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Therefore, such being the case, all those who sought to give a name to the incognizable Principle have simply degraded it. Even to speak of Cosmic Ideation — save in its ''phenomenal ''aspect — is like trying to bottle up primordial Chaos, or to put a printed label on {{Style S-Small capitals|Eternity}}. | Therefore, such being the case, all those who sought to give a name to the incognizable Principle have simply degraded it. Even to speak of Cosmic Ideation — save in its ''phenomenal ''aspect — is like trying to bottle up primordial Chaos, or to put a printed label on {{Style S-Small capitals|Eternity}}. | ||
What, then, is the “ primordial Substance,” that mysterious object of which Alchemy was ever talking, and which became the subject of philosophical speculation in every age ? What can it be finally, even in its phenomenal pre-differentiation ? Even ''that ''is all in manifested Nature and — ''nothing ''to our senses. It is mentioned under various names in every Cosmogony, referred to in every philosophy, and shown to be, to this day, the ever grasp-eluding {{Style S-Small capitals|Proteus}} in Nature. We touch and do not feel it ; we look at it without seeing it ; we breathe it and do not perceive it ; we hear and smell it without the smallest cognition that it is there ; for it is in every molecule of that which in our illusion and ignorance we regard as Matter in any of its states, or conceive as a feeling, a thought, an emotion. . . . In short, it is the “ ''upadhi'',” or vehicle, of every possible phenomenon, whether physical, mental, or psychic. In the opening sentences of ''Genesis'', as in the Chaldean Cosmogony ; in the ''Purânas ''of India, and in the ''Book of the Dead ''of Egypt, it opens everywhere the cycle of manifestation. It is termed “ Chaos,” and the face of the waters, incubated by the Spirit proceeding from the Unknown, under whatever name. (''See ''“ ''Chaos'', ''Theos'', ''Kosmos.''”) | What, then, is the “ primordial Substance,” that mysterious object of which Alchemy was ever talking, and which became the subject of philosophical speculation in every age ? What can it be finally, even in its phenomenal pre-differentiation ? Even ''that ''is {{Style S-Small capitals|all}} in manifested Nature and — ''nothing ''to our senses. It is mentioned under various names in every Cosmogony, referred to in every philosophy, and shown to be, to this day, the ever grasp-eluding {{Style S-Small capitals|Proteus}} in Nature. We touch and do not feel it ; we look at it without seeing it ; we breathe it and do not perceive it ; we hear and smell it without the smallest cognition that it is there ; for it is in every molecule of that which in our illusion and ignorance we regard as Matter in any of its states, or conceive as a feeling, a thought, an emotion. . . . In short, it is the “ ''upadhi'',” or vehicle, of every possible phenomenon, whether physical, mental, or psychic. In the opening sentences of ''Genesis'', as in the Chaldean Cosmogony ; in the ''Purânas ''of India, and in the ''Book of the Dead ''of Egypt, it opens everywhere the cycle of manifestation. It is termed “ Chaos,” and the face of the waters, incubated by the Spirit proceeding from the Unknown, under whatever name. (''See ''“ ''Chaos'', ''Theos'', ''Kosmos.''”) | ||
The authors of the sacred Scriptures in India go deeper into the origin of things evolved than Thales or Job, for they say : — | The authors of the sacred Scriptures in India go deeper into the origin of things evolved than Thales or Job, for they say : — | ||
“ From {{Style S-Small capitals|Intelligence}} (called {{Style S-Small capitals|Mahat}} in the Purânas) associated with Ignorance (Iswar, as a ''personal ''deity) ''attended by its projective power'', in which the quality of dulness (''tamas'', insensibility) predominates, proceeds ''Ether'' — from ether, air ; from air, heat ; from heat, water ; and from water, earth “ with everything on it.” “ From this, from this same self, was the Ether produced,” says the Veda. (''Taittirîya Upanishad II''. 1). | “ From {{Style S-Small capitals|Intelligence}} (called {{Style S-Small capitals|Mahat}} in the Purânas) associated with Ignorance (Iswar, as a ''personal ''deity) ''attended by its projective power'', in which the quality of dulness (''tamas'', insensibility) predominates, proceeds ''Ether'' — from ether, air ; from air, heat ; from heat, water ; and from water, earth “ with everything on it.” “ From {{Style S-Small capitals|this}}, from this same {{Style S-Small capitals|self}}, was the Ether produced,” says the Veda. (''Taittirîya Upanishad II''. 1). | ||
It becomes thus evident that it is not ''this ''Ether — sprung at the fourth | It becomes thus evident that it is not ''this ''Ether — sprung at the fourth | ||