The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean

[bodhimind]

I found a very interesting resource and realized that it has not been talked about in the GWV. Given that it is supposedly a very old document, I found it very interesting in how it corresponded to the Buddhist views, etc. It repeatedly emphasizes the acquisition of wisdom. Some parts suggest it to be meditation.

Link is here： http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/thot/esp_thot_1.htm

Just posting it here for discussion. I also found the structure quite poetic.

[Jhanananda]

Instead of asking others to read a particular book, to discuss it, it seems to me to be a better exercise for one to read the document and do a critical literary analysis comparing it to one of the works that we as a group have embraced, such as: the Pali Canon, the Yoga Sutras, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Rumi, and Kabir.  So, how do you see the Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean compare to the above works?

[bodhimind]

I find that certain passages seem to resonate, such as...

- The manomaya/mind-generated body

Lift up your flame from out of the darkness,
fly from the night and ye shall be free.

Traveled I through the space-time,
knowing my soul at last was set free,
knowing that now might I pursue wisdom.
Until at last, I passed to a plane,
hidden from knowledge,
known not to wisdom,
extension beyond all that we know.

Not as man am I
for free have I become of dimensions and planes.
In each, take I on a new body.
In each, I change in my form.
Know I now that the formless is all there is of form.

Then from the throne, there poured a great radiance,
surrounding and lifting my soul by its power.
Swiftly I moved through the spaces of Heaven,
shown was I the mystery of mysteries,
shown the Secret heart of the cosmos.

Carried was I to the land of Arulu,
stood before the Lords in their Houses.

- The body as a fetter

Know ye, man,
ye are the ultimate of all things.
Only the knowledge of this is forgotten,
lost when man was cast into bondage,
bound and fettered
by the chains of the darkness.

Long, long ago, I cast off my body.
Wandered I free
through the vastness of ether,
circled the angles
that hold man in bondage.
Know ye, O man, ye are only a spirit.
The body is nothing.
The Soul is ALL.
Let not your body be a fetter.
Cast off the darkness and travel in Light.
Cast off your body, O man, and be free,
truly a Light that is ONE with the Light.

- Meditation?

Calm let thy mind be.
At rest be thy body:
Conscious only of freedom from flesh.
Center thy being on the goal of thy longing.
Think over and over that thou wouldst be free.

Lie ye down in rest of thy body.
Calm thy mind so no thought disturbs thee.
Pure must ye be in mind and in purpose,
else only failure will come unto thee.

Leave thou thy body as I have taught thee.
Pass to the barriers of the deep, hidden place.
Stand before the gates and their guardians.
Command thy entrance by these words:

I am the Light. In me is no darkness.
Free am I of the bondage of night.
Open thou the way of the Twelve and the One,
so I may pass to the realm of wisdom.

I must admit that I cannot fully understand it as it is cryptic and very metaphorical in language. The Emerald Tablet is often studied by the Hermeticists and thought about as the "instructions" to transmutation/alchemy. I personally believe the transmutation to be more of a rehabilitation process towards enlightenment, rather than literally from lead to gold.

I personally find the language too cryptic so I did not attempt to try and understand it, since there are better texts such as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and discourses of the Buddha for more accurate explanations. Instead, I just found it a little interesting how Hermes Trismegistus might also have been a mystic of the past. However, I have no way of verifying it...

[Alexander]

This comes off as sketchy to me. At first I thought you were posting the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus. Then I remembered that's only a 14-line work. It was first seen in an Arabic text in ~8th century. This is something that's trying to conflate itself with that work.

I personally believe the 14-line work is veritable; that it was probably written by an Arab mystic of the time, who used alchemical language to explain the spiritual life. What you've linked is clearly an original work - but the backstory of it is uncertain, since it says it's the "translation" of an unknown Dr. Doreal.

[Jhanananda]

I agree with Alexander, the so-called Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean were most probably invented by the so-called "translator" and its name is a clear reference to the ancient hermetic work of the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, which were most probably invented by someone else, who was not the original Hermes Trismegistus.  This does not; however, mean that either of these works are not the guidance of an enlightened person, nor does it say that it is.  We just have to learn to use some critical thinking when we embrace any work that claims to deliver spiritual truths.

Clearly the quotes that you have provided, bodhimind, refer to the OOBE and how to get there.  So, it can be used for guidance by some people; however, the Pali Canon seems to be have a much more complete picture.  In these quotes I am also reminded of the writing of St John  of the Cross, so I would bet that the author was influenced there as well.

[Mahakala]

Hermetic alchemy deals with mental transmutation, as you've pretty much picked up on bodhimind. All the stuff about metallurgy in hermetic literature is supposed to be allegorical in nature in relation to aspects of the human condition. Individuals that have taken the lead into gold thing literally have missed the boat big time when it comes to interpreting hermetic philosophy and the true purpose of alchemy, which is mental transmutation. While there are legit correspondences between metals and astrology, I'm assuming a primary reason old alchemical literature was written in the context of metallurgy was so that the true teachings were kept hidden from the profane; so the lay folk wouldn't realize what they were actually reading, and they'd think it was all about a way to create physical gold (which many have tried to do in the past!). That's just my take on it anyways. 

[Alexander]

Hermetic alchemy deals with mental transmutation, as you've pretty much picked up on bodhimind. All the stuff about metallurgy in hermetic literature is supposed to be allegorical in nature in relation to aspects of the human condition. Individuals that have taken the lead into gold thing literally have missed the boat big time when it comes to interpreting hermetic philosophy and the true purpose of alchemy, which is mental transmutation. While there are legit correspondences between metals and astrology, I'm assuming a primary reason old alchemical literature was written in the context of metallurgy was so that the true teachings were kept hidden from the profane; so the lay folk wouldn't realize what they were actually reading, and they'd think it was all about a way to create physical gold (which many have tried to do in the past!). That's just my take on it anyways. 

I agree, Mahakala. The allegories were used to hide from the profane - otherwise you'd get burned at the stake, or crucified. Even though they are allegories to explain the art of becoming holy!

[Jhanananda]

I agree, Mahakala. The allegories were used to hide from the profane - otherwise you'd get burned at the stake, or crucified. Even though they are allegories to explain the art of becoming holy!

I agree fully with this.