Philosophy As a Rite of Rebirth
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PHILOSOPHY AS A RITE OF REBIRTH FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TO NEOPLATONISM Algis Uždavinys The Prometheus Trust The Prometheus Trust 28 Petticoat Lane Dilton Marsh, Westbury Wiltshire, BA13 4DG, UK A registered charity, number 299648 PHILOSOPHY AS A RITE OF REBIRTH FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TO NEOPLATONISM Algis Uždavinys Published 2008 ISBN 978 1 898910 35 0 Algis Uždavinys asserts the moral right to be indentified as the author of this work Cover illustrations copyright Jenny Carrington British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Printed in Great Britain by the MPG Books Group, Bodmin and Kings Lynn. The author and Prometheus Trust gratefully acknowledge the support of the Matheson Trust in the production of this work. THE MATHESON TRUST Promoting the Study of Comparative Religion The Matheson Trust promotes the study of comparative religion by supporting the publication and dissemination of scholarly works which elucidate the philosophical, metaphysical, cosmological and aesthetic dimensions of the great religious traditions of the world. The cover design includes Jenny Carrington‟s „Golden Horus‟ with the kind permission of the artist. www.geocities.com/jennycarrington/ArtWorks PHILOSOPHY AS A RITE OF REBIRTH Table of Contents PREFACE ....................................................................................................... i INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ iii I - UNDERSTANDING ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY 1. Philosophy and the Eternal Wonder ................................................................ 1 2. Learning to Live and Learning to Die .............................................................. 4 3. Ancient Practices of Wisdom ............................................................................ 7 4. The True Ancient Philosophy and the Way of Pious Living ....................... 11 5. Understanding of Ancient Philosophy by Porphyry and Augustine .......... 15 6. From the Egyptian Soil to Hellas ...................................................................... 18 7. Translatability of Divine Names in Ancient Civilizations ............................ 23 8. Heracles and Philosophical Ascent ................................................................... 26 9. From Akhenaten to Thales ................................................................................ 30 10. Thales and the Egyptian Myths ......................................................................... 36 11. Water as Metaphysical Principle and Divine Substance ................................ 41 12. Metaphysical Meaning of Ancient Mythologies ............................................. 45 13. Pythagorean Numbers and their Paradigms .................................................... 49 14. Standing on the Solar Barque............................................................................. 53 15. Celestial Nile as the Cause of Geometry.......................................................... 58 16. The Apollonian Road to Rebirth....................................................................... 61 17. Philosophy as Divine Mystagogy and Beneficial Madness ........................... 66 18. Philosophy and the Power of Faith: Towards the Final Union ................... 74 II - ETERNAL MEASURES AND SYMBOLS OF EGYPTIAN SAGES 1. On the Back of the Heavenly Cow ................................................................... 85 2. Proteus and the Egyptian Wisdom ................................................................... 88 3. Allegorical Myths and Philosophy in the Temples ........................................ 90 4. Porphyry De abstinentia IV.6-9 ............................................................................ 93 5. Sacred Animals, Philosophers, and Cosmic Numbers .................................. 95 6. Hieratic Powers and Symbols of the Ineffable Father .................................. 98 7. Philosophical Life of the Egyptian Priests ...................................................... 102 8. Proximity of the Gods and the Bau of Amun ................................................. 105 9. Perfumes, Images, and Contemplations .......................................................... 108 10. Divine Knowledge and Paradigms for Philosophical Mysteries .................. 112 11. Priests and Spiritual Guides ............................................................................... 116 12. Egyptian Scribes and the Way of Imhotep ...................................................... 118 13. Amenhotep and Theology of Amun ................................................................ 121 III - IN THE REALM OF DIVINE SEMIOTICS 1. The Ramesside Icon and Three Hypostases of Plotinus .............................. 127 2. Back to One‟s Native Star .................................................................................. 130 3. Archetypal Foundation of Hieroglyphic Signs and Colours ........................ 132 4. Divine Ideas and Symbols .................................................................................. 134 5. Symbolic Interpretation of Hieroglyphic Script ............................................. 137 6. Return to the Golden Age and Paradigms to be Imitated ............................ 139 7. Hieratic Myths and Symbols .............................................................................. 142 8. All Things and All Hieroglyphs ......................................................................... 144 9. Ancient Theories of Ideas .................................................................................. 146 10. Proclus‟ Conception of Divine Forms and Unities ....................................... 148 IV - BEING IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN AND NEOPLATONIC THOUGHT 1. From Eidology to Metaphysics of Being and Beyond-Being ....................... 153 2. Hierarchy of Priority and Posteriority .............................................................. 154 3. Indivisible and Divisible Being .......................................................................... 155 4. The One as Foundation of Being ..................................................................... 157 5. Incomprehensible Divine Unities ..................................................................... 159 6. Images of Divine Light ....................................................................................... 162 7. The One and Many according to Egyptians ................................................... 163 8. Levels of Being and Non-being......................................................................... 166 9. The Lord of Totality and His Magic................................................................. 168 10. Cosmogonical and Ontological Principles....................................................... 170 11. Invisible God and His Theophanies ................................................................. 174 V - RITUALS OF DEIFICATION AND THEURGIC ASCENT 1. Depreciation of Hieratic Rites ........................................................................... 179 2. Rituals and Sacred Masks ................................................................................... 180 3. Climbing to the Divine State ............................................................................. 183 4. Cosmos and the Sacred Harmony of Strings .................................................. 186 5. On the Wing of Thoth: the Theurgic Way of Ra ........................................... 188 6. Divine Triads in Egyptian and Neoplatonic Thought................................... 191 7. Theurgic Assimilation to the Gods ................................................................... 196 8. Deification through the Eye of Horus ............................................................. 198 9. Spiritual Teachers and Sacred Masters ............................................................. 200 10. Radiant Power of Names and Flight to the Throne ...................................... 202 11. Theurgic Union with the Divine Principle ...................................................... 204 12. Intellect of the Father and His Cosmic Drama .............................................. 206 13. Elevating Powers in the Pharaonic State-Body .............................................. 210 14. The Perfect Man who Slew the Lords .............................................................. 212 15. Theurgic Rites and Sacramental Theologies .................................................... 214 VI - ANIMATION OF STATUES IN ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AND NEOPLATONISM 1. Sacred Images and Idols ..................................................................................... 219 2. Vehicles of Divine Forces .................................................................................. 222 3. The Living Images of Everlasting Gods .......................................................... 223 4. Animation as Ritual of Union with the Descending Rays of Ra ................. 225 5. Opening of the Mouth and Awakening to Light ........................................... 227 6. The Sacramental Birth of Statues in Mesopotamia and Egypt .................... 228 7. The Way of the Golden Falcon ......................................................................... 230 8. When the Womb-like Tomb is Opened .......................................................... 231 9. Divine Beauty and the Inner Golden Statue: From Egyptian