Corpus Hermeticum 1: Poimandres · 2 of 6 · tr. G.R.S. Mead
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.
And when I saw these things I understood by reason of Man-Shepherd's Word (Logos).
8.
But as I was in great astonishment, He saith to me again: Thou didst behold in Mind the Archetypal Form whose being is before beginning without end.
Thus spake to me Man-Shepherd.
And I say: Whence then have Nature's elements their being?
To this He answer gives: From Will of God.
[Nature] received the Word (Logos), and gazing upon the Cosmos Beautiful did copy it, making herself into a cosmos, by means of her own elements and by the births of souls.
9.
And God-the-Mind, being male and female both, as Light and Life subsisting, brought forth another Mind to give things form, who, God as he was of Fire and Spirit, formed Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos that the sense perceives.
Men call their ruling Fate.
10.
Straightway from out the downward elements God's Reason (Logos) leaped up to Nature's pure formation, and was at-oned with the Formative Mind; for it was co-essential with it.
And Nature's downward elements were thus left reason-less, so as to be pure matter.
11.
Then the Formative Mind ([at-oned] with Reason), he who surrounds the spheres and spins them with his whorl, set turning his formations, and let them turn from a beginning boundless unto an endless end.
For that the circulation of these [spheres] begins where it doth end, as Mind doth will.
And from the downward elements Nature brought forth lives reason-less; for He did not extend the Reason (Logos) [to them].
The Air brought forth things winged; the Water things that swim, and Earth-and-Water one from another parted, as Mind willed.
And from her bosom Earth produced what lives she had, four-footed things and reptiles, beasts wild and tame.
12.
But All-Father Mind, being Life and Light, did bring forth Man co-equal to Himself, with whom He fell in love, as being His own child; for he was beautiful beyond compare, the Image of his Sire.
In very truth, God fell in love with his own Form; and on him did bestow all of His own formations.
13.
And when he gazed upon what the Enformer had created in the Father, [Man] too wished to enform; and [so] assent was given him by the Father.
Changing his state to the formative sphere, in that he was to have his whole authority, he gazed upon his Brother's creatures.
They fell in love with him, and gave him each a share of his own ordering.
And after that he had well learned their essence and had become a sharer in their nature, he had a mind to break right through the Boundary of their spheres, and to subdue the might of that which pressed upon the Fire.
14.
So he who hath the whole authority o'er [all] the mortals in the cosmos and o'er its lives irrational, bent his face downwards through the Harmony, breaking right through its strength, and showed to downward Nature God's fair form.
Themes
◆Aeonscosmology
Divine archetypal beings or eternal attributes dwelling within the Pleroma, often arranged in male-female syzygies.
The vision includes 'Powers no man could number' within the Mind, resembling divine archetypes.
All passages →◆Archonscosmology
Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent.
The 'Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos' are identified as Fate, governing the material realm.
All passages →◆Birth Of Word In Soulanthropology
Eckhart's signature doctrine that the Father eternally begets the Son in the ground of the soul; the human interior as the actual site of the divine generative act, distinct from inner_light's static indwelling.
The Logos is identified as what 'sees in thee', locating the divine generative principle within the human.
All passages →◆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.
Nature 'gazing upon the Cosmos Beautiful did copy it', reflecting the higher order in the lower.
All passages →◆Cosmic Dualismtheology
Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.
A distinction is drawn between the Light/Mind and the 'downward elements' which are left reason-less.
All passages →◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology
The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.
Man learns the essence of creatures and becomes a 'sharer in their nature'.
All passages →◆Demiurgecosmology
A secondary creator deity—often ignorant or malevolent—responsible for fashioning the material world, distinct from the supreme transcendent God.
A 'Formative Mind' is brought forth by God-the-Mind to give things form and fashion the cosmos.
All passages →◆Divine Marriagesoteriology
The reunification of complementary divine principles (male-female, spirit-matter) as a symbol of wholeness and salvation.
God 'fell in love with his own Form' (Man), symbolizing the reunification of divine principles.
All passages →◆Divine Providencetheology
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
The cosmos turns 'as Mind doth will' and Nature acts 'as Mind willed'.
All passages →◆Divine Simplicitytheology
The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.
Mind and Word are described as 'Not separate' in their union, indicating undivided divine being.
All passages →◆Evil As Privationtheology
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
Matter is described as 'reason-less', implying evil or deficiency is a lack of Reason/Logos.
All passages →◆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 vision includes a 'Cosmos grown beyond all bounds' and circulation from 'beginning boundless unto an endless end'.
All passages →◆Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
God is depicted as active, speaking, gazing, and feeling love, rather than an abstract principle.
All passages →◆Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology
The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.
