Kenosis to Gnosis
Hear the silence
The books from the Gnostic gospels, which are also called the Nag Hammadi Library after the place where they were found, can be found at this website, http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhlalpha.html. I have taken numerous passages from these books and explained the concepts in them because they can be quite hard for the average person to understand, especially if they have had a materialistic or religious upbringing, which has been deficient of spirituality and ancient teachings that have been long forgotten. I have the book, The Nag Hammadi Library, ISBN 0-06-066935-7, that I used to read the books by the Gnostics and all passages here are from that book. I have also included my favorite books from the Nag Hammadi Library in the sub pages that you can look at.
A prophecy in The Gospel of The Egyptians.
(10) The great Seth wrote this book with letters in one hundred and thirty years. He placed it in the mountain that is called Charaxio, in order that, at the end of the times and the eras, by the will of the divine Autogenes and the whole pleroma, through the gift of the untracable, unthinkable, fatherly love, it may come forth and reveal this incorruptible, holy race of the great savior, and those who dwell with them in love, and the great, invisible, eternal Spirit, and his only begotten Son, and the eternal light, 69 and his great, incorruptilbe consort, and the incorruptible Sophia, and the Barbelon, and the whole pleroma in eternity. Amen.
This prophecy appears to have come true because the Gnostic gospels were found hidden in jars in a cave in Nag Hammadi and these writings were discovered towards "the end of the times and the eras". My interpretation of what "the end of the times and the eras" is that it refers to the end of all the different ages and cycles, which will happen very soon. This could be called timewave zero. These ancient teachings and their revelations will come out right at the end of time.
The Gospel of Thomas.
(2) Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the all"
This passage means that when someone finds or learns new information, it goes against the person's programming or map of reality that they have. The old map of reality breaks down and this makes the person troubled, but then a new map of reality emerges, which is supperior to the old one, and the person is able to see reality in a much better way than before. This is an experience that many seekers have gone through in order to evolve into a higher state of mind.
(4) Jesus said, "The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a small child seven days old about the place of life, and he will live. For many who are first will become last, and they will become one and the same."
Be aware that when Jesus saids that "many who are first will become last", he doesn't mean that the people who are considered first in society will become poor, powerless and destitute, because Jesus specificly saids that the first and last are one and the same. Jesus is referring to polarisation and cycles, which are a by product of polarisation. A child is in a less polarised state than an adult is and that is why Jesus gives children more praise than anyone else. Because children are in a less polarised state, they remember the place of life more than anyone else. Polarisation is what causes someone to forget what the place of life is and become more and more worldly and they become more and more polarised with age. There will come a time when polarisation and it's by product, time, will become a singularity.
(11) Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. In the days when you consume what is dead, you made it what is alive. When you come to dwell in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?"
The last statement is very interesting, "On the day when you were one you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?". This is a cryptic statement and most people won't understand it's meaning. This statement means that everyone started out being in a unified state, usually before they were born and during childhood, but not always. When someone is in a unified state, they live in the real world. They have a much broader state of consciousness and they have knowledge of who they are. When someone goes into a polarised state, remember, "when you become two, what will you do?", that person forgets who they are and they live in an illusion, which is not the real world or who they are. When a person goes into a polarised state, they live with the consequences of polarisation such as tensions between the polar opposites, which lead to anger, hatred, fear, anxiety etc and everything that comes out of those negative emotions. Polarisation is the foundation of all negative emotions.
(18) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be." Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience death."
This statement is about polarisation and time or cycles, which is a by product of polarisation. The disciples who asked Jesus that question thought in a polarised way, where they think there is a beginning and an end, like most people that live in the Matrix do. The key sentence here is, "Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience death.". If someone transcends polarisation, cycles or time become insignificant to them, because cycles or time are a by product of polarisation, and since that person is no longer in a polarised state, cycles or time go into a singularity and that person goes into a reality beyond cycles or time, not that cycles or time were an illusion to begin with. Someone who has transcended polarisation will not suffer the consequences of polarisation, such as pain, suffering, anger, hatred, fear etc, which are the cause of the individuals, and the worlds problems. Someone who has transcended polarisation has much better physical and mental health compared to other people. The Bible reports in the Book of Genesis that people lived to nearly 1000 years. This was because people were in a less polarised state than they are now.
(22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom." They said to him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?" Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you makethe male and the female one and the same, so that the male not nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kngdom."
It is interesting that the first part is about children having the best chance of experiencing heaven or the spirit world and the second part goes into obvious references to the subject of polarisation. Children are in a less polarised state than adults are and that is why Jesus gives them the most praise. Someone that becomes less polarised becomes more childlike and they start remembering who they originally were.
(37) His disciples said, "When will you become revealed to us and when shall we see you?" Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and pace them under your feet like little children and tread of them, then will you see the son of the living one, and you will not be afraid."
Jesus may have been referring to the fact that Adam and Eve did not wear any clothes before the Fall into a state of polarisation. The first thing thing that Adam and Eve did after they ate the fruit from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil or polarisation, was to sew fig leaves together and make lioncloths for themselves. Jesus links what happened in the Garden of Eden and the Fall into polarisation with children, who are in a less polarised state. Jesus is saying that people need to become less polarised like children to return to the origional state that humans were in before the Fall.
(39) Jesus said, "The pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge, gnosis, and hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves."
The pharisees have alot in common with many other religions that put themselves between people and God or people and themselves. It's not just the pharisees that do the things that Jesus condemned, many other religions have immitated the pharisees as well. The main theme of the Gospel of Thomas and the Gnostics as well as many other mystical groups isn't so much about knowledge or gnosis, but about polarisation and how to transcend it, which leads to knowledge or gnosis of the true self. Religions like the pharisees are very deficient because of all the programming they give, which seperates people from their true selves. Religons program people that God is outside of themselves, then they take the place of God. The critisisms that Jesus gave to the religious leaders in his day, in Mathew 23: 1-36, can be applied to many other religions as well.
