Corpus Hermeticum 2: The Serapeum · 4 of 4 · tr. G.R.S. Mead
Section 1d
Not only, then, is God not understood by all, but both unto the gods and some of the men they out of ignorance do give the name of Good, though they can never either be or become Good.
For they are very different from God, while Good can never be distinguished from Him, for that God is the same as Good.
The rest of the immortal ones are nonetheless honored with the name of God, and spoken of as gods; but God is Good not out of courtesy but out of nature.
For that God's nature and the Good is one; one os the kind of both, from which all other kinds [proceed].
The Good is he who gives all things and naught receives.
God, then, doth give all things and receive naught.
God, then, is Good, and Good is God.
17.
The other name of God is Father, again because He is the that-which-maketh-all.
The part of father is to make.
Wherefore child-making is a very great and a most pious thing in life for them who think aright, and to leave life on earth without a child a very great misfortune and impiety; and he who hath no child is punished by the daimones after death.
And this is the punishment: that that man's soul who hath no child, shall be condemned unto a body with neither man's nor woman's nature, a thing accursed beneath the sun.
Wherefore, Asclepius, let not your sympathies be with the man who hath no child, but rather pity his mishap, knowing what punishment abides for him.
Let all that has been said then, be to thee, Asclepius, an introduction to the gnosis of the nature of all things.
Themes
◇Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
[auto] Divine action is described using human familial terms like 'Father' and 'child-making'.
All passages →◇Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
[auto] It explicitly states that God is spoken of by all but not understood by all.
All passages →◇Divine Simplicitytheology
The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.
[auto] The passage centrally argues that God's nature and the Good are one kind with no distinction between them.
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] It states that all other kinds proceed from the one kind of God and the Good.
All passages →◇Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
[auto] The passage contrasts those who understand the Good with those who do not, emphasizing correct thought.
All passages →◇Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
[auto] God is portrayed as an active agent who gives all things and makes all.
All passages →◇Monadcosmology
The absolutely simple, undivided first principle from which all multiplicity and existence flows.
[auto] God is described as the single undivided kind from which multiplicity flows.
All passages →◇Sacred Namestheology
Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.
[auto] The text discusses the names 'Good' and 'Father' as reflecting divine nature rather than mere courtesy.
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 the identity of God and Good as a single source from which all other kinds proceed.
All passages →Related passages · 24 parallels
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1n
“This prophecy is supposed to have been addressed by Dîpankara to S âkyamuni, before he had become a Buddha.] perfect knowledge has been known, he would speak an untruth, and would slander me, O Subhûti, with some untruth that he has learned…”
Both passages explore the nature of ultimate reality and the limitations of language and conceptualization in describing it. The Diamond Sutra emphasizes the emptiness and non-origin of all things, while the Hermetic text discusses the nature of the Good and God, highlighting the ineffability and unity of the divine.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 10, Section 1b
“For where Scripture speaks of things as “eternal” it doth not always mean things that are absolutely Uncreated or verily Everlasting, Incorruptible, 171 Immortal, Invariable, and Immutable ( e.g.
“Be ye lift up, ye eternal doors,” 461 461…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine and its relationship to creation, emphasizing the eternal and unchanging nature of the divine. They also discuss the distinction between the divine and other entities, though from different theological perspectives.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 11, Section 1d
“Now, since thou hast, on a previous occasion, sent me an epistle asking what I mean by Very Being Itself, Very Life Itself, Very Wisdom Itself: and since thou saidst thou couldst not understand why sometimes I call God “Life” and sometimes…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine as the source of all existence and life, emphasizing the transcendence and unity of God. They also explore the relationship between the divine and created beings, highlighting the divine as the ultimate cause and provider.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 13, Section 1d
“And hence, when we speak of the All-Transcendent Godhead as an Unity and a Trinity, It is not an Unity or a Trinity such as can be known by us or any other creature, though to express the truth of Its utter Self-Union and Its Divine Fecundi…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine, emphasizing the transcendence and ineffability of God. They also explore the limitations of human understanding and language in describing the divine, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 2, Section 1j
“And since that Supra-Divine Being hath in loving kindness come down from thence unto the Natural Estate, and verily took substance and assumed the name of Man (we must speak with reverence of those things which we utter beyond human thought…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and its relationship to creation, emphasizing the unity and goodness of God. They also explore the concept of emanation and differentiation in the context of divine attributes and the creative process.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 7)
“It is not shown that Esau became subject to Jacob, but the story represents to us a spiritual symbol, showing how the kingdom of nature in man was to become subjected and to be made to submit in humility to the kingdom p.
214 of grace; how…”
Both passages explore the concept of divine nature and its relationship with humanity. Passage A discusses the spiritual symbolism of Jacob and Esau, representing the struggle between divine grace and human nature, while Passage B delves into the nature of God as the ultimate Good and the creator, emphasizing the importance of understanding divine nature. Both texts highlight the transformative power of divine influence and the importance of humility and faith.
◆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 emphasize the unity and diversity of spiritual understanding, highlighting that different individuals may express the same divine truth in varied ways. They also stress the importance of recognizing the divine nature within all things and the interconnectedness of spiritual wisdom.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 8 (part 4)
“No man knoweth how to know Him--His name remaineth hidden; His name is a mystery unto His children.
His names are innumerable, they are manifold and none knoweth their number--God is truth and He liveth by truth and He feedeth thereon.
He…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine, emphasizing the unity, creativity, and benevolence of God. They also highlight the mystery and the ineffable nature of the divine, as well as the role of God as the creator and sustainer of all things.
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 43 (part 70)
“He giveth life to man, He breatheth the breath of life into his nostrils--God is father and mother, the father of fathers, and the mother of mothers.
