"What meaning is there in that kind of happiness? It is like a dream that just stops in the middle when you wake up. Those who, as the result of some slight positive action, seem to be happy and comfortable at the moment, will not be able to hold on to that state for an instant longer once the effect of that action runs out. The kings of the gods, seated high on their thrones of precious jewels spread with divine silks, enjoy all the pleasures of the five senses. But, once their lifespan is exhausted, in the twinkling of an eye they are plunged into suffering and fall headlong down to the scorching metal ground of hell. Even the gods of the sun and moon, who light up the four continents, can end up being reborn somewhere between those very continents, in darkness so deep that they cannot see whether their own limbs are stretched out or bent in. So do not put your trust in the apparent joys of samsara."
There are some
real close parallels to the Japanese artist and
swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, author of ''The Book of Five
Rings.'' On cable channels, sometimes they show the
Japanese movie ''Samurai.'' It is about Musashi's life.
He wrote several works that are still extant. He is considered Japan's most famous artist.
Japanese art, and Chinese art, are concerned with the
'flow of chi,' in the reflection of all their classic
art. This requires extensive knowledge of the Tai Chi.
(Book of Changes) The Tai Chi is the underlying
philosophy of all classical Chinese philosophy, and
medicine. This idea extends to all classical Japanese
works also. This means in order to study and appreciate
these works you must uderstand the complex workings of
Yin and Yang.
The parallels to some of the Japanese works, and the
Sethian Gnostic works is astounding to me. Musashi, and
Valentinus or Clement would regard each other as men of
''Knowledge,'' Gnostikoi. This from the descriptions of
Satori, and Gnosis. Another work that reflects using the
philosophy of the Tai Chi, is Secret Tactics, by Tabata,
Tuttle, 2003. This work contains, ''Satori.'' It also
contains the Musashi work, ''Gorin Sho.''
The use of the Sethian Monad and the Tai Chi are almost
identical. This was pointed out by Fung Yu-Lan, in his
work ''The History of Chinese Philosopy, Vol 2''
Princeton, 1953. The Sethian Monad is also based upon
the Pythagorean theories of the Tetraktys of the Decad.
When Jesus in the ''Dialogue of the Saviour,'' and other
works talks about the sword, it is because so many
martial artists since the Chinese Zou Dynasty had used
the Tai Chi in regard to using swords. The famous book
by Sun Tzu, ''The Art of War,'' is based upon the same
underlying priciple as.....
Tetraktys (Tetractys) of the Decad, The Monadic Values:
There is no doubt that Sethian Gnostics applied the
principles of this paradigm. ''Pythagorus considered all
things relative to numbers... How he conceived this
process has never been satisfactorily explained.''
(Bullfinch, pg. 289.) Perhaps this is the secret....
Pythagorus considered the monad as the source of all
things. In the case of the tetraktys of the decad, the
concepts of form and structure are related in
mathematical values. These values work in harmony. The
first and most obvious is numerical value is the digital
sequence of one through ten. 'Monad,' 2. Decad, 3.
Triad, 4. Tetrad, 5. Pentad, 6. Hexad, 7. Heptad, 8.
Ogdoad, 9. Ennead, and 10. Decad.
Digital sequencing can be done in different base values,
like using base six to count on your hands. You count
to five on the right hand, and the first digit of the
left hand represents six, the next set the left hand
finger is given the value of twelve, then eighteen, then
the sequence goes up to 35, when you run out of fingers,
if you have ten. Another sequencing schema is the Heaven
Sequence of the Tai Chi, which is in base eight.
The Pythagorean model showing the tetraktys of the decad
is in the form of a triangle, usually shown as only
dots, I have placed numbers beside the dots, denoting
the digital sequence. Below is a traditional explanation
for this sequence, where I have made aditions to show
how the Tai Chi, and this sequence are parallel....
o
o o
o o o
o o o o
________________________________
1.
2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9. 10.