(42) Jesus said, "Become passers-by."
The meaning of this statement is that people are only here for a short time and they shouldn't become attached to their temporary home and possessions, because these are just illusions anyway. Be in the world, but not of it. Better still, be in the Matrix, but not of it.
(46) Jesus said, "Among those born of women, from Adam until John the Baptist, there is no one so superior to John the Baptist that his eyes should not be lowered before him. Yet I have said, whichever one of you comes to be a child will be acquainted with the kingdom and will become rior to John.
This statement makes it very clear that Jesus considers children to be superior to anyone else, even John the Baptist, who was his right hand man, and that people need to go into a child like state in order to experience the kingdom of Heaven or the real world or themselves. Children are in a less polarised state than adults are and they are less programmed with a fake view of who they are compared to adults. Children are more in touch with their true selves and they havn't devoloped a phoney, artificial self that society, religion, government etc, create for the individual over time. The illusions that create the phoney, artificial self are based on polarisation. Polarisation is the foundation of the phoney, Matrix world.
(48) Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in this one house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move away,' and it will move away."
This is similar to two statements that Jesus made in the Bible.
The first is in Matthew 17:19-20 "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' He said to them, 'Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
The second is in Luke 17:5-6 "The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' The Lord replied. 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.'"
The difference between the Bible and the Gnostic gospels is that in the Bible Jesus saids that if you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you can do extroardinary things, but Jesus saids in the Gnostic gospel that "If two, polar opposites, it doesn't say people here, make peace with each other in this one house, notice it saids one or the polar opposites unified and house may refer to the mind, they will say to the mountain, 'Move away,' and it will move away."
(106) Jesus said, "When you make the two one, you will become the sons of man, and when you say, 'Mountain, move away,' it will move away." This statement makes it clear that it's about polarisation. If you reconcile the polar opposites, you can do extroardinary things. There is a link between faith and unifying the polar opposites.
(51) His disciples said to him, "When will the repose of the dead come about, and when will the new world come?" He said to them, "What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it."
The disciples think in a polarised way, where they believe that there is a beginning and an end. The religions in the Middle East and the West don't see time in a cyclical way like they do in the East and the Americas. Cycles or time is just an illusion caused by polarisation. Jesus called himself the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega in the Bible, because he exists in a non polarised reality, beyond cycles or time. This is reinforced by the statement that Jesus made in John 8: 58, "I tell you in solemn truth," returned Jesus, "before there was an Abraham, I AM!". For someone that doesn't exist in a polarised way, there is no illusion of cycles or time, no past, present or future, because there is no illusion of polarisation that creates it. Jesus also made it clear that he, God and the Kingdom of Heaven exist in all individuals right now, John 14: 20. The illusion of polarisation causes people to forget that. Jesus saids that the new world, the higher reality, paradise etc, are right here, right now, and it has always been here.
This is a similar statement from Jesus (113) Hs disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" Jesus said, " It will not comeyaiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying 'here it is or 'there it is'. Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it."
It never disappeared after the Fall or the end of the fabled Atlantis. It's just that people's polarised state of mind creates a lower reality. The outside reality is created by the inside reality in the mind, ie, as above so below.
(56) Jesus said, "Whoever has come to understand the world has found only a corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world."
When someone wakes up from the world they realise that their reality or world is artificial and it is not who they are. The polarised reality or illusion is death and fake as well. Whoever transcends polarisation lives in the real world and is superior to the illusion. This quote from Alchemy Unveiled by Johannes Helmont is a great thing to add, "Even today, Plato's words are fully valid, when he said that those who sink in the mire, entered into the underworld uninitiated and unchastened, and only those who went through a mystical life, will enter into eternity."
(61) Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and the other will live." Salome said, "Who are you, man, that you have come up on my couch and eaten from my table?" Jesus said to her, "I am he who exists from the undivided. I was given some of the things of my father." "I am your disciple." "Therefore I say, if he is destroyed he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness."
Jesus makes it quite clear who he is in this statement, "I am he who exists from the undivided." This statement explains why Jesus was such a great man, who possessed so much wisdom or awareness and who was able to perform miraculous things. Jesus existed in a non polarised state, where he is superior to the artificial reality and who is outside of time. Jesus then makes a cryptic statement, "Therefore I say, if he is destroyed he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness." He may have been referring to someone been killed or he may have been referring to someone destroying their artificial selves or illusions, but judging by the second part, it's probably the latter. The second part of this statement is clear, if someone is divided or in a polarised state, he will be filled with darkness and will live with the consequences of being in a polarised state. The illusion of polarisation is the foundation of hatred, anger, fear etc, and everything that comes out of those negative states of mind, such as pain, suffering, wars, ill health etc.
(67) Jesus said, "If one who knows the all still feels a personal deficiency, he is completely deficient."
Jesus is talking about people who are considered intelligent in society, ie those who operate mostly from the polarised left brain way of thinking and who are good at repeating information that they have been given. Such people lack creativity and innovation and aren't much use to society. These people are wise fools. They know alot about one thing or another, but they don't know themselves.
(68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Where you have been persecuted they will find no place." (69) Jesus said, "Blessed are they who have been persecuted within themselves. It is they who have truly come to know the father.