Man is described as the 'Image of his Sire' and given authority over the creatures of the spheres.
All passages →◆Mystical Unionsoteriology
The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.
The text states 'Not separate are they... in their union [rather] is it Life consists' and Man becomes a sharer in nature.
All passages →◆Numerical Mysticismtheology
Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.
The 'Seven Rulers' are explicitly mentioned as enclosing the cosmos.
All passages →◆Opposites Transcendedanthropology
The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.
God-the-Mind is described as 'male and female both', transcending binary gender distinctions.
All passages →◆Paradox As Teachingethics
Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.
Mind and Word are distinct yet 'Not separate', using paradox to convey divine unity.
All passages →◆Pneumatic Electsoteriology
A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.
Man is distinguished from 'lives reason-less' and created co-equal to God, marking a spiritual elite.
All passages →◆Return To Sourcesoteriology
The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.
Man wishes to 'break right through the Boundary' of the spheres, implying a return past the material constraints.
All passages →◆Self Examinationpraxis
Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.
The command 'Know that what sees in thee' requires introspection into one's own faculties.
All passages →◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
Man has a mind to 'break right through the Boundary of their spheres' to subdue the might pressing upon the Fire.
All passages →◆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.
Man is brought forth 'co-equal to Himself' and God bestows all formations upon him as His own child.
All passages →◇Active Contemplationpraxis
A form of meditation that uses imagery, imagination, or symbolic thought rather than purely empty stillness.
[auto] The narrator engages in visionary seeing of the Cosmos, Powers, and Fire within the Mind.
All passages →◇Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
[auto] Poimandres is described with human features (eyes, head) and titles like 'Man-Shepherd'.
All passages →◇Divine Lighttheology
The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.
[auto] The Light is a central image to be understood and seen within the Mind, representing divine revelation.
All passages →◇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.
[auto] A flow is described from Mind (Father-God) to Logos to Nature, which then copies the Archetypal Form to create the cosmos.
All passages →◇Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
[auto] The text emphasizes 'Know that', 'understand the Light', and 'I understood' as the primary mode of accessing divine truth.
All passages →◇Hidden Sayingssoteriology
Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.
[auto] Poimandres reveals esoteric truths ('Know that', 'understand the Light') to the initiate.
All passages →◇Inner Lightanthropology
The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.
[auto] The passage states that what sees and hears 'in thee' is the Lord's Word, locating the divine luminous quality within the human.
All passages →◇Kingdom Withinanthropology
The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.
[auto] The divine Word that sees and hears is located 'in thee', indicating the divine realm resides within the individual.
All passages →◇Logoscosmology
The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world.
[auto] The passage explicitly identifies the Lord's Word (Logos) as the perceptive faculty within humans and the agent through which Nature creates the cosmos.
All passages →◇Monadcosmology
The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.
[auto] Mind is identified as Father-God, the singular source from which Life and creation consist.
All passages →◇Self Knowledgesoteriology
The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.
[auto] The instruction to 'Know that what sees in thee... is the Lord's Word' equates self-knowledge with knowledge of the divine.
All passages →◇Unity Of Beingtheology
The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.
[auto] The text asserts that Mind and Logos are 'Not separate' and Life consists in their union.
All passages →Related passages · 75 parallels
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1o
“Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Subhûti, has the Tathâgata the bodily eye?' Subhûti said: 'So it is, O Bhagavat, the Tathâgata has the bodily eye.' Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Subhûti, has the Tathâgata the heavenly eye?' Subh…”
Both passages explore the nature of ultimate reality and the limitations of human perception and understanding. They discuss the concept of a higher, transcendent knowledge or insight that goes beyond ordinary human experience, and the idea that ultimate reality is beyond the grasp of conventional thought.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 38 (part 8)
“I am he who riseth and shineth; the wall of walls; the only One, [son] of an only One.
Ra (24) never lacketh his form, he never passeth away, he never passeth away.
Verily, I say: I am the plant which cometh forth from Nu, and my mother i…”
Both passages describe a mystical transformation where the individual identifies with divine attributes and cosmic principles. The Egyptian Book of the Dead emphasizes the unification of the individual with various gods and cosmic elements, while the Hermetic text describes the union of the individual with the divine Mind and the cosmic order.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FIRSTb
“Because of this therefore they were thinking of that Mystery that it is the completion of all completions; and that it is the head of the Universe; and that [4 ] it is the whole Pleroma: since Jesus is wont to say unto his disciples that th…”
Both passages describe a mystical ascent and the manifestation of divine light, emphasizing the transcendence and the ineffable nature of the divine. They share themes of cosmic order, the interplay between divine and created realms, and the transformative experience of the disciples or the narrator.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND
“And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what the Slander became, and because of what the Word which is good [194 ] became: and that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what the Obedience became, and because of w…”
Both passages explore the nature of divine mysteries and the interplay between opposing forces or concepts. They share a focus on the duality and interconnectedness of existence, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND
“And added also Jesus, said he to his disciples, Yet therefore my Disciples and my friends and my brothers, let each be sober of the spirit which (is) in him that ye may listen and understand every word which I shall say to you, because from…”
Both passages explore mystical insights into the nature of the cosmos and the divine. They discuss the interplay between divine mysteries, cosmic elements, and the creation of the world, albeit within different theological frameworks.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND
“And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what the Dissension became, and because of what became the Reconciliation.
