第 34 节
作者:      更新:2021-02-18 21:16      字数:9290
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  for   that   which   he   did   not   produce;   and   which   only   death   can   reap。   The
  poppy reveals the secret of the illusions of Nature's master…showman。 All
  earthly things are unreal to the spirit; which is the only real thing。 Man's
  effort   to  hoard   and   save  the  things   of  this  world   IS  INJUSTICE       TO
  OTHERS。 The struggle is eternal; and no matter how careful or cunning
  man is to monopolize either power; truth or wealth; swift…footed time will
  readjust all things without error。
  O   child   of   Adam!   〃Lay   not   up   for   yourselves   treasures   upon   earth;
  where   moth   and   rust   doth   corrupt   and   where   thieves   break   through   and
  steal。〃
  TABLET THE EIGHTH
  Scorpio
  SYMBOL
  A wide; and plain; on it a skeleton; a dull; grey sky; in which an Eagle
  soars; full…fed; it seems; from the flesh of the skeleton。
  VIII
  REFLECTION
  TABLET THE EIGHTH
  A  significant   symbol   to   the   seer;   showing   forth   the   two   ultimates   of
  life and death; of earthly things and sex。 Scorpio is both the eagle of the
  spirit; soaring aloft; well fed with all that is worth carrying away from the
  earth; and also the scorpion; whose natural home is the desert。
  In sex; either way; life is given。 Shall it be to your spirit making fat
  and full your immortal self; or will the other interpretation be yours? And
  will you leave yourself dead and annihilated; a skeleton; to the Ego; the
  Divine spirit? For sex is indeed the foundation of all。 Raised to the region
  of Libra; it is power and magnetism。 To the bosom it is love; to the brain it
  is enthusiasm。 It is   the promethian fire of  life; the creative force;  giving
  vigor to whatever region to which it is raised; or; lowered; to be spent with
  no returns; it debases and renders life a desert of dry bones。
  O child of Adam! Reflect on the fall of man from spirit to matter; and
  combine the wisdom of the serpent with the purity of the dove; and 〃lest
  ye partake of the tree of life ye shall surely die。〃
  TABLET THE NINTH
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  Saggitarius
  SYMBOL
  A child in a shell; holding in its hand a feathered lance; is drawn by
  five stars; grouped in an under arc。
  IX
  REFLECTION
  TABLET THE NINTH
  The symbol of the conscious soul。 The shell is the body; drawn by the
  five   sensesstarswhich   form   an   under   arc;   to   represent   the   world   of
  material     things   and   our   relation   thereto。   The   child;   armed    with   the
  feathered   lance;   is   the   soul;   riding   thus;   fully   armed;   in   the   shell   of   the
  body; it realizes the duality of truth; that all things are changeable; and that
  each thing is true upon the plane of its manifestation; while an illusion to
  that   which   is  interior   to  its   life;  while   the   soul  is   in  its   dream   state。
  Sagittarius   represents   conservatism   and   the   permanence   of   crystallized
  institutions; but; when the spirit awakes and bursts the shell of matter; the
  senses;    instead   of  being   the   guardians    and   jailors  of  its  environment;
  become   its   servants;   and   the   means   by   which;   united   as   the   one   Ego;
  sense…perception; it races o'er the fields of Aetha being of life and beauty;
  shining in the empyrean of God。
  O child of Adam! Ever remember that temperament and environment
  constitute the north and south poles of human possibility; and that ability;
  combined with opportunity; is the measure of responsibility。
  PART 1
  Here beginneth Chapter 4 of the Book which is called〃The Tablets of
  Aeth;〃     wherein     is  transcribed    the   Fourth    Quadrant      of  the   Twelve
  Mansions。
  〃A hair; perhaps; divides the false and true。 Yes; and a single alif were
  the clue Could you but find itto the treasure house; And; peradventure;
  to THE MASTER; too。
  〃Beware;     O   my   son;   of  self…incense。    It  is  the  most  dangerous     on
  account of its agreeable intoxication。 * * * Learn; O my beloved; that the