The first part is from Mathew 5: 11, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." The first part deals with trials and tribulations that a person will experience outside of themselves. The second part is more interesting, because it deals with trials and tribulations inside a person. The outside reality or world that a person is trying to reform and change starts in the inner reality of the mind. But the inner reality of the mind has been polarised, programmed and shaped since a person was young, so to create change in the outside reality, they need to confront what is in their inner reality first. This can be harder than dealing with the problems that come from the outside reality. If someone transcends polarisation and undoes the programming and illusions they have, they will come into contact with themselves, God and everything else in the universe. When someone attacks or persecutes someone else for having a different belief or outlook, it is because that person doesn't want to change or adjust their map of reality that they have been given since they were young. It isn't so much because that person is ignorant and full of hate. The programming and illusions that person has is designed to protect itself and keep that person in that box that they have been programmed into all their lives. This statement is similar to the one at (2) Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the all."
(70) Jesus said, "That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you."
The true self, God, the Kingdom of Heaven, the universe etc, is within you, but it is buried underneath the programming and illusions, which make up the individuals artificial self. If someone removes these programs and illusions, they can bring forth their true selves and make them manifest. If someone doesn't bring their true selves out, they will not live a productive life and will eventually die.
(87) Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependent upon a body, and wreched is the sould that is dependent on these two."
The first part of this statement is talking about how an individual that has been programmed all their lives, will be dependant on their particular division, whether it's religious, national, ideological etc. Dependancy is one of the biggest control methods the elites use. The body suffers when it is in a polarised state and it will eventually die. The second part of this statement is talking about how the soul or the true self is buried away and suffers because it is dependant on the body, which it inhabits and the system of control or person it lives under.
(112) Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh."
This statement has an obvious meaning. The word flesh in the context of religion and mystical societies in general means someone who lives in a lower state of consciousness and who lives according to the will of the flesh or survivalist instincts. If someone has accessed their true selves and has developed a higher state of consciousness, the flesh or the survivalist instincts will not dominate the individuals thought and actions. Survivalist instincts and the Reptilian or primitive brain aren't bad things, because they help an individual survive and procreate, so the species can live on. The problem is when an individual mostly lives by their survival instincts and operates mostly from their Reptilian or primitive brain.
The Apocryphon of James.
(25) Woe to those who have found relief from their illness, for they will relapse into illness. Blessed are they who have not been ill, and have known relief before falling ill; yours is the kingdom of God.
Being in a polarised state and operating from the Reptilian or primitive brain, is a form of illness in itself. Infact it is the foundation of all negative emotions, problems and the illnesses, which emerge from them. Tension between the polar opposites is the foundation of all negative emotions, such as hate, anger, fear etc, and this state has a negative impact on the body over time, because the inner reality affects the outer reality. If someone transcends polarisation, they will experience calm and a lack of tension between the polar opposites that have caused them so many problems in their life. They will find relief from that condition and will be in a much higher state of mind, and their bodies will be much healthier as well. Transcending polarisation automatically opens up the Chakras or energy centers in the body, and this allows a greater flow of energy throughout the body. Blocked Chakras or energy centers, with the resulting lack of energy flow is a major cause of illness and negative conditions that can afflict someone. Someone who recovers from an illness, while still being in a polarised state, will inevitably recede back into illness again sooner or later and this will cause them to die in the end.
The Gospel of Truth.
(17: 10) ignorance of the Father brought about anguish and terror; and the anguish grew solid like a fog, so that no one was able to see. For this reason error became powerful; it worked on its own matter foolishing with power and beauty the subtitute for the truth.
Ignorance of God, the true self, the universe, which are inside the individual, make an individual believe in a illusion or in a phoney perception of themselves and this error is powerful in most people. This ignorance brings about negative emotions and people have a phoney perception of who they are, which is a substitute of their true selves.
(19) He retains within himself their perfection, granting it to them as a return to him and a perfectly unitary knowledge. It is he who fashioned the totality, and within him is the totality and the totality was in need of him.
This passage links knowledge with unity. When the Gnostics talk about knowledge, they don't mean left brain, intellectual knowledge, they mean knowledge of God, the true self and the universe. They state that this knowledge is obtained through unifying the polar opposites.
(19: 15) In schools he appeared and he spoke the word as a teacher. There came the men wise in their own estimatimation, putting him to the test. But he confounded them because they were foolish. They hated him because they were not really wise. After all these, there came the little children also, those to whom the knowledge of the Father belongs. Having been strengthened, they learned about the impressions of the Father. They knew, they were known; they were glorified.
The first part is about how the intellectuals and the religious leaders couldn't understand what Jesus was saying, because they operate in an unbalanced left brain way of thinking. The second part saids that children are better able to comprehend the teachings of Jesus because they are in a less polarised state of mind than the intellectuals and the religious leaders, ie, the wise fools. Children are less programmed and the illusion of polarisation isn't so strong in them. There is a message here to become like children, as it is said in other parts of the Gnostic gospels and the Bible, in order to understand God, their true selves and the universe or the totality.
(24: 25) For the place where there is envy and strife is deficient, but the place where there is Unity is perfect. Since the deficiency came into being becaause the Father was not known, therefore, when the Father is known, from that moment on the deficiency will no longer exist. As in the case of the ignorance of a person, when he come to have knowledge, his ignorance vanishes of itelf, as the darkness vanishes when light appears, so also the deficiency vanishes in the perfection. So from that moment on the form is not apparent, but it will vanish in the fusion of Unity, for now their works lie scattered. In time Unity will perfect the spaces.It is within Unity that each one will attain himself; within knowledge he will purify himself from multiplicity into Unity, consuming matter within himself like fire and darkness by light, death by life.
Most religions say that the world and the flesh is bad or evil, but mystical socities, on the other hand, say that the world and the flesh is deficient. Mystical societies say that the higher reality is about unity more than anything else. The Gnostics are saying here that the deficiency is caused by polarisation, which creates a deficient state of being and this causes people to be ignorant of God, their true selves and the universe. The sentance, which saids, "it will vanish in the fusion of Unity", "It is within Unity that each one will attain himself" and "within knowledge he will purify himself from multiplicity into Unity" are clearly saying that unifying or fusing the polar opposites is what leads an individual to discover God, their true self and the universe and to overcome the deficiency, which this passage describes.
