Hegelian Speculative Infinity:

Christ Consciousness in Manichaeism

12/2/12 Non-Western Traditions

Written by Pangur Agthaporus

We, the Eastern Manichaeans, refer to Light Messenger Jesus and/or Third Messenger, known to more formally as the Jesus of Splendor, with particular attention to his corporeality as being wholly divine. Before we begin to explain the Light Messengers nature, it must be said that presently, modern science is only beginning to grasp certain aspects of human beings metaphysical and/or spiritual nature, of which the world of illusion (understood in Buddhism as the Veil of Maya) demarcates human perception to its spurious confines. More generally speaking, the human mind and body, exist within its perceivable modal functionality of the material world of which, consisting of matter (hyle), is dialectically opposed to the soul (pneuma). In other words, - a fraction of what we perceive to be so, is nothing else short of what actually is so.1 So this, according to Newtonian scholars and topologist, locates Manis doctrine concerning human-beings existence within a dualistic universal battle between the Forces of Light (G-d) and Forces of Darkness (Satan). That is constantly being played out on a field of conscience and/or being that exists in several dimensions of time, which are known as, the primeval time of the separation of the two; the present time where they are mixed; and the future, a time when their separation will be reinstated.2 Because of the failures of the mind to capture the totality of its own existence and/or being, which is to suggest a complete separation of the physical aspects of his/her existence from the metaphysical, as is present in both mainstream academia and theology. The argument here is an attempt to bridge the contents of both modalities to offer new suggestions to Jesus corporeality. This, is not just a scholastic issue, but herein I refer to it as so, which is limited to, but somewhat paradigmatic to, mainstream accounts of scholars that continually place a dualistic frame on Manis mythological and doctrinal teachings. Such a wonted practice de-esoteroricizes many sacred texts, and prophetic individuals in human history, by placing their truth-value into material categories of modality which distance and denigrate conceptualizations or representations to mere idiosyncratic postulations. Which, perceptibly, obscures the totally possibility that the truth-value of their nature might be when trying to empirically describe time and space of prophetic individuals - who once lived, breathed, and preached in what is now known as the Gnosis of Antiquity. Thus, when trying to describe what might have been the True corporeality of Jesus. It would benefit our understanding to think of his being in terms of the unknowable and awesomeness that was, and is his imaginative operation and personal experience, in relation to G-d; as told through the various sacred texts that encompass the life of Jesus. As said before, a literary and historical brain surgery to try and understand how G-ds messenger, or possibly only begotten son, came to drastically alter the course of human history in profound ways that may indeed go beyond mere observations of reason. So if we apply a syncretic method to attempt to epistemologically understand Jesus corporeality, by doing this, we withdraw ourselves from what we actually think is so, and our ability to reason is trumped by our ability to use the full spectrum of human consciousness and/or existence. To which his imagination and human personality, when not confined to cultural materialist functionality, are limited only by the sacred texts, and particularly the interpretation, that helps us understand who Jesus was, and what in fact may have been his actual nature. But any empirical process that trys to describe Jesus or expound any sort of theophanic experience with the divine, is to place the specific variable in the confines of what is described more precisely in Aristotles Law of Identity, or why a thing is itself, which limits the spectrum of
1 2

(Hans-Joachim Klimkeit, Gnosis on the Silk Road, (p. 69) Ibid. (p. 5)

