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Hermes Trismegistus: Difference between revisions
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<blockquote>Hermetic Philosophy suits every creed and philosophy and clashes with none. It is the boundless ocean of Truth, the central point whither flows and wherein meet every river, whether its source be in the East, West, North, or South. As the course of the river depends upon the nature of its basin, so the channel for the communication of Knowledge must conform itself to surrounding circumstances. The Egyptian Hierophant, the Chaldean Mage, the Arhat, and the Rishi, were bound in days of yore on the same voyage of discovery and ultimately arrived at the same goal though by different tracks.<ref>''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'', compiled by A. T. Barker (Theosophical University Press, 1926), letter 85.</ref></blockquote> | <blockquote>Hermetic Philosophy suits every creed and philosophy and clashes with none. It is the boundless ocean of Truth, the central point whither flows and wherein meet every river, whether its source be in the East, West, North, or South. As the course of the river depends upon the nature of its basin, so the channel for the communication of Knowledge must conform itself to surrounding circumstances. The Egyptian Hierophant, the Chaldean Mage, the Arhat, and the Rishi, were bound in days of yore on the same voyage of discovery and ultimately arrived at the same goal though by different tracks.<ref>''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'', compiled by A. T. Barker (Theosophical University Press, 1926), letter 85.</ref></blockquote> | ||
According to scholar Walter Scott, some of the Hermetic texts may have been written down by the pupils of Ammonius Saccas, a renowned third-century Alexandrian teacher and one of the founders of the Neoplatonic movement. He was a teacher of [[Origen]]. [[Helena P. Blavatsky|Helena Blavatsky]] considered that the most important goal of the Theosophical Society was to revive the work of Ammonius Saccas. Blavatsky wrote: | According to scholar Walter Scott, some of the Hermetic texts may have been written down by the pupils of Ammonius Saccas, a renowned third-century Alexandrian teacher and one of the founders of the Neoplatonic movement. He was a teacher of [[Origen]]. [[Helena P. Blavatsky|Helena Blavatsky]] considered that the most important goal of the [[Theosophical Society]] was to revive the work of Ammonius Saccas. Blavatsky wrote: | ||
<blockquote>It was Ammonius who first taught that every religion was based on one and the same truth; which is the wisdom found in the Books of Thoth (Hermes Trismegistus), from which books Pythagoras and Plato had learned all their philosophy.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, ''Isis Unveiled'' (Wheaton, Ill.: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), vol. 1, p. 444.</ref></blockquote> | <blockquote>It was Ammonius who first taught that every religion was based on one and the same truth; which is the wisdom found in the Books of Thoth (Hermes Trismegistus), from which books [[Pythagoras]] and Plato had learned all their philosophy.<ref>H. P. Blavatsky, ''Isis Unveiled'' (Wheaton, Ill.: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), vol. 1, p. 444.</ref></blockquote> | ||
Today, fewer than twenty sermons and some additional fragments of Hermes’ teachings remain. In 1945 three Hermetic tracts were discovered at Nag Hammadi, thus indicating a link between the Gnostic and Hermetic schools. The Gnostics, who flourished in the second century <small>A</small>.<small>D</small>., believed that the most important element in the soul’s spiritual quest was gnosis—a Greek word meaning “knowledge.” We see this same principle reflected in the Hermetic teachings. Scholar Giovanni Filoramo says: | Today, fewer than twenty sermons and some additional fragments of Hermes’ teachings remain. In 1945 three Hermetic tracts were discovered at Nag Hammadi, thus indicating a link between the Gnostic and Hermetic schools. The [[Gnostics]], who flourished in the second century <small>A</small>.<small>D</small>., believed that the most important element in the soul’s spiritual quest was gnosis—a Greek word meaning “knowledge.” We see this same principle reflected in the Hermetic teachings. Scholar Giovanni Filoramo says: | ||
<blockquote>The Hermes texts were written in the form of gentle scholarly dialogues in which Hermes teaches a closed group of disciples. They are imbued with an irrepressible desire for knowledge of God. Their ideological structure is an attitude of genuine, deep devotion as the way to knowledge of oneself and of God.<ref>Giovanni Filoramo, ''History of Gnosticism''.</ref></blockquote> | <blockquote>The Hermes texts were written in the form of gentle scholarly dialogues in which Hermes teaches a closed group of disciples. They are imbued with an irrepressible desire for knowledge of God. Their ideological structure is an attitude of genuine, deep devotion as the way to knowledge of oneself and of God.<ref>Giovanni Filoramo, ''History of Gnosticism''.</ref></blockquote> | ||
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== The lineage of the planet Mercury == | == The lineage of the planet Mercury == | ||
The ascended master Hermes is the sponsor of [[El Morya]] and of all those who have come from the planet Mercury. El Morya explains: | The ascended master Hermes is the sponsor of [[El Morya]] and of all those who have come from the [[Mercury (the planet)|planet Mercury]]. El Morya explains: | ||
<blockquote>The lifewaves of sons and daughters of God who have evolved out of Mercury, who have served with [[Sanat Kumara]] and who now are dwelling on earth, come from an evolution that we knew long ago. In that planetary body, the issue of light and darkness was present....</blockquote> | <blockquote>The lifewaves of sons and daughters of God who have evolved out of Mercury, who have served with [[Sanat Kumara]] and who now are dwelling on earth, come from an evolution that we knew long ago. In that planetary body, the issue of light and darkness was present....</blockquote> | ||