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Pistis Sophia · 135 of 160 · tr. George Horner

Document THIRD-ai

Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Whenever the light of the sun is out, it is wont to cover with darkness the dragon: but if the sun should be down from the World, is wont the darkness to remain as curtain for the sun; and is wont the cloud (breath, MS ) of the darkness to come in unto the World in the form of a (pillar of) smoke in the night, namely, whenever the sun should draw unto him(self) his rays: for it is impossible for the World to endure the darkness of the dragon in its truth of shape, otherwise it is wont to be dissolved and perish at once. These when had said them the Saviour, added also Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, yet I seek from thee, and hide not from me. Now therefore, my Lord, Who is he who will compel the man, even until he doth sin? Answered [301 ] the Saviour said he to Maria, The Rulers of the Destiny they are those who compel the man, even until he should do sin. Answered Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, Are not indeed wont the Rulers, they are wont to come down unto the World and compel the man, even until he should do sin? Answered the Saviour, said he (to) Maria, They are not wont thus to come down unto the World, but are wont the Rulers of the Destiny whenever an ancient soul should come, coming down from them, are wont the Rulers 169 of that great Destiny, this which (is) in the Place of the head of the Aeons, which Place is that which they are wont to call, The Place of the kingdom of the Adamas, and that Place indeed is that which is in presence of the Virgin of the Light, are wont the Rulers of the Place [301 ] of that head they (he, MS ) are wont to give to the ancient soul a cup of forgetfulness out of the seed of the wickedness filled with all lusts which are various, and with every forgetfulness: and as soon as that soul will drink from the cup, she is wont to forget every Place unto which she went, with all the punishments in which she went (through); and is wont that cup of water of forgetfulness, it is wont to become body outside of the soul, and it is wont to become being like to the soul in every form, and being like unto her namely it is this which they are wont to call, The counterfeit spirit. If however it is a new soul they are wont to take out of the sweat of the Rulers, and out of the tears of their eyes, or otherwise indeed out of the breath of their mouth, in one word, if one out of the [302 ] new souls or one of the souls of this kind, if one out of the sweat it is, are wont the great Rulers of the great Destiny, they are wont to take away of the sweat of all the Rulers of their Aeons, and knead them with one another at once, and divide it and make it into soul, or otherwise indeed if it is dregs of the purifying of the Light, is wont Melkhisedek to take it away from the Rulers; are wont the five great Rulers of the great Destiny, they are wont to knead the dregs upon one another, and divide it and make it into soul after soul, that each of the Rulers of the Aeons, each of them should put his portion in the soul. Because of this therefore they are kneading them up one on another, that they all should belong to the soul. And [302 ] are wont the five great Rulers, whenever they should divide them and make them into souls, they are taking them out the sweat of the Rulers.
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Themes
Aeonscosmology

Divine archetypal beings or eternal attributes dwelling within the Pleroma, often arranged in male-female syzygies.

The text references 'Aeons' and specifies a 'head of the Aeons' as a key location for the Destiny.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine beings are described with human-like actions such as drinking from cups and kneading sweat.

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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 cup of forgetfulness becomes a body outside the soul that hinders true knowledge.

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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 centrally contrasts the 'light of the sun' against the 'dragon' and 'darkness', establishing a fundamental opposition between truth and falsehood.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

The passage repeatedly uses the imagery of the sun's light covering the dragon and the Virgin of the Light as a central metaphysical force.

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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.

A structured hierarchy exists between the 'Place of the head of the Aeons' and the 'World'.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The text explicitly states that Maria seeks to hide nothing from the Saviour, implying esoteric knowledge reserved for those ready.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

The 'Place of the kingdom of the Adamas' is located in presence of the Virgin of the Light, suggesting a divine realm accessible internally.

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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 actively responds to Maria's questions and speaks about the Rulers' actions regarding souls.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

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

The text presents the paradox that the sun covers darkness while the dragon's darkness remains a curtain for the sun.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

Maria directly addresses the Saviour with a petition ('My Lord, yet I seek from thee').

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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.

Souls are described as coming down from the Rulers to be given a cup of forgetfulness and transformed into souls belonging to them.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

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

The text mentions 'purifying of the Light' and the kneading of dregs as processes that cleanse the soul.

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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 text describes the World enduring darkness and the soul forgetting every Place it went through.

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