He begetteth, but was never begotten; He produceth, but was never produced; He begat hims…”
Both passages describe a supreme deity as the ultimate creator and source of all things, emphasizing the divine nature and the relationship between the divine and the created world. They also highlight the idea of the divine being beyond human comprehension and the central role of the deity in 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 nature of the divine and its relationship to creation. Passage A from Plotinus explores the Soul's role in creation guided by Reason-Principles, while Passage B from Hermetic tradition discusses the nature of God as the Good and the Creator. Both emphasize the hierarchical and generative aspects of the divine.
14 more
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 140
“Section 1 1. A distinction is made between things existing actually and things existing potentially; a certain Actuality, also, is spoken of as a really existent entity. We must consider what content there is in these terms. Can we distingu…”
Both passages explore the nature of the Good and the relationship between existence and non-existence, with Passage A discussing Matter and Privation and Passage B discussing God as the Good and the nature of existence.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 205
“Section 18 18. Souls vary in worth; and the difference is due, among other causes, to an almost initial inequality; it is in reason that, standing to the Reason-Principle, as parts, they should be unequal by the fact of becoming separate. W…”
Both passages explore the nature of divine principles and their relationship to human existence and morality. They discuss the role of a higher Reason-Principle or Good in governing the universe and human actions, though from different philosophical and religious perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 228 (part 1)
“Section 7 7.
This is the significance of Plato's account of the birth of Love.
The drunkenness of the father Poros or Possession is caused by Nectar, "wine yet not existing"; Love is born before the realm of sense has come into being: Pen…”
Both passages discuss the nature of divine beings and their relationship to the material world, exploring the hierarchy and characteristics of different spiritual entities. They share a mystical perspective on the divine and the cosmos, though they come from different traditions.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 230
“Section 9 9. This Poros, Possession, then, is the Reason-Principle of all that exists in the Intellectual Realm and in the supreme Intellect; but being more diffused, kneaded out as it were, it must touch Soul, be in Soul, [as the next lowe…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the Good and its relationship to the divine and human intellect. Passage A emphasizes the authentic Intellective Act and the authentically knowable object, while Passage B focuses on the nature of God as the Good and the source of all things. Both texts explore the concept of the divine and its manifestation in human understanding.
◆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 explore the relationship between the divine and the material world, discussing how the divine principles manifest in the physical realm. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of reality and the role of the divine in creation.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 641 (part 1)
“Section 2 2.
Thus we have even here the means of knowing the nature of the Intellectual-Principle, though, seeing it more closely than anything else, we still see it at less than its worth.
We know that it exists but its cause we do not s…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and its relationship to existence and reality. Passage A emphasizes the unity and necessity of the divine in creation, while Passage B focuses on the Good as the essence of God and the source of all things. Both texts explore the fundamental role of the divine in the structure of reality.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 685
“Section 3 3. All this calls for examination; the enquiry must bring us close to the solution as regards the gods. We have traced self-disposal to will, will to reasoning and, next step, to right reasoning; perhaps to right reasoning we must…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine, particularly the concept of the Good and the First Principle. They explore the idea that the divine is beyond intellect and is self-sufficient, though they do so within different philosophical and religious frameworks.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 1
“The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a n…”
Both passages explore the nature of the divine or ultimate reality, emphasizing its ineffable and transcendent aspects. They also discuss the relationship between the divine and the creation of all things, highlighting the mystery and subtlety of these concepts.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 25
“There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth. How still it was and formless, standing alone, and undergoing no change, reaching everywhere and in no danger (of being exhausted)! It may be regarde…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a fundamental, transcendent principle (Tao in Passage A, God/Good in Passage B) that is the source of all things and is beyond human comprehension. They both emphasize the primacy and completeness of this principle.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 32
“The Tao, considered as unchanging, has no name. Though in its primordial simplicity it may be small, the whole world dares not deal with (one embodying) it as a minister. If a feudal prince or the king could guard and hold it, all would spo…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a divine or ultimate principle (Tao and Good/God) that is beyond naming and is the source of all things. They emphasize the unity and generosity of this principle, which is fundamental to their respective mystical traditions.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 42
“The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things. All things leave behind them the Obscurity (out of which they have come), and go forward to embrace the Brightness (into which they have emerged), while…”
Both passages discuss the origin and nature of all things, emphasizing a singular source (Tao in Passage A, God in Passage B) from which everything emanates. They also touch on the themes of creation and the ultimate nature of reality, though from different cultural and religious contexts.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 52
“(The Tao) which originated all under the sky is to be considered as the mother of them all. When the mother is found, we know what her children should be. When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of…”
Both passages discuss the nature of a divine or ultimate principle (Tao and Good/God) and emphasize the importance of understanding and aligning with this principle. They both highlight the generative and nurturing aspects of this principle, though they use different metaphors and cultural contexts.
◆taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 56
“He who knows (the Tao) does not (care to) speak (about it); he who is (ever ready to) speak about it does not know it. He (who knows it) will keep his mouth shut and close the portals (of his nostrils). He will blunt his sharp points and un…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine or ultimate reality (Tao/Good) and the difficulty of comprehending or speaking about it. They emphasize the mysterious and ineffable nature of the divine, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆taoism|The Writings of Chuang Tzu (Inner Chapters)|Book 124 (part 10)
“Of the sounds of Man very little is said, but they form the subject of the next paragraph.
Nothing is said in answer to the disciple's inquiry about the notes of Heaven.
It is intimated, however, that there is no necessity to introduce an…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a supreme, natural order or principle (Tâo in Passage A and God/Good in Passage B) that governs the universe and human life. They both emphasize the unity and indivisibility of this principle, though they use different cultural and linguistic frameworks.