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Select Works of Plotinus · 446 of 752 · tr. Thomas Taylor

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 Tertiaries. He teaches, also, that there is an author of the Cause, that is of the Intellectual-Principle, which to him is the Creator who made the Soul, as he tells us, in the famous mixing bowl. This author of the causing principle, of the divine mind, is to him the Good, that which transcends the Intellectual-Principle and transcends Being: often too he uses the term "The Idea" to indicate Being and the Divine Mind. Thus Plato knows the order of generation- from the Good, the Intellectual-Principle; from the Intellectual-Principle, the Soul. These teachings are, therefore, no novelties, no inventions of today, but long since stated, if not stressed; our doctrine here is the explanation of an earlier and can show the antiquity of these opinions on the testimony of Plato himself. Earlier, Parmenides made some approach to the doctrine in identifying Being with Intellectual-Principle while separating Real Being from the realm of sense. "Knowing and Being are one thing he says, and this unity is to him motionless in spite of the intellection he attributes to it: to preserve its unchanging identity he excludes all bodily movement from it; and he compares it to a huge sphere in that it holds and envelops all existence and that its intellection is not an outgoing act but internal. Still, with all his affirmation of unity, his own writings lay him open to the reproach that his unity turns out to be a multiplicity. The Platonic Parmenides is more exact; the distinction is made between the Primal One, a strictly pure Unity, and a secondary One which is a One-Many and a third which is a One-and-many; thus he too is in accordance with our thesis of the Three Kinds.
Themes
◆Apophatic Theologytheology

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

The wisdom presiding over the Intellectual sphere is described as 'unapproachable', hinting at transcendence beyond concepts.

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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 contrast between the 'world of sense' and the 'more authentic sphere' implies the material realm is inferior to the divine.

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◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The text mentions 'gods within it, seen and hidden' and 'unapproachable wisdom', indicating aspects of divine concealment.

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◆Divine Sparkscosmology

Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.

The text states the Intellectual realm is 'the place of every soul', implying souls originate from or belong to this divine source.

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◆Inner Lightanthropology

The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.

The description of 'self-springing consciousness' within the Intellectual sphere suggests an internal divine illumination.

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◆Inner Silencepraxis

The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.

The archetypal world is characterized by 'rest unbroken' where there is no need to seek change or increase.

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◆Logoscosmology

The divine reason, word, or ordering principle through which the universe was created; mediates between the transcendent God and the material world.

The 'Intellectual-Principle' and the 'order of its eternal march' function as the divine reason ordering the universe.

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◇Active Contemplationpraxis

A form of meditation that uses imagery, imagination, or symbolic thought rather than purely empty stillness.

[auto] The text instructs the reader to 'contemplate all things as members of the Intellectual', utilizing symbolic thought.

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◇Divine Simplicitytheology

The doctrine that God has no parts, divisions, or composite attributes; pure undivided being.

[auto] The realm is described as 'perfect throughout' and holding 'nothing that is less', suggesting an undivided divine reality.

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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.

[auto] The text describes the Intellectual-Principle as the 'offspring or exuberance of God', indicating a flow from a higher source.

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◇Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

[auto] The passage presents 'another way to this knowledge' through contemplation of the archetype rather than ritual or faith.

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◇Living Godtheology

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

[auto] The Intellectual sphere is described as vested with 'self-springing consciousness and life', portraying the divine as dynamic.

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◇Monadcosmology

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

[auto] God is referenced as the singular source from which the Intellectual-Principle flows as an offspring.

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◇Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

[auto] The description of the soul's place in the Intellectual realm where 'all is God' implies a merging with the divine nature.

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◇Pleromacosmology

The divine fullness or totality of the highest realm, populated by aeons and divine attributes, contrasted with the deficient material world.

[auto] The 'Archetypal world' is depicted as containing 'all that is immortal' and divine fullness contrasted with the sense world.

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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.

[auto] The passage explicitly describes the soul's journey to 'mount to its archetype' and identifies the Intellectual realm as the 'place of every soul'.

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◇Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

[auto] The text outlines a staged journey from admiring the sensible world to contemplating the Intellectual sphere and unapproachable wisdom.

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◇Unity Of Beingtheology

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

[auto] The passage asserts that in the archetypal world 'all is God' and 'nothing here but is Divine Mind', emphasizing non-dual perfection.