1.. The Tetractys represented the organization of
space: {Wu Chi, Void, ''Jesus is Silence.'' See; ''A
Valentinian Exposition.''}
2.. the first row represented zero-dimensions (a point)
{Tai Chi, yin and yang are the same.}
3.. the second row represented one-dimension (a line of
two points) {Liang Yi, yin and yang are different}
4.. the third row represented two-dimensions (a plane
defined by a triangle of three points) {This is
consistent with the San Ti. Man is the same as heaven
and earth.}
5.. the fourth row represented three-dimensions (a
triangular pyramid defined by four points) {This is
consistent with the Si Xiang. This is Yin and Yang seen
as two different things, or four types. This parallel to
the Tai Chi does not include the Ba Gua (8 trigrams)}
Wikapedia source..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetractys
This triangle represents five, or more different
mathematical values, not generally recognized unless you
apply the Tai Chi model with the parallel of the
Tetraktys. The mathematical values are thought of more
like aphorisms, or a mantra, rather than calculations in
some respect. Pythagoras put everything in terms of
math, and I think the statistical terms below can be
adapted to both the Tai Chi and the Tetraktys of the
Decad.
The digital sequence of one through ten, connotes the
decad. What cannotes the the 'tetra' is the number
four. In the case of the tetraktys of the decad, the
value of four corresponds with the relative value of the
mathematical concept of 'mode.' One through six, would
make the triangle a triad, and if you add a fifth line,
11. through, 15., to the base, the mode is a pentad. As
shown above we have the tetrad.
The mode is the value, or set of like units that appear
most frequently in a set. As can be seen in the model of
the tetraktys of the decad, all three sides of the
triangle contain four units. (This is looking at the
triangle of dots as an icon like the Tai Chi.) In terms
of the triangle there are four levels, or modes (called
types in the ''Gospel of Mary,''), Level 1. is one,
level two the decad, is 2. and 3., level three the
triad, is 4. 5. and 6., level four the tetrad, is 7. 8.
9. and 10.
O monad
O O decad
O O O triad
O O O O tetrad
A set in most science involving polarity, is called a
field or pool, which connotes a perimeter of the form,
or the unified body of the set, as a whole. Mode
connotes the 'level,' of the form and structure of the
pool. Therefor tetrads, hexads, ogdoads, etc. are
thought of as modes and levels, which can be applied to
fields.
As you build the triangle by adding lines of digits to
the base, the mode changes in sequence, but the values
of mean, and median, also become relative to the model.
This is allegorical to how a seed turns into a tree or
plant. This same sequence is thought to be extant in the
working of the Logos, Pleroma, Kenoma, and Psyche of
man, and collective consciousness of mankind.
This means you are using mathematical terms as points of
a contemplation, or meditation, more like aphorism than
calculation. Each configuration of the triangle
regardless of the mode, retains the value of the monad
in the digital sequence. The mode sequence, the mean
value in the sequence, and the median values in the
sequence, are not mutually exclusive. They work in
harmony.
The mode sequence is determined by looking at the
triangle like an icon, and determining the number of
units each side of the triangle has. The mode sequence
has a different numerical value than the digital
sequence value. In the Tai Chi, Wu Chi, is the void or
zero, and in the Sethian system Jesus is Silence. Tai
Chi, is one, meaning Yin and Yang are the same. Liang
Yi is the third in the Heaven Sequence, and means Yin
and Yang as seperate or different. The student of the
Tetraktys retains the triology, or 'tripartite,' as a
mindset, in the contemplation of the sequence. "Man's
mind/heart, is the same as heaven and earth.'' (''Kenpo
Gokui'.')
The next stage in the Heaven Sequence, (Use of even
numbers) is the Si Xiang, which represents the tetrad or
four units. In the Chinese system Wu Chi = 0, Tai Chi
equals 1., Liang Yi = 2, and Si Xiang= 4., puting the
Tai Chi in a set of eight parts, symbolically aligned
with the Ba Gua, or eight trigrams, making the Tai Chi
an organized Ogdoad. The Sacred Tetrad is regarded in
the same way, as the Si Xiang, in form, structure, and
mechanics. (See; Tai Chi. See; ''The History of Chinese Philosophy ,'' Vol. 2, Fung Yu-Lan, Princeton, 1953.)