(28: 25) When the light shine on the terror which that person had experienced, he knows that it is nothing. Thus they were ignorant of the Father he being the one whom they did not see. Since it was terror and disturbance and instability and doubt and division, there were many illusions at work by means of these, and there were empty fictions, as if they were sunk in sleep and found themselves in disturbing dreams. Either there is a place to which they are fleeing, or without strength they come from having chased after others, or thy are involved in striking blows, or they are receiving blows themselves, or they have fallen from high places, or they take off into the air though they do not even have wings. Again, sometimes it is as if people were murderding them, though there is no one even pursuing them, or they themselves are killing their neighbors, for they have been stained with their blood. When those who are going through all these things wake up, they see nothing, they who were in the midst of all these disturbances, for they are nothing. Such is the way of those who have cast ignorance aside from them like sleep, not esteeming it as anything, nor do they esteem its works as solid things either, but they leave them behind like a dream in the night. The knowledge of the Father they value as the dawn. This is the way each one has acted, as though asleep at the time when he was ignorant. And this is the way he has come to knowledge, as if he had awakened. And Good for the man who will return and awaken. And blessed is he who has opened the eyes of the blind.
This is the synopsis of the Matrix movie, which is a metaphor for how someone wakes up from their normal existance and realises that everything they thought was real turns out to be an illusion and there is a much broader reality beyond what they have been programmed with all their lives. The sentance which saids, "Since it was terror and disturbance and instability and doubt and division, there were many illusions at work by means of these, and there were empty fictions, as if they were sunk in sleep and found themselves in disturbing dreams.", saids that polarisation and the illusions that someone has, causes someone to believe that they are someone or something that they are not. When someone believes that they are their artificial self that has been programmed into them all their lives and forget about their true selves and the totality, they are asleep.
The sentence, which saids, "When those who are going through all these things wake up, they see nothing, they who were in the midst of all these disturbances, for they are nothing. Such is the way of those who have cast ignorance aside from them like sleep, not esteeming it as anything, nor do they esteem its works as solid things either, but they leave them behind like a dream in the night.", is saying that everything that someone has believed about themselves and their map of reality, which distorts their view of themselves and the world, is just as fake and as temporary as a dream.
The part of this passage, which saids, "And this is the way he has come to knowledge, as if he had awakened. And Good for the man who will return awaken.", is saying that gaining knowledge of the true self is waking up and returning to the real world, which is the totality, which is not based on polarisation, illusions and a phoney perception one self and the rest of the world.
The Treatise on the resurrection.
(47: 20) Nothing, then, redeems us from this world. But the All which we are, we are saved. We have received salvation from end to end. Let us think in this way! Let us comprehend in this way!
The Gnostic's version of salvation is different from Christainity or any other religion in that the Gnostics and other mystical societies know that the only way to save or redeem yourself is to be yourself. Religions believe that the way to salvation is outside of the individual, but the Gnostics and other mystical societies believe the opposite, which is to become the true self and transcend polarisation, which creates the illusions and programming that makes up an individuals artifical self. The Gnostics then tell the reader that they need to think in this way and to develop the mentality that salvation is about being the true self.
(48: 10) do not think the resurrection is an illusion. It is no illusion, but it is truth! Indeed, it is more fitting to say that the world is an illusion, rather than the resurrection which has come into being through our Lord the Savior, Jesus Christ.
This passage reinforces the last passage when it saids that resurrection or salvation involves becomming the true self. Resurrection is about resurrecting the true self, which has been buried under all the programming and illusions a person has received all their lives. The programming, illusions and the world someone has are not real.
The Apocryphon of John
(25: 30) And I said, "Lord, those, however, who have not known to whom they belong, where will their souls be?" And he said to me, "In those the despicable spirit has gained strength when they went astray. And he burdens the would and draws it tor the works of evil, and he casts it down into forgetfulness. And after it comes out of the body, it is handed over to the authorities, who came into being through the archon, and they bind it with chains and cast it into the prison and consort with it until it is liberated from the forgetfulness and acquires knowledge. And if thus it becomes perfect, it is saved."
This passage is saying that evil is about forgetting the true self and it is imprisoned within the artificial self that is made up of programming and illusions. The last statement, "it is liberated from the forgetfulness and acquires knowledge. And if thus it becomes perfect, it is saved.", reinforces the fact that salvation is about remembering the true self and it liberates the individual from the prison, which is the artificial self that an individual is programmed with all their lives.
(31) And I entered into the midst of their prison which is the prison of the body. And I said, 'He who hears, let him get up from the deep sleep.' And he wept and shed tears. Bitter tears he wiped from himself and he said, 'Who is it that calls my name, and from where has this hope come to me, while I am in the chains of the prison?' And I said, 'I am the Pronoia of the pure light; I am the thinking of the virginal Spirit, who raised you up to the honored place. Arise and remember that it is you who hearkened, and follow your root, which is I, the merciful one, and guard yourself against the angels of poverty and the demons of chaos and all those who ensnare you, and beware of the deep sleep and the enclosure of the inside of Hades.'
This is similar to the Matrix and the passage in the Gospel of Truth (28: 25), where it saids that the true self is in a deep sleep while it is in the body, which is buried under the illusions of polarisation and time and the programming that creates the person's artificial self over time. This passage tells you to "get up from the deep sleep" and to "beware of the deep sleep and the enclosure of the inside of Hades." The illusions, the programming and the forgetfulness that it causes, causes the individual to be imprisoned by the artifical self.
The Gospel of Philip.
(53: 10) Light and darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers of one another. They are inseparable. Because of this neither are the good good, nor the evil evil, nor is life life, nor death death. For this reason each one will dissolve into its earliest origin. But those who are exalted above the world are indissoluble, eternal.