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Related passages · 20 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 1 (part 1)
“p. 33 THE DOCTRINES OF JACOB BOEHME. "Our whole doctrine is nothing else but an instruction to show how man may create a kingdom of light within himself. . . . He in whom this spring of divine power flows, carries within himself the d…”
Both passages discuss the concept of divine knowledge and the nature of the divine within the individual. Plotinus describes the Intellectual-Principle as the archetype of the world, while Boehme talks about the divine principle within man, both emphasizing the attainment of divine knowledge and the unity of the divine with the individual.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 1 (part 4)
“Let them, therefore, again go out with their will from their wilful ignorance or malignity and enter again into the will of God." ( Menschwerdung , 3, 5.) All this goes to show that it is useless and vain to seek for divine wisdom, meaning…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of inner realization and the recognition of the divine within oneself. They share a mystical focus on transcending the personal self to attain a higher state of consciousness and unity with the divine.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 2 (part 1)
“p. 58 CHAPTER II. THE UNITY OF THE ALL. "We are all one body in Christ, and have all the Spirit of Christ within our reach. If, then, we enter into the Christ, we may see and know everything by the power of His Spirit." ( Forty Question…”
Both passages explore the concept of an eternal, divine realm that transcends the physical world and is the source of all existence. They discuss the unity and perfection of this realm, emphasizing the limitations of human understanding in comprehending the divine.
◆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 complex hierarchies of divine or metaphysical entities, emphasizing the emanation and differentiation from a primordial source. They share a theme of layered realities and the process of creation or manifestation from a higher, transcendent principle.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document SECONDˆ
“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 discuss the concept of a tripartite structure in their respective mystical traditions. They describe a hierarchy of beings or principles emanating from a supreme, ineffable source, highlighting the interconnectedness and order within the divine realm.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn X (part 1)
“X. TO PAN * The FUMIGATION from VARIOUS ODORS I Call strong Pan, the substance of the whole, Etherial, marine, earthly, general soul, Immortal fire; for all the world is thine, And all are parts of thee, O pow'r divine. p. 131 Come, bles…”
Both passages explore the concept of a divine, unifying principle that governs the universe. They discuss the interconnectedness of all things and the eternal, immutable nature of this principle, albeit within different theological frameworks.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn XXXIV
“XXXIV. T O L A T O N A. The FUMIGATION from MYRRH. DARK veil'd Latona, much invoked queen, Twin-bearing Goddess, of a noble mien; Cæantis great, a mighty mind is thine, Offspring prolific, blest of Jove divine: Phœbus proceeds from thee, th…”
Both passages explore the concept of a divine, intelligible world that is the archetype of the sensible world. They discuss the unity and perfection of this higher realm, where all things are interconnected and divine, reflecting similar mystical and metaphysical insights.
◆hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 1: Poimandres|Section 1b
“But when He raised His head, I see in Mind the Light, [but] now in Powers no man could number, and Cosmos grown beyond all bounds, and that the Fire was compassed round about by a most mighty Power, and [now] subdued had come unto a stand.…”
Both passages 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.
◆jewish_mysticism|The Book of Concealed Mystery (Siphra Dtzenioutha)|1b
“If the reader turn to the introduction, to the Table showing the Sephiroth arranged in three pillars, he will see that Malkuth is, as it were, the antithesis of Kether; and hence it is said that "Malkuth is Kether after another manner." And…”
Both passages discuss a hierarchical structure of reality, with Passage A describing Plato's Triplicity and the order of generation from the Good, Intellectual-Principle, and Soul, while Passage B outlines the Sephiroth in Kabbalah and their relationships. Both texts explore the concept of divine emanation and the structure of the divine realm.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter I (part 4)
“New forms of knowledge. The ideas of Plotinus. Different forms of consciousness. Sleep (the potential state of consciousness). Dreams (consciousness en-closed in itself, reflected from itself). Waking consciousness (dualistic sensation…”
Both passages explore the concept of higher states of consciousness and the nature of reality beyond the physical world. They discuss the idea of an intellectual or noumenal realm that transcends ordinary perception, with references to mystical experiences and the unity of all existence.
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◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Page 4 (part 4)
“These people of the fourth dimension are in the world but not of it: their range is far wider than this slum of space. In them dormant faculties are alert. Like birds of the air, their fitting symbol, they are at home in realms which othe…”
Both passages describe a higher realm of existence and consciousness that transcends the physical world. Ouspensky's 'fourth dimension' and Plotinus' 'Intellectual-Principle' both refer to a state of being that is beyond ordinary human experience, involving a more profound understanding of reality.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter II (part 3)
