On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
to have any self-consciousness and possesses a God-consciousness instead. This would be a mere merging of the personality, but that the Godhead, according to D., is of such a paradoxical nature as to contain all the creatures fused and yet distinct (Intr., p. 28) so the self is merged on one side of its being and distinct on the other. If I lose myself in God, still it will always be “I” that shall lose myself There.
1 This simile shows that the Via Negativa is, in the truest sense, positive. Our “matter-moulded forms” of thought are the really negative things. (Cf. Bergson.) A sculptor would not accept a block of ice in place of a block of marble (for ice will not carve into a statue); and yet the block of marble is not, as such, a statue. So, too, the Christian will not accept an impersonal God instead of a personal God (for an impersonal Being cannot be loved), and yet a “personal” God is not, as such, the Object of the Mystical quest. The conception of Personality enshrines, but is not, the Ultimate Reality. If D. were open to the charge of pure negativity so often brought against him, he would have wanted to destroy his block of marble instead of carving it.
2 Namely, in the Divine Names and in the Outlines; see Chap. III.
3 In the Divine Names D. begins with the notion of Goodness (which he holds to be possessed by all things) and proceeds thence to Existence (which is not possessed by things that are either destroyed or yet unmade), and thence to Wisdom (which is not possessed either by unconscious or irrational forms of Life), and thence to qualities (such as Righteousness, Salvation, Omnipotence) or combinations of opposite qualities (such as Greatness and Smallness) which are not, in the full sense, applicable to any creature as such. Thus by adding quality to quality és Eee Yuta. Goodness,” “Life” to ‘Existence “Wisdom” “Life,” “Salvation,” etc., to “Wisdom”) he reaches the ashes of God. But he constantly reminds us in the Divine Names that these qualities apply adequately only to the manifested Godhead which, in Its ultimate Nature, transcends them.
to have any self-consciousness and possesses a God-consciousness instead. This would be a mere merging of the personality, were it not that the Godhead, according to D., is of so paradoxical a nature as to contain all the creatures fused and yet distinct (Intr., p. 28); so the self is merged on one side of its being and distinct on the other. If I lose myself in God, it will still always be “I” that shall lose myself There.
1 This simile shows that the Via Negativa is, in the truest sense, positive. It is our “matter-moulded forms” of thought that are the really negative things. (Cf. Bergson.) A sculptor would not accept a block of ice in place of a block of marble, since ice will not carve into a statue; and yet the block of marble is not, as such, a statue. In the same way, the Christian will not accept an impersonal God instead of a personal God, since an impersonal Being cannot be loved; and yet a “personal” God is not, as such, the Object of the Mystical quest. The conception of Personality enshrines the Ultimate Reality, but is not that Reality. If D. were guilty of the pure negativity so often charged against him, he would have wanted to destroy his block of marble instead of carving it.
2 That is, in the Divine Names and in the Outlines; see Chap. III.
3 In the Divine Names D. begins with the notion of Goodness, which he holds to be possessed by all things. From there he proceeds to Existence, which is not possessed by things that are either destroyed or not yet made; then to Wisdom, which is not possessed by unconscious or irrational forms of Life; and then to qualities (such as Righteousness, Salvation, Omnipotence), or combinations of opposite qualities (such as Greatness and Smallness), which are not, in the full sense, applicable to any creature as such. Thus by adding quality to quality (“Existence” to “Goodness,” “Life” to “Existence,” “Wisdom” to “Life,” “Salvation,” etc., to “Wisdom”) he reaches the ashes of God. But he constantly reminds us in the Divine Names that these qualities apply adequately only to the manifested Godhead, which in Its ultimate Nature transcends them.