“ Gnosis is customarily interpreted as the search of an absolute and liberating knowledge.”
The Word Gnosis
Through dictionaries we can affirm today that the word “Gnosis” is Greek and that in a general sense simply means “knowledge.” But in the most profound sense it has meant in many eras of humanity, the resurgence of a current linked to the explanation of the physical and metaphysical phenomena of man.
In a more descriptive manner, Theodotus identified Gnosis with the liberating knowledge of a series of matters:
“What were we? What have we become? Where were we? Where have we been cast? Where are we going? From what do we liberate ourselves? What is birth? What is rebirth?”
(excerpt from Theodotus.)
As an answer to these mysteries of existence, doctrinal development arises: man substantially tends towards union with the Absolute, the authentic and perfect, although ineffable. Know then, due to a specific destiny, man resides in exile in an imperfect world which imprisons and troubles him. The only path to liberation is knowledge of himself and the recognition of his separation from an ineffable and divine consciousness.
The fall of degenerated man is the foundation of the Theology of all ancient nations. Plato also bore witness in this manner, that such was the doctrine of the Orphics and that he himself taught it. According to Philolaos, the Pythagorean (5th century BC) ancient philosopher said that psychic material, the human essence, was imprisoned within the “I” as in a tomb, as punishment for some error.
Gnosticism is in itself a verbal or grammatical structure which encompasses the idea of doctrinal systems of East and West that intend to return to consciousness, conditioned by animal Ego, its original state of infinity and universality. “The one who attains knowing in this manner knows where he has come from and where he is going. He knows like the drunk, who has regained awareness, that he has recovered what is proper to him.” (Gospel of Truth, The Nag Hammadi Library)
Basically, Gnostic studies begin with a correct relationship with oneself, in other words, with consciousness, its cosmic origin, its fall into the world of forms which is governed by fatality and the law of birth and death; the necessity that consciousness be awakened by its superior counterpart, in order to be able to reintegrate himself to his primitive state.
If it is true that we should take into consideration in any Gnostic system its Hellenistic oriental elements, including those of Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, India, Palestine, Egypt, etc., we should never ignore the Gnostic principles perceptible in the sublime religious worships of the Nahuatl, Toltec, Aztec, Zapotec, Maya, Chibcha, Inca, Quechua, Hopi Lakota, Sioux and other Native American cultures.
The basic principles of the great universal wisdom are always identical. Both the Buddha, like Hermes Thrismegistus, Quetzalcoatl or Jesus of Nazareth, and other great men, delivered a message and each of these messages from Above, in themselves, contain identical principles of a completely impersonal and universal type.
Gnosis, the initiatic science, the science of cosmic knowledge, is the synthesis of all doctrines; that is why the variants of its name are many, existing in each language.
The Greek word Gnosis, is but the Latin “Jina” rendered into English. Its true writing (doctrine) is derived from the Pharsi and Arabic; originally it was not “Jina” but “Djin” or “Djinn,” and this is how we find it used by many authors.
Jan, Chhan, or Kan, Dan, Dzan, D’jan, Jain, Jian, Ioan, Kwan, Swan, Thanos, Thoan, Choan, all equivalents of Jana, Yana, Gnana, Gnosis, Knowledge.
In a more descriptive manner, Theodotus identified Gnosis with the liberating knowledge of a series of matters:
“What were we? What have we become? Where were we? Where have we been cast? Where are we going? From what do we liberate ourselves? What is birth? What is rebirth?”
(excerpt from Theodotus.)
As an answer to these mysteries of existence, doctrinal development arises: man substantially tends towards union with the Absolute, the authentic and perfect, although ineffable. Know then, due to a specific destiny, man resides in exile in an imperfect world which imprisons and troubles him. The only path to liberation is knowledge of himself and the recognition of his separation from an ineffable and divine consciousness.
The fall of degenerated man is the foundation of the Theology of all ancient nations. Plato also bore witness in this manner, that such was the doctrine of the Orphics and that he himself taught it. According to Philolaos, the Pythagorean (5th century BC) ancient philosopher said that psychic material, the human essence, was imprisoned within the “I” as in a tomb, as punishment for some error.
Gnosticism is in itself a verbal or grammatical structure which encompasses the idea of doctrinal systems of East and West that intend to return to consciousness, conditioned by animal Ego, its original state of infinity and universality. “The one who attains knowing in this manner knows where he has come from and where he is going. He knows like the drunk, who has regained awareness, that he has recovered what is proper to him.” (Gospel of Truth, The Nag Hammadi Library)
Basically, Gnostic studies begin with a correct relationship with oneself, in other words, with consciousness, its cosmic origin, its fall into the world of forms which is governed by fatality and the law of birth and death; the necessity that consciousness be awakened by its superior counterpart, in order to be able to reintegrate himself to his primitive state.
If it is true that we should take into consideration in any Gnostic system its Hellenistic oriental elements, including those of Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, India, Palestine, Egypt, etc., we should never ignore the Gnostic principles perceptible in the sublime religious worships of the Nahuatl, Toltec, Aztec, Zapotec, Maya, Chibcha, Inca, Quechua, Hopi Lakota, Sioux and other Native American cultures.
The basic principles of the great universal wisdom are always identical. Both the Buddha, like Hermes Thrismegistus, Quetzalcoatl or Jesus of Nazareth, and other great men, delivered a message and each of these messages from Above, in themselves, contain identical principles of a completely impersonal and universal type.
Gnosis, the initiatic science, the science of cosmic knowledge, is the synthesis of all doctrines; that is why the variants of its name are many, existing in each language.
The Greek word Gnosis, is but the Latin “Jina” rendered into English. Its true writing (doctrine) is derived from the Pharsi and Arabic; originally it was not “Jina” but “Djin” or “Djinn,” and this is how we find it used by many authors.
Jan, Chhan, or Kan, Dan, Dzan, D’jan, Jain, Jian, Ioan, Kwan, Swan, Thanos, Thoan, Choan, all equivalents of Jana, Yana, Gnana, Gnosis, Knowledge.