The first part of this passage is clear. It is saying that polar opposites are illusions and they are part of the same thing. One cannot exist and has no meaning without the other. For example, right has no meaning without left, up makes no sense without down. In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve were told not to eat from The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. God didn't want Adam and Eve to know about Evil, but God didn't want Adam and Eve to know about good either, because good and evil are just illusions.
The second part of this passage is saying that all polar oppisites, which are just illusions anyway, will dissolve or unify together. Anything that is based on polarisation and the illusions and programming that it creates will dissolve or fall apart when the individual wakes up or becomes their true self again. Every ethnicity, religion, nation, ideology etc, will dissolve and fall apart because it is ultimately based on the illusion of polarisation. When the illusion of polarisation is dissolved, everything that is built on top of that dissolves and falls apart as well. In the past there were less divisions, but over time more and more divisions were created as people became more and more polarised and ignorant of their true selves. In the modern world there are so many divisons and tensions because the illusion of polarisation has become so strong. But at this point when the illusion of polarisation is at it's maximun strengh, it starts to crack and fall apart because it created too many problems for such a state to sustain itself indefiniatly. When this happens people will start getting back to their original state, which is their true selves that is connected to everyone and everything else in the universe.
This is from Alchemy Unveiled, by Johannes Helmont, that talks about the relationship between light and darkness in an Alchemical way, "Light and Darkness are the primordial principles of all things. All visible things of the three Kingdoms of Nature are created out of a fiery Darkness and a watery Light. The Prophet said: "Since eternity, Light and Darkness were in God, and both those things came out of God." -(Isaiah 45 - 7) Before Creation, the Darkness was not revealed, because of the magnificence and sovereignty of the Light; it was instead concealed in the Light of Wisdom and the Holy Trinity. The Light had to first give birth to the Darkness, so that the eternal Alchemy Unveiled Page 50 Wisdom could view itself therein, just like in a mirror, otherwise God could have only revealed Himself to Himself. The Light is the first Materia of all things, and all Corpora inclusive of the Body of Human Beings will only then be fully restored to their first dignity, when the Light will again shine out of them from within. "Trismegistus, in the countenance of Creation, first saw a lovely and joyful but intermingled Light. Following that, a dreadful, sorrowful Darkness appeared and moved downward; it descended from the Light like a cloud from the Sun. This Darkness was a certain thickened Water. After that, the Holy Word came forth out of the Light, moved upon the Water, and made all the things out of it." -(Thomas Vaughan, Aula Lucis) In Creation, the Darkness is separated from the Light, as Eve is from Adam. As the woman in the separation has retained much of the male Essence, that is why the Darkness in the separation has retained much of the Light-Essence, because they cannot be totally separated from each other. That is why the Darkness yearns for the Light as for its true life, because originally they were one and dwelled together in the greatest of harmony. Also the Light yearns for the Darkness, so that it may reveal and perceive itself therein. When now, these two extreme principles are being brought in this manner into harmony with each other in a middle, third principle, so that the materia of these becomes transparent and illuminated, that then is such a Being, that can temper all ailments and disagreeableness, may they be human bodies or all the other bodies, which are created out of Light and Darkness. It should be understood, that when we are speaking about these incomparable Beings, we are talking about the Lapis Philosophorum. Originally, the Darkness was not evil. It was good because the Light was in control of the Darkness, and it was therefore, only a gentle impetus and reason for the effect of the Light, so that God's works could be revealed through it. It seems, that the darkness became evil only in the lower creation, because those creatures who were created in a total equilibrium of Light and Darkness, aroused and multiplied the Principle of Darkness within themselves, and in this manner they let the Darkness gain dominion over their Light. Through this it began to suffer."
(56: 25) Some are afraid lest they rise naked. Because of this they wish to rise in the flesh, and they do not know that is is those who wear the flesh who are naked. "Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Co 15:50).
This passage is referring to the fact that Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden and it is similar to the passage in the Gospel of Thomas (37). The fact that this passages links unclothing with the flesh suggests that the flesh is the clothing that various parts of the Gnostic gospels and the Book of Genesis refers to. The nakedness is clearly referring to someone who doesn't wear or operate from their true self.
(62:15) When the pearl is cast down into the mud it becomes greatly despised, nor if it is anointed with balsam oil will it become more precious. But it always has value in the eyes of its owner. Compare the sons of God, wherever they may be. They still have value in the eyes of ther father.
The pearl is the soul and the mud is the body, the world and ignorance. Two bands called Moby and Nightwish have used this concept in their music.
(63: 10) An ass which turns a millstone did a hundred miles walking. When it was loosed it found that it was still at the same place. There are men who make many journeys, but make no progress towards any destination. When evening came upon them, the saw neither city nor village, neither human artifact nor natural phenomenon, power nor angel. In vain have the wretches labored.
As long as someone is in a polarised state and is operating in the illusions of polarisation and cycles or time, which is a by product of polarisation, that person will accomplish nothing in their lives, even though it may appear that they have done alot of work. A person that is in a polarised state and who operates under the illusions of polarisation, where they are separated from their true selves, and are trapped in the by product of polarisation, which is cycles or time, is like the ass that turns the millstone. It may appear that the ass has done alot of work and has travelled a great distance, but in reality it hasn't achieved anything and it hasn't gotten anywhere. There are many people, political and religious ones in particular, who do alot of good work for humanity, but they don't really accomplish anything. The problems, which they work hard to eliminate, are still there and they seem to be getting worse. That is because those people aren't getting to the root of the problem, which is the illusion of polarisation and everything that emerges out of it.