And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what became the Covetousness, and because of what…”
Both passages explore mystical concepts of creation, divine mysteries, and the nature of the cosmos. They share themes of divine emanations, the structure of the universe, and the role of divine entities in creation, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND
“And that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth because of what despoiled himself him the great Light of the Lights, and because of what he (they, MS ) proceeded out of the Fatherless (ones), and that Mystery indeed is that which knoweth beca…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of divine entities or principles from a higher, often ineffable source. They share a common theme of hierarchical divine structures and the process of creation or manifestation through these structures.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECOND
“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 seco…”
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.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXXXI
“LXXXI. The Heavenly Tablets and the Mission of Enoch . CHAPTER LXXXI. 1. And he said unto me: 'Observe, Enoch, these heavenly tablets, And read what is written thereon, And mark every individual fact.' p. 108 2 And I observed the heavenly t…”
Both passages describe a mystical revelation where a divine being imparts knowledge to a human figure. They share themes of divine creation, the nature of the cosmos, and the special status of humanity, though they come from different religious traditions.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Greater Holy Assembly (Idra Rabba Qadisha)|Idra Rabba, Chapter 1 (part 2)
“1 12.
"For it is written, Deut.
xxxiii.
29: 'Blessed art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee?' Also it is written, Exod.
xv.
11: 'Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Tetragrammaton?'" 2 13.
He called Rabbi Eleazer, his son, and…”
Both passages describe a divine emanation or creation process involving a primordial being or mind that brings forth the cosmos and humanity. They also emphasize the unity and interconnection of divine aspects, though within different theological frameworks.
65 more
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 7
“Section 3 3. We may treat of the Soul as in the body- whether it be set above it or actually within it- since the association of the two constitutes the one thing called the living organism, the Animate. Now from this relation, from the Sou…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the soul/mind and the body/material world, discussing the nature of their interaction and the distinction between the two. They both delve into mystical concepts of the soul's connection to the divine and the material realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 11
“Section 7 7. The truth lies in the Consideration that the Couplement subsists by virtue of the Soul's presence. This, however, is not to say that the Soul gives itself as it is in itself to form either the Couplement or the body. No; from t…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the human, emphasizing the role of a higher Mind or Soul in the creation and perception of the world. They also explore the concept of a divine spark or essence within humanity, highlighting the union and interaction between the divine and the material.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 12
“Section 8 8. And towards the Intellectual-Principle what is our relation? By this I mean, not that faculty in the soul which is one of the emanations from the Intellectual-Principle, but The Intellectual-Principle itself [Divine-Mind]. This…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the human soul, the divine intellect (or Mind), and the creation of the cosmos. They share a mystical perspective on the unity and emanation of divine principles, though they come from different traditions (Neoplatonism and Hermeticism).
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 30
“Section 4 4. But this science, this Dialectic essential to all the three classes alike, what, in sum, is it? It is the Method, or Discipline, that brings with it the power of pronouncing with final truth upon the nature and relation of thin…”
Both passages explore the nature of the Intellectual or Divine Realm and the process of understanding it. Passage A discusses Dialectic as a method to discern the nature and relation of things, while Passage B describes the vision of the Archetypal Form and the creation of the cosmos through the Word (Logos) and Mind. Both texts emphasize the unity and the hierarchical structure of reality.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 85 (part 1)
“Section 10 10.
But if Matter is devoid of quality how can it be evil?
It is described as being devoid of quality in the sense only that it does not essentially possess any of the qualities which it admits and which enter into it as into a…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine and the process of understanding or perceiving reality. Passage A discusses the Intellectual-Principle and the challenge of comprehending evil and matter, while Passage B describes the divine Mind (Logos) and the creation of the cosmos. Both texts delve into metaphysical concepts and the relationship between the divine and the material world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 112 (part 1)
“Section 9 9.
This brings us to the Spindle-destiny, spun according to the ancients by the Fates.
