Greco-Christian stream·Pistis Sophia·Second Book — The Repentances of Pistis Sophia·Chapter 68
Sophia singeth a song of praise
Sophia singeth a song of praise
Source context
- Theme
- cosmological instruction on the seals of the Treasury of Light and the ascent of purified souls
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Neoplatonism (Plotinus, Enneads)The hierarchical ascent of the soul through successive light-regions shows cross-tradition congruence with Plotinian hypostatic ascent, in which the soul moves through Nous toward the One by progressive shedding of material attachment.
- Merkabah mysticism (Hekhalot literature)The sealing of initiates and passage through guarded celestial chambers shows cross-tradition congruence with the Hekhalot practice of obtaining divine seals (hotamot) to traverse the seven heavenly palaces.
Chapter 68
CHAPTER 68
It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had heard these words, that he said: "Well said, James, |148. beloved one."
And the First Mystery continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, when I had led Pistis Sophia out of the chaos, that she cried out again and said:
Sophia singeth a song of praise."'1. I am saved out of the chaos and loosed from the bonds of the darkness. I am come unto thee, O Light.
"'2. For thou wert light on all sides of me, saving me and helping me.
"'3. And the emanations of Self-willed, which fought against me, thou hast hindered through thy light, and they could not come nigh me; for thy light was with me and saved me through thy light-stream.
"'4. Because in sooth the emanations of Self-willed constrained me, they took from me my power and cast me out into the chaos with no light in me. So I became as heavy-weighing matter in comparison with them.
"'5. And thereafter came a light-stream unto me through thee which saved me; it shone on my left and on my right and surrounded me on all sides of me, so that no part of me was without light.
"'6. And thou hast covered me with the light
of thy stream and purged from me all my evil matters; and I shall be relieved of all my matters because of thy light.
"'7. And it is thy light-stream which hath raised me up and taken from me the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me.
"'8. And I |149. have become sure-trusting in thy light and purified light in thy stream.
"'9. And the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me, have withdrawn themselves from me; and I shone in thy great power, for thou savest for ever.'
"This is the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she came forth out of the chaos and was freed from the bonds of the chaos. Now, therefore, who hath ears to hear, let him hear."