This passage in the Gospel of Philip is related to a passage in Mathew 20: 1-16, "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, 'You go into the vineyard, and I will pay whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when thy received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agrwith me for th usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Many people believe that this passage means that God will treat everyone equally or God gives unfair rewards to those who havn't worked as long as others. But the last part of this passage specifically saids, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
This last part brings the theme of polarisation into the passage and links it with the work that people do while they are in the world or the polarised reality. The people that worked first and got disgruntled when the landowner gave them the same wages, are like the ass turning the millstone in the Gospel of Philip. They may have worked very hard, but they didn't achieve that much, which is why the landowner or God gave them an equal reward as those that didn't do as much work. Someone who goes into a non polarised state and overcomes the illusions of polarisation, cycles or time, will achieve much more in a shorter amount of time, compared to someone who remains in a polarised state. This is because they get to the root of the problem, which is polarisation, rather than trying to deal with the effects and manifestations that emerge from a polarised state, which is what most people do. If one problem is dealt with, another problem will inevitably take it's place and that is why someone in a polarised state doesn't achieve that much and usually always ends up back at square one of the millstone bed pushing the heavy circle of time.
Basically get off the millstone that leads to nowhere, despite all the hard lifelong work, go into a state of rest described on this page and actually start accomplishing things and going places.
(64: 10) The Lord said, "Blessed is he who is before he came into being. For he who is, has been and shall be."
This passage simply means being the true self and not the phoney self in their bodies. This passages sums up what Gnostisism is about, knowledge of the true self. The last part of this passage, which saids, "For he who is, has been and shall be." is referring to the fact that someone who is in touch with their true self is not affected by the illusion of time. This is similar to how Jesus called himself the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
(66:5) And so he dwells either in this world or in the resurrection or in the middle place. God forbid that I be found there! In this world there is good and evil. Its good things are not good, and its evil things not evil. But there is evil after this world which is truly evil - what is called "the middle." It is death. While we are in this world it is fitting for us to acquire the resurrection, so that when we strip off the flesh we may be found in rest and not walk in the middle. For many go astray on the way. For it is good to come forth from the world before one has sinned.
I had trouble understanding what this passage meant and what "the middle" means until I came across this passage written by Plotinus, "But humanity, in reality, is poised midway between gods and beasts, and inclines now to the one order, now to the other; some men grow like to the divine, others to the brute, the greater number stand neutral. But those that are corrupted to the point of approximating to irrational animals and wild beasts pull the mid-folk about and inflict wrong upon them; the victims are no doubt better than the wrongdoers, but are at the mercy of their inferiors in the field in which they themselves are inferior, where, that is, they cannot be classed among the good since they have not trained themselves in self-defence." The ancients had the idea that Mankind was in the middle between the spirit and the animal and this is what they called the middle. The resurrection is the spirit, the world is the animal and the middle is Mankind or the flesh. The statement, "we may be found in rest and not walk in the middle.", means this, the rest is the spirit and they want you to be in it and not walking in the middle means not walking in the flesh.
(68: 20) When Eve was still in Adam death did not exist. When she was separated from him death came into being. If he enters again and attains his former self, death will be no more.
(70: 5) If the woman had not separated from the man, she should not die with the man. His separation became the beginning of death. Because of this Christ came to repari the separation which was from the beginning and again unite the two, and to give life to those who died as a result of the separation and unite them. But the woman is united to her husband in the bridal chamber. Indeed those who have united in the bridal chamber will no longer be separated. Thus Eve separated from Adam because it was not in the bridal chamber that she united with him.
(71: 15) Adam came into being from two virgins, from the spirit and from the virgin earth. Christ, therefore, was born from a virgin to rectify the fall which occurred in the beginning.
These three passages are clearly saying that the polarization of the sexes and all other forms of polarization, which emerged from it, is what causes death to occur. In passage (68: 20) it saids if someone joins their polar opposite, they will attain their former or true self, which is what they were before they entered their body or polarized reality. The second and their passages saids the same thing, except it reveals that the main purpose of Christ was to unite the two polar opposites. The last part of passage (70: 5) talks about the need to unify the male and female aspects within the individual and marriage is a materialistic unity because there is still separation.
(71: 20) There are two trees growing in Paradise. The one bears animals, the other bears men. Adam ate from the tree which bore animals. He became an animal and he brought forth animals.
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represents polarization and in a polarized state people are disconnected from their true selves and exist in a state of survival. They never live upto their true potentional. The curse that God gave Adam represents this state of survival quite well. People in a polarized state of mind operate from their reptilian or primitive brain, which does have a use in allowing people to survive but it doesn't allow them to progress. This is what is meant by man becomming an animal and this is why so many religions discourage people from being greedy, worring about their personal problems, being sexually immoral etc, because it does bring people into a lower state of consciousness, which is based on survival and it keeps them in a polarized state and doesn't allow them to evolve.
(72: 15) In this world the slaves serve the free. In the kingdom of heaven the free will minister to the slaves: the children of the bridal chamber will minister to the children of the marriage. The children of the bridal chamber have just one name: rest.
The free in this passage refer to those who are free from their illusions and negative emotions and tension, whereas the slaves are slaves of their mind, body, illusions, negative emotions and the powers that want to keep them in a lower state of consciousness, ie, the Illuminati. The free are called children of the bridal chamber and the slaves are called children of the marriage. What is the difference between these two? The children of the bridal chamber are in a unified state and are not polarized with all the problems, which emerge out of it. The children of the marriage refers to the polarization of Man in the Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man, which it caused. This passage is saying that anyone who is in a polarized state is a slave. The last part of this passage, which saids, "The children of the bridal chamber have just one name: rest.", refers to the fact that since someone in a unified state doesn't experience tension, negative emotions and does not live under the illusion of cycles or time, they are in a state of rest. Rest is used numerous times throughtout the Gnostic gospels to describe someone who is in a more unified or spiritual state.