To Plato the Spindle represents the co-operation of the moving and the stable elements of the kosmic circuit: the Fates with Necessity, Mothe…”
Both passages discuss the interplay between the divine and the material world, the role of the soul, and the concept of a higher realm. They also explore the idea of a dual nature in existence, with one being bound to the material and the other striving towards the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 113
“Section 10 10. If all this be true, we must at once admit signification, though, neither singly nor collectively, can we ascribe to the stars any efficacy except in what concerns the [material] All and in what is of their own function. We m…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine, the cosmos, and the human soul, emphasizing the role of a higher principle (the One in Plotinus, the Mind in Hermeticism) and the dual nature of existence. They also explore the concept of liberation and the ascent towards the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 118
“Section 15 15. According to Plato, lots and choice play a part [in the determination of human conditions] before the Spindle of Necessity is turned; that once done, only the Spindle-destiny is valid; it fixes the chosen conditions irretriev…”
Both passages discuss the hierarchical structure of the cosmos and the role of a divine principle (Soul/Reason-Principle in Plotinus, Mind/Word in Hermeticism) in governing and organizing the universe. They also explore the interplay between different levels of being and the unity of all existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 120
“Section 17 17. But these Reason-Principles, contained in the Soul, are they Thoughts? And if so, by what process does the Soul create in accordance with these Thoughts? It is upon Matter that this act of the Reason is exercised; and what ac…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine intellect (Intellectual-Principle in Plotinus, Mind in Hermeticism) and the creative process. They describe a hierarchical structure where higher principles influence lower ones, leading to the creation of the material world, albeit with imperfections.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 126
“Section 4 4. The present existence of the Ideal-Forms has been demonstrated elsewhere: we take up our argument from that point. If, then, there is more than one of such forming Ideas, there must of necessity be some character common to all…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and the creation of the cosmos, with a focus on the role of Mind (Nous) and the Logos. They explore the relationship between the divine principles and the material world, though from different philosophical and mystical perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 127
“Section 5 5. It may be objected that the Intellectual-Principle possesses its content in an eternal conjunction so that the two make a perfect unity, and that thus there is no Matter there. But that argument would equally cancel the Matter…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the intelligible and material realms, the role of the divine intellect (Logos or Intellectual-Principle), and the nature of Matter. They discuss the hierarchy of being and the process of creation, though from different philosophical and religious contexts.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 129
“Section 7 7. Empedokles in identifying his "elements" with Matter is refuted by their decay. Anaxagoras, in identifying his "primal-combination" with Matter- to which he allots no mere aptness to any and every nature or quality but the effe…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the intelligible and material realms, the role of the divine intellect or Mind, and the nature of Matter. They explore the concept of a higher, divine reality that shapes and illuminates the lower, material world, though they use different terminology and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 165 (part 2)
“The more perfect the man, the more compliant he is, even towards his fellows; we must temper our importance, not thrusting insolently beyond what our nature warrants; we must allow other beings, also, their place in the presence of the Godh…”
Both passages discuss the creation of the cosmos and the role of divine entities in this process. They share the idea of an intellectual or divine principle that brings order and life to the universe, and both emphasize the beauty and wisdom inherent in the created world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 195 (part 2)
“Bad men rule by the feebleness of the ruled: and this is just; the triumph of weaklings would not be just.…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the role of divine reason or logos in the creation and governance of the cosmos. They also explore the nature of the soul and its interaction with the material realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 212
“Section 6 6. But, if all this be true, how can evil fall within the scope of seership? The predictions of the seers are based on observation of the Universal Circuit: how can this indicate the evil with the good? Clearly the reason is that…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a divine providence or Logos that permeates the cosmos, governing it with a hierarchical structure. They also explore the interplay between divine will and individual actions, highlighting the role of necessity and human choice in the manifestation of evil or discord.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 215
“Section 1 1. Some Existents [Absolute Unity and Intellectual-Principle] remain at rest while their Hypostases, or Expressed-Idea, come into being; but, in our view, the Soul generates by its motion, to which is due the sensitive faculty- th…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the divine into the material world, with a hierarchical structure originating from a single, unchanging principle. They also explore the relationship between the higher and lower realms, emphasizing the interconnectedness and unity of all things.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 227 (part 2)
“We are forced to assume that there is a Matter of the Intellectual Order, and that Beings partaking of it are thereby enabled to enter into the lower Matter, the corporeal.…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the cosmos and the role of divine principles (Eros/Love in Plotinus and Logos/Mind in the second passage) in its creation and sustenance. They explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, highlighting the interconnectedness of spiritual and physical realms.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 241
“Section 9 9. In answer: It must, first, be noted that there are a variety of modes in which an object may be said to be present to another or to exist in another. There is a "presence" which acts by changing the object- for good or for ill-…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the underlying principles of existence. Passage A discusses the concept of Matter as a non-being and its relationship with the Intellectual Principle, while Passage B describes the creation and structure of the cosmos through the interaction of Mind, Word (Logos), and Matter. Both texts delve into metaphysical concepts and the nature of existence, showing a genuine conceptual parallel.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 245 (part 1)
“Section 13 13.
