The Path, Vol. I.—1886-'7.: A Magazine Devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, Theosophy in America, and the Study of Occult Science, Philosophy, and Aryan Literature.Various
Religion
The Path, Vol. I.—1886-'7.: A Magazine Devoted to the Brotherhood of Humanity, Theosophy in America, and the Study of Occult Science, Philosophy, and Aryan Literature.
Various
Theosophy -- Periodicals
It is not necessary to express the duality of the Supreme Soul by two
serpents, because in the third component part of the Seal, elsewhere,
that is symbolized by the interlaced triangles. One of these is white,
that one with the point uppermost, and the other is black with its apex
directed downward. They are intertwined because the dual nature of the
Supreme, while in manifestation, is not separate in its parts. Each
atom of matter, so called, has also its atom of spirit This is what
the _Bagavad-Gita_[48] denominates Purusha and Prakriti, and Krishna
there says that he is at once Purusha and Prakriti, he is alike the
very best and the very worst of men. These triangles also mean, “the
manifested universe.” It is one of the oldest and most beautiful of
symbols, and can be discovered among all nations, not only those now
inhabiting the earth, but also in the monuments, carvings and other
remains of the great races who have left us the gigantic structures now
silent as far as the voice of man is concerned, but resounding with
speech for those who care to listen. They seem to be full of ideas
turned into stone.
The triangles thus combined form in the interior space, a six sided
plane figure. This is the manifested world. Six is the number of the
world, and 666 is the great mystery which is related to the symbol.
St. John talks of this number. Around the six sided centre are the
six triangles projecting into the spiritual world, and touching the
enclosed serpent of wisdom. In an old book, this is made by the great
head of the Lord rising above the horizon of the ocean of matter, with
the arms just raised so that they make the upper half of the triangle.
This is the “long face,” or macrocoscopos, as it is called. As it
rises slowly and majestically, the placid water below reflects it in
reverse, and thus makes the whole double triangle. The lower one is
dark and forbidding in its aspect, but at the same time the upper part
of the darker one is itself light, for it is formed by the majestic
head of this Adam Kadmon. Thus they shade into one another. And this
is a perfect symbolism, for it clearly figures the way in which day
shades into night, and evil into good. In ourselves we find both, or
as the Christian St. Paul says, the natural and spiritual man are
always together warring against each other, so that what we would do we
cannot, and what we desire not to be guilty of, the darker half of man
compels us to do. But ink and paper fails us in the task of trying to
elucidate this great symbol. Go to Hermes, to St. John, the Caballah,
the Hindu books, wherever you please, and there will you find the seven
times seven meanings of the interlaced triangles.
OM is the Sacred Vedic syllable: let us repeat it with a thought
directed to its true meaning.[49]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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