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Pistis Sophia · 129 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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And the tenth chamber there are many Rulers in it seven heads of dragon to each of them in their original face, and he who is over them all they are wont to call his name in their Place, Xarmarokh. And eleventh chamber, there are many Rulers of that Place (coptic word, MS ) with seven heads of cat to each of them in their original face, and the great (one) who is over them, they are wont to call him in his Place, Rokhar. And the twelfth chamber there are many Rulers in it, they being many exceedingly, with seven heads of face of a dog to each of them in their original face. And the great (one) who is over them they are wont to call him in [289 ] their Place, Khremaor. These Rulers therefore of these twelve chambers being within the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, and each of them having a name according to hour. And is wont each of them to change his face according to hour. And these twelve chambers have each of them a door open unto the Height, so that the dragon of the Darkness which is outer hath twelve chambers of Darkness, there being a door to every chamber (the chamber the chamber, MS ) open unto the Height. And there is an Angel of the Height being vigilant unto each of the doors of the chambers. These who Ieou the first man, the overseer of the Light, the Legate of the First precept, he is he who put them being vigilant unto the dragon that he should not be disorderly with all the Rulers of his chambers which are in him. [289 ] These therefore having said them the Saviour, answered Maria the Magdalene, said she, My Lord, then the souls indeed which they take unto that Place are they not indeed wont to take them through these twelve doors of the chambers, each according to the judgment of which it is worthy? Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, They are not wont to take any soul in unto the dragon through these doors, but the soul of the blasphemers, and those who become with teaching of error, with every one who giveth teaching in the error, and with the sleepers with male, and with the (soul) of the men who are polluted, and with the impious, with every man atheist, and the murderers, with the adulterers, and with the sorcerers. All the souls therefore of this kind whenever they should not repent, yet being alive, but remaining in their sin steadfast, with all the souls also, these [290 ] who were left outside of this, namely, who received their number of cycles 162 which is reckoned unto them in the Sphere, they having not repented, but in their last cycle they will take those souls, those with all the souls which I finished saying them, they will take them through the mouth of the tail of the dragon in unto the chambers of the Darkness which is outer. And whenever they should finish taking the souls in unto the Darkness which is outer in the mouth of his tail, he is wont to bring round again his tail in unto his own mouth and shut them (in). This is the manner (in) which they will take the souls in unto the Darkness which is outer. And the dragon of the Darkness, which is outer, hath twelve original names, these which (are) in his mouths, a name according to each of the doors of the chambers. And these (this, MS ) [290 ] twelve names are various with one another, but being with (in, MS ) one another twelve, so that he who will say one of the names is saying all the names. This therefore I shall say unto you in the Distribution of (the) Universe.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine beings are described with animal heads (dragon, cat, dog) and human-like names.

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Apocatastasiscosmology

The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles.

The passage implies a final restoration where souls are taken into the Darkness for judgment rather than immediate punishment.

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Apophatic Theologytheology

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

The dragon is described as having a 'dragon of the Darkness' which is outer, implying an ontological distinction from light.

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Archonscosmology

Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent.

The text describes Rulers of chambers who govern the material realm and obstruct the soul's ascent through their association with Darkness.

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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 passage establishes a fundamental opposition between Light and Darkness, with souls entering or remaining in the Dragon based on their moral state.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

A distinct 'Light' is mentioned as opposed to the outer Darkness where souls are taken.

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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.

The text details a final judgment process where souls are judged and sent into the Dragon based on their cycles and repentance.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The passage describes the movement of souls through specific doors and chambers after death.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The text reveals esoteric knowledge about the structure of the cosmos reserved for those who receive it.

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Living Godtheology

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

The Saviour and the Angel of the Height are depicted as active, vigilant beings who intervene in cosmic affairs.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

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

The text is structured around specific numbers (twelve chambers, twelve doors, cycles of 162) that define the cosmic order.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The text outlines a guided passage of souls through specific doors and chambers in the afterlife.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

Soul entry into the Dragon is conditional upon repentance and freedom from sin.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The passage emphasizes that each chamber has a specific name that defines the entity's identity and power.

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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.

Souls are depicted as being outside the Light and in the Dragon of Darkness until judgment.

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Shapeshifting Transformationtheology

Form-mutability as a constitutional property of divine and preternatural beings — gods, heroes, spirits, and their human practitioners possessing inherent capacity to alter form across human, animal, plant, or elemental states. Loki and Odin's transformations in Norse, Math's pigs and Blodeuwedd's owl-shape and Pwyll's exchange with Arawn in the Mabinogion, the Greek Proteus, the Indian dasavatara, Vainamoinen's bird-flight in the Kalevala, Ovid's metamorphoses, the shamanic and witch's capacity for ritual form-change. Distinct from anthropomorphism (divine taking specific human form, single embodiment) in that anthropomorphism establishes a stable form whereas this concept establishes form's plurality and instability.

The Rulers change their faces according to the hour, indicating a mutable form.

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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 movement of souls through doors implies an upward journey toward the Height.

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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.

Salvation is linked to becoming worthy of entry into the Light rather than remaining in Darkness.

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Related passages · 8 parallels
hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 8: The Eight Sphere|Section 1a
That No One of Existing Things doth Perish, but Men in Error Speak of Their Changes as Destructions and as Deaths <The idea of cyclic change central to CH III, "The Sacred Sermon", also takes center stage here. A current of ancient specula…”
Shared concept: Apocatastasis — The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles. (derived)
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Shared concept: Theosis Deification — 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. (derived)
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Shared concept: Funerary Navigation — Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death. (derived)
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 39 (part 3)
8258, mottled glass buckle having the loop inlaid with blue composition; No. 8259, red faïence double buckle, pierced lengthwise for threading in a necklace.] deceased] he shall be among those who follow Osiris Un-nefer, triumphant. The g…”
Shared concept: Psychopomp Journey — Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 12 (part 6)
" The Dhyanis ( Pitris ) are those who have evolved their BHUTA ( doubles ) from themselves , which RUPA ( form ) has become the vehicle of monads ( seventh and sixth principles ) that had completed their cycle of transmigration in the thre…”
Shared concept: Shapeshifting Transformation — Form-mutability as a constitutional property of divine and preternatural beings — gods, heroes, spirits, and their human practitioners possessing inherent capacity to alter form across human, animal, plant, or elemental states. (derived)
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Page 3 (part 11)
1-10, 18, 19 as a natural sequel, where p. xxvi [paragraph continues] Enoch summons his children to receive his parting words. Then comes the Apocalypse of weeks, xciii. 1-10, xci. 12-17. The original order of the text, therefore, was:…”
Shared concept: Eschatological Judgment — 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. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 42 (part 6)
should have selected a god against whose commandments Jesus was the first one to rise in rebellion. The Planetary origin of the Monad (Soul) and of its faculties was taught by the Gnostics. On its way to the Earth, as on its way back from…”
Shared concept: Archons — Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent. (derived)
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 67
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Shared concept: Ritual Purity — The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine. (derived)