Further, they must explain in what sense they hold that Matter tends to slip away from its form [the Idea].
Can we conceive it stealing out from stones and rocks or whatever else envelops it?
And of course they cannot pret…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material world and the divine or ideal forms. Passage A discusses Plato's conception of Matter and its interaction with Ideal-forms, while Passage B describes the creation of the cosmos and the interaction between the divine Mind and the material elements. Both texts delve into the nature of reality and the role of divine principles in shaping the physical world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 246
“Section 14 14. But would this mean that if there were no Matter nothing would exist? Precisely as in the absence of a mirror, or something of similar power, there would be no reflection. A thing whose very nature is to be lodged in somethin…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material world and the divine or ideal realm, discussing the nature of matter and its interaction with form or divine principles. They both delve into the concept of a primordial, formless substance that interacts with higher, more abstract entities.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 250 (part 2)
“No: for there is no first Idea except the Ideal Principle of the Universe- and, by this Idea, Matter is [the seat of] all things at once and of the particular thing in its parts- for the Matter of a living being is disparted according to th…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the intellectual or divine realm and the material world, emphasizing the role of an emanative process or divine will in the creation and structuring of the cosmos. They share a conceptual framework of a higher, intelligible realm influencing and giving form to a lower, material realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 272
“Section 6 6. Action, thus, is set towards contemplation and an object of contemplation, so that even those whose life is in doing have seeing as their object; what they have not been able to achieve by the direct path, they hope to come at…”
Both passages explore the concept of a higher, divine intelligence or vision that gives rise to the material world. They discuss the relationship between the divine, the act of creation, and the nature of existence, highlighting the primacy of contemplation and vision over action.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 273
“Section 7 7. Certain Principles, then, we may take to be established- some self-evident, others brought out by our treatment above: All the forms of Authentic Existence spring from vision and are a vision. Everything that springs from these…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a higher, contemplative principle that gives rise to the cosmos. They describe a hierarchical structure of being, where a primary, divine contemplation leads to the creation of a secondary, material reality. The passages also emphasize the continuous and universal presence of the divine principle throughout the cosmos.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 274 (part 2)
“The Intellectual-Principle on the other hand was never merely the Principle of an inviolable unity; it was a universal as well and, being so, was the Intellectual-Principle of all things.
Being, thus, all things and the Principle of all, i…”
Both passages discuss the concept of vision and contemplation as fundamental to existence and creation. They share the idea that all things strive towards knowledge and the production of ideal forms, with a focus on the role of divine principles in shaping reality.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 390
“Section 8 8. C. (11) We come to the theory that this pneuma is an earlier form, one which on entering the cold and being tempered by it develops into soul by growing finer under that new condition. This is absurd at the start, since many li…”
Both passages discuss the nature of perception and consciousness, emphasizing the unity and indivisibility of the perceiving entity. Passage A focuses on the Soul as a unitary percipient, while Passage B describes the Mind as a unified entity that perceives and interacts with the cosmos.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 423 (part 1)
“Section 7 7.
We must be more explicit: The Intellectual-Principle stands as the image of The One, firstly because there is a certain necessity that the first should have its offspring, carrying onward much of its quality, in other words th…”
Both passages describe a divine hierarchy and the emanation of the cosmos from a supreme principle. They also discuss the creation of humanity and the relationship between the divine and the created world, showing genuine conceptual parallels.