(81: 10) To the slaves he will give only the elementary lessons, to the children he will give the complete instruction.
By slaves he means those who are slaves to their flesh and the physical world. The slave is someone who is deep within the illusions and programming of the world. They can only be given the very basics, because either they will not understand the full teaching or they will reject it because of their programming. In the second part, he mentions that children will be given the full teachings that can't be given to the slaves. Someone who is in a more unified, spiritual state of mind and who is in touch with their true selves will be much more receptive to the more advanced spiritual teachings than people who aren't. Jesus favoured children more than anyone else for reasons already stated here and Jesus even called his disciples children, even though they were fully grown men, which implies that the word children is not literal but describes a state of mind that isn't based on the illusions, programming and ignorance of this world. In Mark 10: 24, the Bible saids, "The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples of Jesus were children who received the complete instruction.
(82: 30) [Most things] in the world, as long as their [inner parts] are hidden, stand upright and live. [If they are revealed] they die, as is illustrated by the visible man: [as long as] the intestines of the man are hidden, the man is alive; when his intestines are exposed and come out of him, the man will die. So also with the tree: while its root is hidden it sprouts and grows. If its root is exposed, the tree dries up. So it is with every birth that is in the world, not only with the revealed but with the hidden. For so long as the root of wickedness is hidden, it is strong. But when it is recognized it is dissolved. When it is revealed it perishes. That is why the word says, "Already the ax is laid at the root of the tree" (Mt 3:10). It will not merely cut - what is cut sprouts again - but the ax penetrates deeply until it brings up the root. Jesus pulled out the root of the whole place, while others did it only partially. As for ourselves, let each one of us dig down after the root of evil which is within one, and let one pluck it out of one's heart from the root. It will be plucked out if we recognize it. But if we are ignorant of it, it takes root in us and produces its fruit in our heart. It masters us. We are its slaves. It takes us captive, to make us do what we do [not] want; and what we do want we do [not] do. It is powerful because we have not recognized it. While [it exists] it is active. Ignorance is the mother of [all evil]. Ignorance will result in [death, because] those that come from [ignorance] neither were nor [are] nore shall be. [...] will be perfect when all the truth is revealed. For truth is like ignorance: while it is hidden it rests in itself, but when it is revealed and is recognized, it is praised inasmuch as it is stronger than ignorance and error. It gives freedom. The word said, "If you (pl.) know the truth, the truth will make you free" (Jn 8:32). Ignorance is a slave. Knowledge is freedom. If we know the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth within us. If we are joined to it, it will bring our fulfillment.
This is saying that the fight is between knowledge and ignorance, not so much between good and evil as it is in religion. This passage is saying that we have so many problems in our lives because we don't get to the root of it and pull it out from ourselves, but we leave it in there because we are ignorant of it and we even think that it is who we are. The main part of this passage is, "Ignorance is a slave. Knowledge is freedom." If you are ignorant of your true self then you are a slave, but if you have knowledge of your true self then you are free. This is true slavery and freedom, this is the root of all slavery and this is where true freedom must begin. This is the meaning of the famous passage in John 8:32, which saids the truth will set you free.
The Hypostasis of the Archons
(89) The rulers took counsel with one another and said, "Come, let us cause a deep sleep to fall upon Adam." And he slept. - Now the deep sleep that they "caused to fall upon him, and he slept" is Ignorance. - They opened his side like a living woman. And they built up his side with some flesh in place of her, and Adam came to be endowed only with soul.
This is a twist to the Garden of Eden story in Genesis. As shown in the article called A real creation theory, http://www.ageofaquarius.cc/a-real-creation-theory.php, the story about Adam and Eve may be a metaphor describing the soul entering the body and going into a polarized state and becomming ignorant of it's original self. The Gnostics identify the sleep as being ignorance in this passage. Sleep is linked with Eve being created from Adam and the state of polarization that came after it.
(91: 5) Moreover they threw mankind into great distraction and into a life of toil, so that their mankind might be occupied by worldly affairs, and might not have the opportunity of being devoted to the holy spirit.
This describes the condition that many people are in quite well. The elites like to use distraction to keep people's attention away from important issues, these distractions can include entertainment, media and work. The elites also get people to work as much as possible so people don't have the time to put their consciousness on the spirit.
The Exegesis on the Soul
(127: 20) As long as she was alone with the father, she was virgin and in form androgynous. But when she fell down into a body and came to this life, then she fell into the hand of many robbers. And the wanton creatures passed her from one to another and [...] her. Some made se of her [by force], while others did so by seducing he with a gift. In short, they defiled her, and she [... her] virginity.
This book is comparing the soul to a virgin woman who leaves the father or God and goes down into the world where it falls into those that use it as a slave. The robbers and creatures can represent people or systems that treat people who are ignorant of themselves as slaves who serve those people or systems. These robbers and creatures can be governments, religions, cults or anyone else who exploits people for their own ends. Religions, cults, false prophets and scammers seduce people, while governments use force to exploit people. Also people can be trapped by things like addiction, materialism, greed etc.
(128) And in her body she prostituted herself and gave herself to one and all, considering each one she was about to embrace to be her husband. When she had given heself to wanton, unfaithful adulterers, so that they might make use of her, then she siged deeply and repented. But even when she turns he face from those adulterers, she runs to others and they compel her to live with them and render service to them upon their bed, as if they were her masters. Out of shame she no longer dares to leave them, whereas they deceive her for a long time, pretending to be faithful, true husbands, as if they greatly respected her. And after all this thy abandon her and go.
