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Pistis Sophia · 89 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled himself [208 ] the first Triple spirit from below this, which belongeth to the arrays of the Only One, the Ineffable, and because of what they proceeded out of the second Triple spirit. And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled himself the third Triple spirit, namely, the first Triple spirit from the Height, and because of what he proceeded out of the twelfth Triple spirit, this which (is) the last Place of the Fatherless (ones). And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what were distributed all the Places, which (are) in the Space of the Ineffable, and with those who are in them all, and because of what they proceeded out of the last member [209 ] of the 113 Ineffable One. And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth his own self, because of what he despoiled himself, for him to proceed out of the Ineffable who is he who ruleth over all of them, and it is he who distributed all of them according to their arrays. These therefore all I shall say unto you in the Distribution of the Universe, in one word, all the (things) which I said unto you, those which will happen, with those which will come, these which emanate and which proceed, and with those which (are) outside of them, and with those which are implanted in them, these which will contain the Place (coptic) of the First Mystery, and with those which (are) in the Space of the Ineffable, these which I shall say unto you, because that I shall reveal them to you, and I shall say them unto [209 ] you according to Places and according to arrays in the Distribution of the Universe. And I shall reveal to you all their mysteries which rule over them all, with their pre-triple spirits, with their hyper-triple spirits, these which rule over their mysteries with their arrays. Now therefore the Mystery of the Ineffable is he who knoweth because of what all these became, of those which I said, and in boldness, because of which all these became. And he is the Mystery which (is) in all these, and he is all their coming out, and he is all their catching up, and he is all their setting up. And the Mystery of the Ineffable, he is the Mystery which is in all these, which I said unto [210 ] you, and with those which I shall say unto you in the Distribution of the Universe, and he is the Mystery which is in all these: and he is the only Mystery of the Ineffable, and the knowledge of all these (things) which I said to you, and with those which I shall say unto you: with those which I said not unto you, all these I shall say unto you in the Distribution of the Universe, with all their knowledge one upon another, because of what they became. That is the one word of the Ineffable. And I shall say unto you the Distribution of all their mysteries, with the type of each of them, with the manner of their completing in all their figures, and I shall say unto you the mystery of the Only One [210 ], the Ineffable, with all its (his, MS thus again) types, with all its figures; and with all its arrangements, because of what indeed it proceeded out of the last limb of the Ineffable, because that mystery is all their setting up. And that mystery of the Ineffable is also (the) one only word which also becometh in the language of the Ineffable, and that is the arrangement of the explanation of every word which I said unto you.
Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology

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

The text repeatedly emphasizes the Ineffable's transcendence of language and categories.

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Cosmic Consciousnessanthropology

A state of awareness transcending ordinary human consciousness, often involving unity with the universe or higher dimensions.

The Mystery is described as knowing all things in the Universe simultaneously.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The Ineffable is described as concealed beyond ordinary knowledge and language.

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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 explicitly describes a descending chain of spirits (Triple spirits) flowing from the Ineffable One to material places.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

Salvation or revelation is tied to knowing the Mystery of the Ineffable rather than external rituals.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The text states that mysteries are revealed only to those who are ready and in the Distribution of the Universe.

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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.

The text mentions 'all the Places' and the 'Space of the Ineffable,' implying an expansive cosmic structure.

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Living Godtheology

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

The Ineffable is portrayed as actively ruling over all places and distributing them according to arrays.

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Monadcosmology

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

The 'Only One' and 'Ineffable One' function as the singular first principle from which all emanates.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

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

The text relies heavily on specific numbers like 'Triple spirits,' 'Twelfth spirit,' and 'last member' to structure the divine order.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The Mystery is defined by its ability to know through self-despoiling and proceeding from lower levels.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The text discusses the 'one word of the Ineffable' and the arrangement of the explanation of every word as revelation.

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Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

The text explicitly states that the Mystery knows 'his own self' as a central condition of its knowing.

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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 first Triple spirit is described as having 'despoiled himself from below this,' indicating a state of separation.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 4, Section 1o
And herein the Divine Yearning showeth especially its beginningless and endless nature, revolving in a perpetual circle for the Good, from the Good, in the Good, and to the Good, with unerring revolution, never varying its centre or directi…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a transcendent, ineffable mystery or yearning that underlies and unifies the cosmos. They describe a hierarchical structure of spiritual beings or forces that emanate from this ultimate principle, emphasizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things.
christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 15)
"The Spirit of Christ in His children is not bound to a certain form, so that He could say nothing but what is found in the writings of the apostles; but as the Spirit was free in the apostles, and as they did not all use the same expressio…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine mysteries and the ineffable nature of the divine. They emphasize the idea of spiritual knowledge and the distribution of divine attributes or mysteries, though they come from different mystical traditions.
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 complex mystical cosmologies involving multiple spiritual entities and levels of existence. They emphasize the interconnectedness and emanation of these entities from a supreme, ineffable source, highlighting themes of creation, order, and the nature of divine mysteries.
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 424
Section 8 8. This is the explanation of Plato's Triplicity, in the passage where he names as the Primals the Beings gathered about the King of All, and establishes a Secondary containing the Secondaries, and a Third containing the Tertiarie…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a tripartite structure in their respective mystical traditions. They describe a hierarchy of beings or principles emanating from a supreme, ineffable source, highlighting the interconnectedness and order within the divine realm.
western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|3. The Triangle Of Solomond
Matthew, and in several Hebrew copies, as follows: “The sacred word MALKUTH substituted for KETHER, which is its kabalistic correspondent, and the equipoise of GEBURAH and CHESED, repeating itself in the circles of heavens called eons by th…”
Both passages discuss the structure and mysteries of the divine or cosmic order, emphasizing the arrangement and hierarchy of spiritual or mystical entities. They share a conceptual parallel in exploring the intricate relationships and distributions within a divine or cosmic framework.
western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|19. The Mastery Of The Suna
WE come now to that number which is attributed in the Tarot to the Sign of the Sun. The denary of Pythagoras and the triad multiplied by itself represent wisdom in its application to the Absolute. It is with the Absolute therefore that we…”
Both passages discuss the concept of an ultimate, ineffable mystery or absolute that underlies all existence and knowledge. They share a structural parallel in describing a hierarchical and mystical understanding of the universe, though they use different terminology and cultural frameworks.