◆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 emanation of the divine into the world, with a hierarchy of beings or principles. Plotinus describes the emanation from the Good through the Intellectual-Principle to the Soul, while the Hermetic text describes the emanation of Mind and Logos creating the cosmos and various beings. Both texts explore the structure of reality and the relationship between the divine and the created world.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 426
“Section 10 10. We have shown the inevitability of certain convictions as to the scheme of things: There exists a Principle which transcends Being; this is The One, whose nature we have sought to establish in so far as such matters lend them…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine intellect and its relationship to the soul and the material world. They explore concepts of unity, multiplicity, and the origin of existence, though within different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 427
“Section 11 11. Since there is a Soul which reasons upon the right and good- for reasoning is an enquiry into the rightness and goodness of this rather than that- there must exist some permanent Right, the source and foundation of this reaso…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the Divine Mind or Logos from a supreme, unchanging principle (The One or Father-God). They explore the relationship between the supreme being and the intellect, describing a hierarchical structure of existence and the nature of creation.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 431
“Section 2 2. To resume: there is from the first principle to ultimate an outgoing in which unfailingly each principle retains its own seat while its offshoot takes another rank, a lower, though on the other hand every being is in identity w…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the divine into the material world, with a focus on the hierarchy of beings and the role of the Intellectual-Principle or Mind. They share a conceptual framework of a tripartite structure and the creation of the cosmos through divine will.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 435
“Section 3 3. Sense sees a man and transmits the impression to the understanding. What does the understanding say? It has nothing to say as yet; it accepts and waits; unless, rather, it questions within itself "Who is this?"- someone it has…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul, the Intellectual-Principle (or Mind), and the perception of divine realities. They emphasize the need for inward attention and the continuous activity of higher beings, though they use different metaphors and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 439
“Section 7 7. The contemplating of God, we might answer. But to admit its knowing God is to be compelled to admit its self-knowing. It will know what it holds from God, what God has given forth or may; with this knowledge, it knows itself at…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine intellect or Mind, its self-awareness, and its role in creation. They also explore the emanation of lesser beings or forms from the divine source, highlighting the hierarchical structure of reality.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 440 (part 1)
“Section 8 8.
Now comes the question what sort of thing does the Intellectual-Principle see in seeing the Intellectual Realm and what in seeing itself?
We are not to look for an Intellectual realm reminding us of the colour or shape to be…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine Mind or Intellectual-Principle and its relationship to creation. They describe a hierarchical structure of being and emphasize the unity and self-vision of the divine intellect, though within different theological frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 443
“Section 11 11. Thus the Intellectual-Principle, in the act of knowing the Transcendent, is a manifold. It knows the Transcendent in very essence but, with all its effort to grasp that prior as a pure unity, it goes forth amassing successive…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between a transcendent, unitary principle and the intellectual or formative principles that emanate from it. They explore the nature of the divine and the process of creation or intellection, highlighting the movement from unity to multiplicity.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 444 (part 1)
“Section 12 12.
But why, after all, should it not be such a manifold as long as it remains one substantial existence, having the multiplicity not of a compound being but of a unity with a variety of activities?
Now, no doubt, if these vari…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine intellect or Mind and its relationship to creation. They explore themes of self-knowledge, emanation, and the hierarchical structure of reality, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 444 (part 2)
“The entire intellectual order may be figured as a kind of light with the One in repose at its summit as its King: but this manifestation is not cast out from it: we may think, rather, of the One as a light before the light, an eternal irrad…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine, the intellect, and the creation of the cosmos. They discuss the unity of the divine mind and its role in the formation of the world and human beings, highlighting themes of divine emanation and the nature of the intellect.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 448
“Section 16 16. We have, of course, already seen that a secondary must follow upon the First, and that this is a power immeasurably fruitful; and we indicated that this truth is confirmed by the entire order of things since there is nothing,…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between a transcendent, unitary principle and the intellectual or formative principles that emanate from it. They explore the nature of the divine and the process of creation or intellection, highlighting the movement from unity to multiplicity.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 452 (part 2)
“And again, if that secondary is all things, and if above its multiplicity there is a unity not ranking among those things, once more this unity transcends Real Being and therefore transcends the Intellectual-Principle as well.
There is thu…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the divine into the material world, with a focus on the unity and multiplicity of existence. They explore the relationship between the transcendent source and the created world, highlighting the concept of a divine emanation that results in a hierarchical and interconnected cosmos.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 454 (part 2)
“How does the Intellectual-Principle come to meet with them as it travels round; what keeps each true to its character; what gives them enduring identity; what conceivable shape or character can they have?