  light of Allah's truth will often penetrate an empty head more easily than
  one too crammed with learning。〃
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  TABLET THE TENTH
  Capricorn
  A deep; black ground; o'er which shimmers a phosphorescent light; at
  each side an aurora borealis rises; mountain like; above all; a tiny star。
  X
  REFLECTION
  TABLET THE TENTH
  Here is revealed the symbol of the messenger of the Most High。 The
  star hovers over the phosphorescent light cast on the darkness as the spirit
  hovers   over   the   blackness   of   matter。   The   aurora   borealis   stands   as   the
  emblem for the magnetic attraction of Earth on spirit; the Christ soon to be
  born    in  the  manger   of  the  Goat;   the  descent  of  the  Holy   Ghost   into
  material form; so that heavenly truth may illumine the drear speculum of
  earthly   thought   with   the   Divine   iridescence   of   celestial   light。   It   is   the
  lowest arc   of the   cycle   that reveals   the new  birth   of death unto   lifethe
  divine egg of Brahma; containing the promise of the new law: 〃Peace on
  Earth; good will towards men。〃
  O   child   of   Adam!   Be   thou   the   star;   and   not   a   dweller   of   the   outer
  darkness; and 〃Let your light so shine before men; that; they may see your
  good works。〃
  TABLET THE ELEVENTH
  Aquarius
  SYMBOL
  A stormy sea is seen; above it the eight stars shine; brilliant and clear。
  XI
  REFLECTION
  TABLET THE ELEVENTH
  This    tablet  symbolizes    the  complete    materialization    of  manman;
  perfect on the earth and the lord thereof; in so far as material forces are
  concerned。 The storm is the tempest of life; the whirl of the elements of
  matter in their battle with the spirit。 The eight stars; brilliant now (for they
  are the same stars that were dimly seen in Gemini); show that the conquest
  of matter is complete; the great fall of spirit finished; the end of involution。
  And   this   would   bring   stagnation   and   death;   if   peace   now   ensued。   The
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  lesson taught is that; not in peace and rest can the soul grow; but amidst
  the earthquakes   that   shake thrones; the  floods that overwhelm  countries;
  the fires that reduce to ashes; has the strong man…soul grown to its present
  state and power。 So fear not the storm; but the calm; not the unrest; but the
  quiet; fear not the battle; but the ignoble peace of the coward。
  O child of Adam! The astral soul must learn to do and dare。 Not over
  the brave man's grave shall it be written; 〃Rest in peace;〃 but 〃I will arise;
  and go to my father。〃
  TABLET THE TWELFTH
  Pisces
  SYMBOL
  A  comet;   beyond   it   infinite   things;   only   dreamed   of   as   yet;   a   world
  floating in an ocean and in night; beneath are two hands clasped palm to
  palm。
  XII
  TABLET THE TWELFTH
  A REVELATION OF THE TO BE。 The comet is the twelfth Avatar;
  the herald; coming forth from the starry abyss of the infinite; staying with
  us a little while; and then flashing on his shining way to other worlds than
  ours;   bearing    THE    DIVINE      WORD      from   sun   to  planet;  as  the  fiery
  messenger      of  God。   And    here  the  soul   may   well   ask:  〃Who?     Where?
  Whence and Whither?〃 For behold; he has come; and gone; and
  〃Earth could not answer; nor the seas that mourn In flowing purple;
  of their Lord forlorn; Nor rolling Heaven; with all his signs revealed And
  hidden by the sleeve of night and morn。〃
  The world floating in the sea of the infinite and resting in night shows
  the present state of humanity。 But; 〃the blush of dawn〃 is ready to gladden
  the soul; and the expectant seer; from his lonely vigil on the hilltop; awaits
  the sunlight which will soon flood the world anew。
  The    two    clasped   hands    point   to   many    problems;     chiefly   soul…
  matehood;   the   message   of   the   starry   messenger;   universal   brotherhood;
  and the Father…Motherhood of God。
  O   child   of   Adam!   Watch   and   pray;   that   a   voice   of   the   silence   may
  speak unto you。
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