In the Bible Jesus compares himself to a husband and his followers are the bride. The husband is the leader in a relationship and the wife is the follower. This Gnostic book is saying that if you follow and serve anyone other than God and not trust in the true self than you are going to be screwed no matter who or what you turn to. This Gnostic book is also saying that if a soul or the true self becomes a follower and a servant in an Earthly institution then it will be exploited. The soul may think that the person or institution they serve are good but they are only there to exploit them. A good example of this is someone who leaves a religion they don't like and then turn to a cult. People join cults for various reasons but usually it's because they believe life will be better but a cult demands complete servitude and people can end up being worse than they were before. Someone who's addicted to something can be mastered by that addiction or they can be mastered by their jobs, worries etc.
(128:15) She then becomes a poor desolate widow, without help; not even a measure of food was left her from the time of her affliction. For from them she gained nothing except the defilements they gave her while they had sexual intercourse with her. And her offspring by the adulterers are dumb, blind, and sickly. They are feebleminded.
This passage means that people will ultimately gain nothing good by being servants of anything Earthly, if anything they will only lose more than they had before.
(129) for many are the afflictions that have come upon her because she abandoned her house.
As long as people are ignorant of who they are, they will be slaves to the world and those who control it, if people abandon their spirituality and their true selves they will only suffer during their lives.
(131: 30) And so the cleansing of the soul is to regain the [newness] of her former nature and to turn herself back again. That is her baptism.
This passage reveals the Gnostic view of what baptism is, it's not being dipped into water like in standard Christiainity but it is about cleansing the soul of ignorance and the things which cause it and remembering the true self and who you were before you entered your body.
(134: 5) Now it is fitting that the soul regenerate herself and become again as she formerly was. The soul then moves of her own accord. And she received the divine nature from the father for her rejuvenation, so that she might be restored to the place where originally she had been. This is the resurrection that is from the dead.
This is stating quite plainly what resurrection is about. The prodigal son in the Bible is about the same thing as well. It's about the soul or the true self returing to where it had originally had come from.
The book of Thomas the contender.
(15) For he who has not known himself has known nothing, but he who has known himself has at the same time already achieved knowledge about the depth of the all.
(139:1) But these visible bodies survive by devouring creatures similar to them with the result that the bodies change. Now that which changes will decay and perish, and has no hope of life from then on, since that body is bestial. So just as the body of the beasts perishes, so also will these formations perish. Do they not derive from intercourselike that of the beasts? If it, (the body) too derives from intercourse, how will it beget anything different from beasts?
(139: 30) "And it has fettered themn with its chains and bound all their limbs with the bitterness of the bondage of lust for those visible things that will decay and change and swerve by impulse. They have always been attracted downwards; as they are killed, they are assimilated to all the beasts of the perishable realm."
(139: 40) And [the savior] answered, saying, "[Blessed is] the wise man who [sought after the truth, and] when he found it, he rested upon it forever and was unafraid of those who wanted to disturb him."
(141:25) The savior said, "Truly, as for [those], do not esteem them as men, but regard them [as] beasts, for just as beasts devour one another, so also men of this sort devour one another. On the contrary, they are deprived of [the kingdom] since they love the sweetness of the fire and are servants of death and rush to the works of corruption.
(143: 10) "Woe to you (pl.) who hope in the flesh and in the prison that will perish! How long will you be oblivious? And how long will you suppose that the imiperishables will perish too? Your hope is set upon the world, and your god is this life! You are corrupting your souls!
(143: 15) "Woe to you because of the wheel that turns in your minds!
(145: 5) "Blessed are you (pl.) who weep and are oppressed by those without hope, for you will be released from every bondage.
The Sophia of Jesus Christ.
(97:20) "Whoever has ears to hear about the infinities, let him hear"; and "I have addressed those who are awake."
The statement of "Whoever has ears to hear", appears in the Bible as well, but this passage is saying that these ears aren't physical or intellectual, they are spiritual and people need to have spiritual senses in order to see a broarder reality and understand the bigger mysteries that this passages calls the infinites. The second part of this passage, "I have addressed those who are awake.", is saying that these teachings are for those who are spiritually awake. Someone who's not in touch with their soul has a lot of trouble understanding these passages.
(100:15) The perfect Savior said: "I want you to know that he who appeared before the universe in infinity, Self-grown Self-constructed Father, being full of shining light and ineffable, in the beginning when he decided to have his likeness become a great power, immediately the principle (or beginning) of that Light appeared as Immortal Androgynous Man, that through that Immortal Man they might attain their salvation and awake from forgetfulness through the interpreter who was sent, who is with you until the end of the poverty of the robbers.
This passage is saying that salvation is waking up the soul.
The Dialouge of the Savior.
(35) And to someone who will not know the [root] of all things, they remain hidden. Someone who will not know the root of wickedness is no stranger to it. Who ever will not understand how he came will not understand how he will go,
(54) The disciples said to him "What is the fullness and what is the deficiency?"
(55) He said to them, "You are from the fullness and you swell in the place where the deficiency is. And lo! His light has poured [down] upon me!"
(58) Judas said, "Why else, for the sake of truth, do they <die> and live?"
(59) The Lord said, "Whatever is born of truth does not die. Whatever is born of woman dies."
(68) The Lord said, "When you abandon the works which will not be able to follow you, then you will rest."
The (First) Apocalypse of James
(27) If you want to give them a number now, you [will] not be able to (do so) until you cast away from yourself blind thought, this bond of flesh which encircles you. And then you will reach Him-who-is. And you will no longer be James; rather you are the One-who-is. And all those who are unnumbered will all have been named."
(28:5)
You have come with knowledge,
that you might rebuke their forgetfulness.
You have come with recollection,
that you might rebuke their ignorance.
For you descended into a great ignorance,
but you have not been defiled by anything in it.
For you descended into a great mindlessness,
and your recollection remained.
You walked in mud,
and your garments were not soiled,
and you have not been buried in their filth,
and you have not been caught.
(31: 15) I am he who was within me.