Monogenes (Autogenes) are somewhat of a mystery as to what was meant by the term. One definition would be....
Monogenes: The "Only begotten." Probably means one thing, (one gene) that can grow into more complex things in the context of the Monadology, like the term Word, in the Sacred Tetrad. (See; Autogenes and Logos. See also; "A Valetinian Exposition.'') May also resemble the idea of meme.
"A meme (pronounced /mi?m/), as defined by memetic theory, constitutes a theoretical unit of cultural information, the building block of culture or cultural evolution which spreads through diffusion propagating from one mind to another analogously to the way in which a gene propagates from one organism to another as a unit of genetic information and of biological evolution. Multiple memes may propagate as cooperative groups called memeplexes (meme complexes)." (Wikipedia)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
Any Monadic set can have more than one inherent duality running through the structure of the units of the set. Take the duality of 'hard and soft.' When applied to an action or object, hardness or softness can also be influenced by the principles of gender, male or female, offense or defense, good or evil, etc. In other words there are natural forces present and at work in any duality which can be seen to effect an action or object.
The Soul is a special kind of 'spirit,' which can be identified in Gnostic study as Form, Perception, Consciousness, Action and Knowledge. A Soul which has been trained in Sethian Gnosis would correspond with Word, Form, Perception, Consciousness, Action and Knowledge. This means that the power of Form has been altered to correspond with Word as the primary influence to the 'spirit' or energy as the primary influence of the set. (All Sethian Gnostic Monadic sets start with Word, and end in Knowledge, i.e. Gnosis).
The Sethians learned to recognize these forces running through 'Form,' and therefore they noted this connection in the way they perceived things. This is very similar to how the ancient Chinese developed the concept of Chi which runs through everything. Modern Sethians or students of Gnosticism, must learn to conceptualize the same way, with the "Holy Spirit'' as an underlying force within all that lives. Incorporating the 'Word,' is believed to give 'life' to the body of any set of synergetic units. In other words, when you add 'Word' to the Soul, you add the spirit of Jesus Wisdom to the working of the set, and using it as a living instrument.
Gnostics learned to give special meaning to particular words which denoted the Monadic process seen as being present and very real in the way a Gnostic perceives things. When you read Gnostic scripture add these Gnostic meanings to your understanding to the Words, and see if you don't feel you are 'using ' and learning the Word.
(Note: All the synonymous terms below should denote the same Gnostic meaning in Gnostic scripture as the root term I have listed below. The following is not a Monadic set, it is an alphabetized list of 'words' that are thought to be parts of the Sethian Monadology.)
"All" This refers to the concept that the Pleroma permeates and surrounds everything, and "All" is the Pleroma.
Death: This refers not only to physical death, but death in regard to an afterlife, if one has not sought Gnosis.
Darkness: This refers to the lack of Gnosis, or understanding. Darkness is part of the trilogy of Darkness, Desire, and Ignorance, which are 'enemies' of the Soul. This evil trilogy is mentioned in many Gnostic texts, like the "Gospel of Mary," where there are Seven Forms of Wrath. Darkness, the second Desire, the third Ignorance, the fourth is the Excitement of Death, the fifth is the kingdom of the Flesh, the sixth is the foolish Wisdom of Flesh, the seventh is the Wrathful Wisdom. These are the seven powers of wrath.
Desire: This could include 'lust' of all kinds. The Gnostic learns to overcome "Lusts" and desires with the tools of the Word, and Knowledge.
Faith: This refers to having 'faith' in regard to using the 'Word' as it is meant in the Gnostic sense, i.e. becoming in thought and deed the Word in Life.
Flesh: This refers to man as matter. The flesh is the matter that Man, and his Mind is entrapped as a hylic or in a physical Body.
Foolish Wisdom or (Saklas) : This refers to thought and deed done without reasoning or rational means of thought, or careless use of the Word. An apinoiac is somebody not capable of using the Word, or rational thought. Saklas is thought to be a fool or demon, who acts against enlightened thought, i.e. Wisdom.
Form: This refers to the Platonic idea of form which means the term can be used to describe an idea, as well as an object. Form is the first unit of the Soul, described in the "Acts of Thomas,'' and the ''Heart," and "Jesus Sutras." (See; Palmer)
Hope: The term is meant to relate to Man in time and space, and how he must deal with action, reaction, cause, and effect. Hopefully through his use of Wisdom in his actions, he overcomes the hardships seeking peace, and rest.
Ignorance: This refers to the lack of knowledge concerning Gnosis.
Knowledge: Refers in most cases to Gnosis.
Life: This refers to being given Life through Gnosis and Gnostic transcendence.
Limit: As some of the Gnostic writings state, Limit relates to a mental concept of how we separate things. The number of units in a Monadic set, are governed under the laws of "Limit.' What humans perceive in the universe from the time they are infants is governed by "Limit."
Love: This is an opposite of hate, and refers to the duality of emotions in Man and Life. Love and hate, are dualities that run through all Monadic sets, like good and evil, male and female. In the Gnostic Faith, good, and Love are superior forces in the ordering of Wisdom.
Man: This can refer to humans in the hylic state of matter, or Man who has become Enlightened to Gnosis, i.e. One with the Pleroma.
Mind: This is where the Gnostic sees the 'vision' of Jesus Wisdom, the Bridal Chamber, and is his 'treasure' or way to Salvation.
Race: This term refers to those who have achieved or undertaken the process of Gnosis. There does not seem to be another connotation for the term in Sethian texts.
Root: The term refers to a beginning say the 'root' of all good or evil. Jesus is the 'root' of Wisdom, or the 'All.' Jesus as the root., is the Monad. The term also connotes mainstream meanings in Gnostic scripture.
Soul: The soul is a special kind of 'Spirit' that is part of the Mind. Form, Perception, Consciousness, Action, and Knowledge, represents an excellent Pentad that explains what the Soul is in regard to the Mind. The level of the Pentad is probably not the full Limit of the Soul.
Spirit: This is the energy that flows through the Pleroma, which includes matter, as well as non corporeal things, like thought. Clement in ''Stromata" actually distinguishes what we call subconscious, and conscious
s thought as spirits. Heracleon stated that God, was all Spirit. Spirit is the energy upon which the Monad generates the energy through a Monadic set.
Truth: This refers to what the Church is with Enlightenment, or Gnosis. For Gnostics the 'Church' is the realization of Gnostic transcendence.
Word: The term connotes and denotes Law, Logos, God, Wisdom, Sophia, Tao, which can be learned from the "Living Words of Jesus,'' in the "Gospel of Thomas," the Gnostic Gospels, and the other Sethian related texts, extant. All Sethian Gnostic Monadic sets start with Word, and end with Knowledge, or Gnosis.
Wrathful Wisdom: (Wrath) Use of hateful 'wisdom' against another. This refers to actually using something like the Seven Forms of Wrath as a weapon against somebody. The Gnostic learns these methods to protect his Soul.
