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.
“Le Bien Universel est en nous, est nous mêmes et n'est pas nous”? This is exactly the Dionysian doctrine.. Each must enter into himself and so must find Some thing that is his true Self and yet is not his particular self. His true being is deep within his soul and yet in Something Other than his individuality which is within his soul and yet outside of him. We may compare St. Augustine’s words: “I entered into the recesses of my being... and saw... above my mind an Unchanging Light.2 Where, then, did I find Thee except in Thyself above myself?” *
Now for the actual experience of Unknowing and of the Negative Path that leads to it. The finest description of this, or at least of the aspiration after it, is to be found in the following passage from the Confessions of St. Augustine:°
“Could one silence the clamorous appetites of the body; silence his perceptions of the earth, the water, and the air; could he silence the sky, and could his very soul be silent unto itself and, by ceasing to think of itself, transcend self-consciousness; could he silence all dreams and all revelations which the mind can image; yea, could he entirely silence all language and all symbols and every transitory thing—
“The Universal Good is within us, is ourselves, and is not us”? This is exactly the Dionysian doctrine. Each must enter into himself, and so must find Something that is his true Self and yet is not his particular self. His true being is deep within his soul, and yet in Something Other than his individuality, which is within his soul and yet outside him. We may compare St. Augustine’s words: “I entered into the recesses of my being... and saw... above my mind an Unchanging Light.2 Where, then, did I find You, except in Yourself, above myself?” *
Now for the actual experience of Unknowing, and of the Negative Path that leads to it. The finest description of this—or at least of the aspiration after it—is found in the following passage from the Confessions of St. Augustine:°
“If one could silence the clamorous appetites of the body; silence his perceptions of the earth, the water, and the air; if he could silence the sky, and his very soul could be silent to itself and, by ceasing to think of itself, transcend self-consciousness; if he could silence all dreams and all revelations that the mind can image; yes, if he could silence entirely all language and all symbols and every transitory thing—