They are being presented to us as…”
Both passages explore the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Mind and its relationship to the cosmos and reality. They discuss the concept of truth and the nature of perception, though from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 458
“Section 5 5. We return to our statement that The First remains intact even when other entities spring from it. In the case of numbers, the unit remains intact while something else produces, and thus number arises in dependence on the unit:…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and the relationship between the divine mind (Intellectual-Principle in Plotinus, Mind and Logos in the Hermetic text) and the cosmos. They explore the unity and multiplicity of existence, and the role of the divine in the creation and ordering of the universe.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 461
“Section 8 8. So that we are left wondering whence it came, from within or without; and when it has gone, we say, "It was here. Yet no; it was beyond!" But we ought not to question whence; there is no whence, no coming or going in place; now…”
Both passages explore the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Divine Mind and its relationship with the cosmos and reality. They discuss the concept of truth, perception, and the emanation of forms or elements from a higher principle, showing a genuine conceptual parallel.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 465
“Section 12 12. Knowing demands the organ fitted to the object; eyes for one kind, ears for another: similarly some things, we must believe, are to be known by the Intellectual-Principle in us. We must not confuse intellection with hearing o…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the primacy of the Good or the Divine Mind. They discuss the hierarchy of existence and the nature of beauty and reality, showing conceptual parallels in their mystical perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 472
“Section 5 5. And again: the multiple must be always seeking its identity, desiring self-accord and self-awareness: but what scope is there within what is an absolute unity in which to move towards its identity or at what term may it hope fo…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, emphasizing the primacy of the Good or the Divine Mind. They discuss the hierarchy of existence and the nature of beauty and goodness, showing conceptual parallels in their mystical perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 491
“Section 13 13. The God fettered [as in the Kronos Myth] to an unchanging identity leaves the ordering of this universe to his son (to Zeus), for it could not be in his character to neglect his rule within the divine sphere, and, as though s…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the divine into the material world and the role of divine wisdom or logos in creation. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of reality and the origin of the cosmos, though they come from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 494
“Section 2 2. What is this other place and how it is accessible? It is to be reached by those who, born with the nature of the lover, are also authentically philosophic by inherent temper; in pain of love towards beauty but not held by mater…”
Both passages describe a mystical vision of the universe as a unified whole, with a divine presence that encompasses all. They share themes of unity, divine power, and the interconnection of all things, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 505
“Section 13 13. It remains to decide whether only what is known in sense exists There or whether, on the contrary, as Absolute-Man differs from individual man, so there is in the Supreme an Absolute-Soul differing from Soul and an Absolute-I…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Intellectual-Principle or Mind, describing it as a unified yet multifaceted entity that contains and governs all existence. They also explore the concept of emanation and the hierarchical structure of reality, though from different mystical traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 546 (part 1)
“Section 8 8.
We cannot indeed escape positing these three, Being, Motion, Stability, once it is the fact that the Intellect discerns them as separates; and if it thinks of them at all, it posits them by that very thinking; if they are thou…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine intellect and its relationship with being, motion, and stability. They also discuss the unity and differentiation within the divine realm, though they use different terminology and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 551
“Section 13 13. We turn to ask why Quantity is not included among the primary genera, and Quality also. Quantity is not among the primaries, because these are permanently associated with Being. Motion is bound up with Actual Being [Being-in-…”
Both passages explore the relationship between Being, Motion, and Stability (or Life and Light in Passage B), and the unity and separation of these concepts. They both delve into the nature of the divine and the cosmos, discussing the interplay between different aspects of existence and the role of the divine intellect or Mind.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 552
“Section 14 14. Why is Quality, again, not included among the Primaries? Because like Quantity it is a posterior, subsequent to Substance. Primary Substance must necessarily contain Quantity and Quality as its consequents; it cannot owe its…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine intellect and its relationship with being, motion, and stability. They discuss the unity and differentiation within the divine realm, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these principles.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 560 (part 1)
“Section 22 22.
We may here adduce the pregnant words of Plato: "Inasmuch as Intellect perceives the variety and plurality of the Forms present in the complete Living Being...." The words apply equally to Soul; Soul is subsequent to Intelle…”
Both passages discuss the creation and structure of the cosmos, the role of a divine intellect or mind, and the relationship between the divine and the material world. They share themes of unity, plurality, and the emanation of beings from a higher principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 569
“Section 8 8. The division into elements must, in short, be abandoned, especially in regard to Sensible Substance, known necessarily by sense rather than by reason. We must no longer look for help in constituent parts, since such parts will…”
Both passages discuss the creation of the cosmos and the role of divine intellect or mind in shaping reality. They also explore the hierarchy of beings and the relationship between the divine and the created world, showing a genuine conceptual parallel.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 577 (part 2)
“But we refrain from assigning Soul to Sensible Substance, on the ground that we have already referred to Quality [which is Sensible] those affections of Soul which are related to body.
