out of the second Triple spirit. And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the twenty-four Mysteries of the second Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded out of the third Triple spirit. And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the twenty-four Mysteries of the third Triple spirit, namely, the twenty-four Spaces of the third Triple spirit, and [207 ] because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the five Trees of the first Triple spirit, and because of what they distributed them standing one after another, and also being bound in unto one another, with all their arrays, and because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the five Trees of the second Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the five Trees of the third Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded [208 ] out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the Pre-Uncontainable (ones) of the first Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves the Pre-Uncontainable (ones) of the second Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled themselves all the Pre-Uncontainable (ones) of the third Triple spirit, and because of what they proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones).
Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The text repeatedly uses negation ('Fatherless', 'despoiled themselves') to describe the divine nature.

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Body As Obstacleanthropology

The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.

The act of despoiling oneself suggests a liberation from material or embodied identity.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

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

The text establishes a clear opposition between the Fatherless ones and the knowers through the act of despoiling.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The 'Ineffable One' is described as looking inward and outward, indicating a concealed nature.

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Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

The passage describes a structured descent from the Fatherless ones through twelve Boundless Spaces and three arrays of the Only One.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

The text defines 'that Mystery' as knowledge gained through specific acts of despoiling rather than external faith or ritual.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The passage is structured as a series of esoteric mysteries reserved for those who understand the specific acts required.

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Infinite Cosmoscosmology

The doctrine of the universe as boundless and without center or circumference, populated by innumerable worlds — Bruno's rejection of the closed Aristotelian sphere; the divine and the cosmos as ontologically infinite.

References to 'Boundless Spaces' and 'Fatherless (ones)' imply an ontologically infinite structure of existence.

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Monadcosmology

The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.

The text repeatedly references the 'Only One' as the singular source from which all arrays and spaces proceed.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

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

Specific numbers like twelve, twenty-four, five, and three are central to the cosmological structure described.

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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 process of despoiling oneself and proceeding out of Fatherless ones implies a journey back to the divine origin.

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Separation From Sourcesoteriology

The felt condition of exile from one's divine origin — Rumi's reed flute torn from its bed, Plotinus's 'we have forgotten,' the Gnostic forgetfulness; the affective wound that complements return_to_source and gives the return its motive.

The mention of 'Fatherless (ones)' implies an initial state of exile or lack from the divine source.

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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 text describes a movement from Fatherless ones through Spaces toward the Space of the First Mystery.

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