analysis to material modalities of philosophy, casting aside spirituality inherent in Jesus message. In this case, the dualism that is placed and/or identified within Manichean teachings, appear to be an insufficient explanation when compared to the complexity of his syncretic methodology, which is said to have been a muddling of various religious faiths in an attempt to garner conversion amongst other religious sects of the era. This may have indeed been the case, but such an argument is reductionist when compared to the literary complexity that encompassed their enigmatic hymns. So when debating the corporeality of Jesus, we begin a messy surgical process of literary interpretation of what his historical footprint is to reconstruct what is nature was- from the fragments of causality between various sacred texts - that adhere to the many faiths and beliefs enveloped by Manichean missionaries. And then to carefully construct the totality of Jesus nature, which consists of several thematic aspects: the Messenger of Light, the Messiah, and Jesus the Suffering. This can be understood more simplistically, as falling within the same manner of rational to which we find Mani placing his several modalities of time and space in his mythological account, that is profoundly remarkable. So when explaining Manichean cosmology in strict terms of its dualistic modal functioning it seems irreprehensible to suggest this relationship, because in any relation between an object and subject relation, there exists an intermediary space where the interactions of both interpenetrate and transcend into higher states of awareness. Indeed, any dualistic interpretations of Manis sect seems to devalue its gnostic precepts for it seems the people of antiquity had very visible and real sense of Gnosticism that was actively preached by people, in various ways, and known to all members of their respective societies. Thereby, using this syncretic framework we can begin to understand the utter complexity of Jesus true nature, as well as point out the shortcomings of cultural materialist interpretation that reduce the value of sacred texts. Through this process of continual re-interpretation of various texts concerning Jesus nature amongst the various religions who describe his existence, we can see how the process of historicizing, leads to concrete formulations, like the Nicene creed, that places an orthodox canon about his nature that casts aside the many other diverging points of view. So if we pay particular attention to these peripheral texts in juxtaposition to more normative ones, we can begin to understand Jesus corporeality with a level of genius that is required for such an undertaking epistemologically complex subject. As well as begin to uncover our own relationship to G-d, for it is Jesus, as others before him (Mani, Buddha, Zoroaster) that have been, as we Manicheans believe, sent to humanity in order to help illuminate the light within each of us (pneuma), and thus help man in his battle to fight back the forces of darkness that are present in both the world and his psyche. But this is to say that dualistic categories can be sublimated to just the material world and/or human psyche, because there is indeed a third level of consciousness that suggests that Jesus prophetic relationship to the Father of Greatness, which is an extension of his being wholly part of the Light to help and guide us in comprehending that we too are also of Divine origins of being, that belong to Light. Yet we lost this knowledge in the fall of Lucifer from Heaven, when indeed their seemed to be this cosmic divergence of the male and female qualities in the cosmic demiurge of the first creation. It would make sense that eventually there should be a synthesis of the forces of light and darkness, that appear to be dualistic, but in fact, are as Mani himself says, I saw All through him, and I became one body and one spirit [with him].3 Here we can find that there is an
3

Ibid (p. 3)

existential third space, with which the Realm of Light in attempting to defeat the forces of darkness, try to bring about the first creation of the first man (Adam of light) in the New Paradise.4 Thereby acting through divine emissary that consists of Jesus triadic manifestations (i.e. The Maiden of Light and The Great Nous), which are separated by living in either the Moon or Sun. Jesus and the Nous, help to re-establish this original oneness in the lost first creation period that of Adam to the future when the Perfect Man, Thus the wholly divine nature that is Jesus of Splendor refers to the ability of redemption between female and males qualities. While both Jesus the Messiah and Jesus the Suffering are understood as the sum of the Light suffering in Matter.5 The latter being a emanation of many differing manifestations of Jesus of Splendor to help and flush out the true interpretation of Jesus and the Nous.6 Thus, if we apply the same syncretic approach that Mani used as a method of expounding doctrinal and mythological systems of exegesis in a process of cosmic redemption to which his crucifixion personifies. And moreover, his resurrection which are seen, in our philosophy to symbolize the soul- that had been covered before in bodily form convalescences with its divine alter ego (a reason why Mary and Peter did not recognize Jesus). So when we try to put ourselves in Manis shoes, so to speak, it helps one to see how the utter complexity of mythological and doctrinal teachings seem to go way beyond a basic dualistic framework or systems of conversion to reveal a depth of Gnosticism that was, fairly conspicuous and challenging to other religious faiths of the time, as well as being persecuted furiously by Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and Hellenism every other. Thereby, we can see that the Light Messenger Jesus is the Nous, a hierophant teacher that helps us understand the lost knowledge of our original homes, whence the World of Light, we came.7 Take for instance the following hymn:
Lead me, [Father], to my own family! Fortunate is every man who in purity and truth Recognizes your skill, manliness and wondrous power, Oh G-d! To fulfill completely, oh G-d, your counsels and your commandments, I shall strive and wait (on you). I am ardent, by day and night. Earthly pleasures and things of the world, which Greed (Az) has avidly And cunningly prepared, Have I given up according to your counsel. Hear, Oh G-d, my supplication, and do not hesitate to accept my veneration and prayer. Lead me our of this poisonous deep! This is the way, this is the mystery, this is the great commandment and the gate of salvation.8

This Parthian hymn reiterates much of my former statements about the precarious situation that We, Manicheans find ourselves in. As such, we cannot limit ourselves to specific ways of understanding, but be open to existential gnosis of the texts themselves, which as we believe places Jesus the Splendor and Jesus the Messiah and/or Jesus the Suffering into relative norms, that are simplistically blasphemous in their attempt to encapsulate the very complex nature of Jesus. The call will be answered by those who see the Light in themselves, of which Ibid (p. 14-15) Ibid (p. 16) 6 Ibid (p. 12) 7 Ibid (p. 6) 8 Ibid (p. 59)
4 5

their true origins lay not within the realm of matter (natural world). And so when covered by darkness and suffering, we find that a familiar voice speaks to us in our darkest hour, we have reached Christ Consciousness that is enacted through the Column of Glory, and is simplistically a process of remembering whence we once came and to where we will return.