“The thought of past ages has used the conception of a three-dimensional space, and by that means has classified many phenomena and has obtained rules for dealing with matters of great practical utility. The path which opens immediately bef…”
Both passages emphasize the need to transcend personal or subjective elements to gain a deeper understanding of reality. Passage A discusses the importance of removing self-elements to comprehend the true nature of phenomena, while Passage B describes the ascent to an archetypal world of pure being and intellect, free from the limitations of the physical world.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter IX (part 8)
“Thus in all its relations to the world the animal is quite analogous to the imagined, unreal two-dimensional being living upon a plane. All our world appears to the animal as the plane through which phenomena are passing, moving upon time,…”
Both passages explore the nature of perception and reality, suggesting that our understanding of the world is limited by our cognitive apparatus. Passage A discusses the idea that the three-dimensionality of the world is a property of our consciousness, while Passage B describes the Intellectual-Principle as a higher realm of reality that transcends the physical world.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVI (part 10)
“By trying to think out of the usual categories, by trying to look at things and at ourselves from a new angle and simultaneously from many sides, by trying to liberate our thinking from its accustomed categories of perception in space and t…”
Both passages explore the idea of a deeper, more interconnected reality beyond ordinary perception. They discuss the existence of a higher plane of existence or consciousness, where the usual categories of space and time do not apply, and where the interconnectedness of all things becomes apparent.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XVII (part 10)
“By ourselves we are simply out of relation with each other, for we are both of us there, and different from each other, which is a positive relation. What we are without knowing, it knows that we are. It is as if the total universe of inn…”
Both passages discuss the interconnectedness of all things and the idea of a higher, unifying intelligence or consciousness that encompasses individual perceptions and experiences. Passage A from Ouspensky's Tertium Organum and Passage B from Plotinus' Select Works both explore the concept of a broader, more encompassing reality that integrates individual entities and their experiences into a greater whole.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXI (part 7)
“_______ Where are our "idols?" From what shall we liberate ourselves in order to pass to an understanding of the multi-dimensional world? First of all we must get rid of our assurance that we see and sense that which exists in reality, and…”
Both passages explore the limitations of human perception and logic in understanding reality. Passage A discusses the need to move beyond dualistic logic to comprehend a multi-dimensional world, while Passage B describes the Intellectual-Principle and the unity of all things in the archetypal world, emphasizing the limitations of the Soul's understanding compared to the Intellectual-Principle.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 7)
“Now we have established that illogicality (from our standpoint) is the necessary condition of the knowledge of truth or of the real world. This does not mean that everything that is illogical is true and real, but it means absolutely, that…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a higher, super-logical reality where traditional logic does not apply. They explore the idea of an intellectual or divine realm that transcends the phenomenal world, emphasizing the unity and interconnectedness of all things within this realm.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 20)
“I feel as if it must mean something, something like what the Hegelian philosophy means, if one could only lay hold of it more clearly. Those who have ears to hear let them hear; to me the loving sense of its reality only comes in the artif…”
Both passages explore the concept of a unified, monistic reality where the many are absorbed into the One. They discuss the mystical experience of this unity and its implications for understanding existence, though they come from different philosophical and mystical traditions.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXIII (part 9)
“Further, it should be noted, as the possession of concepts implies the possession of language, so the possession of concepts and language (which are in reality two aspects of the same thing) implies the possession of self-consciousness. Al…”
Both passages discuss the evolution of consciousness and the existence of a higher, more encompassing state of awareness. Passage A describes the transition from conceptual to supra-conceptual intellect, leading to cosmic consciousness, while Passage B discusses the Intellectual-Principle and the archetypal world, which is a higher, immortal sphere of divine mind and being.
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“The mind becomes overcrowded (as it were) with concepts and these are constantly becoming larger, more numerous and more and more complex; some day (the conditions being all favorable) the fusion, or what might be called the chemical union,…”
Both passages describe a higher state of consciousness or awareness that transcends ordinary intellectual understanding. Passage A discusses 'cosmic consciousness' as a fusion of concepts, percepts, and moral elements, while Passage B describes the 'Intellectual-Principle' as a higher realm of pure being and eternal actuality. Both texts emphasize the transformation of the mind or consciousness to a higher level of understanding and being.