The mean is determined by adding the number of units, in
the digital sequence, then dividing that sum by the
number of units, the result is an average number of
units. That would be the pentad or five, the mean of ten
units. In building form and structure in the Monadology,
the constant value of the mean is the value of one,
(Monad) and denotes the value of the monad in each
consecutive mode in the sequence. The Monad reamains
integrated into the form and structure of all mode
values. (See; Decalougue.)
The median, is the value where half of the units in a
set are larger or smaller than the opposite set of
units. The median is the point where the set is divided,
and determines balance with the reflective or dual
values of male/female, good/evil, light and darkness.
The odd numbers where their are more units on one half
of the set than the other, represents unbalance.
Pythagoreans used the terms square for even numbers, and
oblong for odd numbers. (Ibid.)
In the application of the sequence the consideration of
meadian, is that 'duality,' reamains a constant
regardless of the level, or mode, as does the power of
the Monad. Duality can be meant to be more than one
feature, when drawing a monadic paradigm, as duality
does not always mean opposite, it can mean either, or.
In some cases it can be implied as an opposite. It can
be a reflective value, like a mirror image, or
reflection. (See; Bythos)
For instance, the pentad can be given five values, with
good connotations, and their opposite with negative
conotations. Five constructive values, are opposed to
the destructive values of opposition. The Chinese use
the idea of the Wu Xing, or five constructive, and
destructive forces. The reflective value or median
value (duality) is always considered as part of form and
structure, regardless of the mode, or level in the
sequence.
The fifth value is the parabolic, more of a geometric
adaptation, which has dimensions or perspective,
reflection and even vibration. (See; Parables.) The
parabolic view is in reference to the higher modes of
the Pentad and above, where the structure and form can
be seen as multi-dimensional and having perspective.
(See; Parabole, which can be shown as viewing the
inside of a cone. See also; Gematria.)
As a contemplation device, all the values of the
tetraktys of the decad, are imagined in unison as a
harmony. This unified perception is imperical to the
idea of how the natural order of wisdom works in the
tripartite vision of man as being psyche, material, and
spiritual. The sequence is operational in the realms of
man, heaven and earth.
You can see that 1. 2. 3. and 5. form the equalateral
cross, common in the first century. There may be more of
these parallels, than I mention at this time. The
Platonic tetrad, used in the ''Square of Opposition,'' a
tool of logic, can also be seen in the formation of 2.
3. 5. 8. and 9.
If you look at the triagle of dots you will see that 2.
3. 4. 6. 8. and 9. form a circle with 5. in the middle.
1. 7., and 9. are outside the circle. (See Tripartite)
As one contemplates this image the fifth value of the
parabolic becomes apparent. The image can look like it
is multi-dimensional, where the center (5) as seen as
closer and further away, adds perspective. The center
dot 5. becomes parabolic point of center, and the middle
of the sequence.
In regard to the human figure, you can draw arms going
up from 2., and 3., and legs off 8. and 9., and you can
imagine the human figure in the gematria within the
triangle.
In martial arts, especially those aligned with the
classic Tai Chi, the points of the shoulders and hips
represent the primary centers of the body's natural
''primary square of balance,'' where 5. is the center of
the body the diaphram. Some martial artists use this
'cone' image like sights on a gun, aiming at a target,
and using the same grid for defense. This shows the tool
(sequence) is useful as both applied in the material
world, and applied to the psyche. The entire system of
Isshin Ryu Karate can be shown in the ''Heaven
Sequence,'' as well as the application against
opponents.
A lot depends on knowing the above in regard to using
the Gnostic vision, but this is the same principles
being used by some Orientals today. So there are good
parallels in the classic literature mentioned above,
that reflect the adaptation of using this kind of
philosophy.