On the contrary, Soul, conceived apart from affection…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the material and the intellectual or divine realms, discussing the nature of existence and the hierarchy of being. They both delve into the concept of a higher reality giving existence to a lower one, and the distinction between different forms of being.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 579
“Section 18 18. These problems at any rate all serve to show that, while in general it is necessary to look for differences by which to separate things from each other, to hunt for differences of the differences themselves is both futile and…”
Both passages explore the nature of reality and the relationship between universal forms and particular manifestations. Passage A discusses the hierarchy of substances and the role of universal forms, while Passage B describes the creation and structuring of the cosmos through divine principles and the emanation of forms.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 612
“Section 5 5. Often for the purpose of exposition- as a help towards stating the nature of the produced multiplicity- we use the example of many lines radiating from one centre; but, while we provide for individualization, we must carefully…”
Both passages explore the concept of an omnipresent, unifying principle (soul in Plotinus, Logos in Hermeticism) that permeates the cosmos and individual entities. They share a mystical perspective on the interconnectedness of all things.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 614
“Section 7 7. To Real Being we go back, all that we have and are; to that we return as from that we came. Of what is There we have direct knowledge, not images or even impressions; and to know without image is to be; by our part in true know…”
Both passages explore the concept of unity and the divine within, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all beings and the ultimate reality. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of existence and the divine, though they come from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 624
“Section 4 4. We have to enquire into the existence of the Numbers in the Intellectual. Are they Ideas added to the other Ideas? Or are they no more than necessary concomitants to the Ideas? In the latter case, Being, as the first [in the In…”
Both passages explore the concept of unity and the nature of the divine within the individual and the cosmos. Passage A discusses the return to Real Being and the unity of all things, while Passage B describes the union of Mind and Logos and the creation of Man as a co-equal to the divine.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 625
“Section 5 5. What then is the veritable nature of Number? Is it an accompaniment upon each substance, something seen in the things as in a man we see one man, in a being one being and in the total of presentations the total of number? But h…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine (Ideas or Logos) and the material world, emphasizing the omnipresence and unity of the divine in shaping matter without spatial separation. They share a mystical perspective on the interaction between the transcendent and the physical.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 633 (part 2)
“If Unity is necessary to the substantial existence of all that really is- and nothing exists which is not one- Unity must precede Reality and be its author.
It is therefore, an existent Unity, not an existent that develops Unity; considere…”
Both passages explore the nature of the Intellectual or Divine Mind and its relationship to the creation of the cosmos and numbers. They discuss the concept of the Monad and the generation of other entities from it, reflecting a shared mystical insight into the structure of reality.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 636 (part 1)
“Section 16 16.
But here we may be questioned about these numbers which we describe as the primal and authentic: "Where do you place these numbers, in what genus among Beings?
To everyone they seem to come under Quantity and you have certa…”
Both passages discuss the unity and interconnection of all things within a divine or intellectual principle. They explore the concept of a higher, all-encompassing reality that contains and unifies all entities, though they use different terminology and frameworks.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 636 (part 2)
“When you enumerate two things- say, animal and beauty- each of these remains one thing; the number is your production; it lay within yourself; it is you that elaborate quantity, here the dyad.
But when you declare virtue to be a Tetrad, yo…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and the structure of reality, emphasizing the primacy of Intellectual-Principle or Mind, and the emanation of lower forms from higher principles. They share a mystical approach to understanding the divine and the cosmos.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 650 (part 1)
“Section 11 11.
The very heavens, patently multiple, cannot be thought to disdain any form of life since this universe holds everything.
Now how do these things come to be here?
Does the higher realm contain all of the lower?
All that ha…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine intellect or principle (Intellectual-Principle in Plotinus, Logos and Mind in the second passage) and its relationship to the creation and essence of all things. They share a metaphysical focus on the unity and causality within the divine realm.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 664
“Section 25 25. It is in view, probably, of this difficulty that Plato, in the Philebus, makes pleasure an element in the Term; the good is not defined as a simplex or set in Intellectual-Principle alone; while he rightly refrains from ident…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a transcendent, divine principle (The Good in Plotinus, the Logos and Mind in the Hermetic text) that is the source of all existence and knowledge. They also describe a hierarchical structure of reality emanating from this principle.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 665
“Section 26 26. Any conscious being, if the good come to him, will know the good and affirm his possession of it. But what if one be deceived? In that case there must be some resemblance to account for the error: the good will be the origina…”
Both passages discuss the emanation of the divine into the intellectual and material realms, emphasizing the hierarchy and unity of being. They share concepts of a supreme, formless first principle and the derivation of lower realities from it, though they use different terminology and cultural contexts.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 700 (part 1)
“Section 18 18.
Seeking Him, seek nothing of Him outside; within is to be sought what follows upon Him; Himself do not attempt.
He is, Himself, that outer, He the encompassment and measure of all things; or rather He is within, at the inne…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Supreme Principle or God, emphasizing its uniqueness, necessity, and transcendence. They explore the idea of a transcendent, unchanging, and self-sufficient divine being that is the source of all existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 711
“Section 7 7. If the mind reels before something thus alien to all we know, we must take our stand on the things of this realm and strive thence to see. But, in the looking, beware of throwing outward; this Principle does not lie away somewh…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a higher, unifying principle (The Unity in Passage A and Mind in Passage B) that is accessible through inward contemplation and is the source of all existence. They also emphasize the idea of turning away from the material world to connect with this higher principle.