The Kabbalah Unveiled — S. L. MacGregor Mathers (from Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin) (1887)
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31. The first principle and axiom of the Qabalah is the name of the Deity, translated in our version of the Bible, “I am that I am,” AHIH AShR AHIH, Eheieh Asher Eheieli . A better translation is, 44 Existence is existence,” or 44 I am He who is.”
32. Eliphaz Levi Zahed, that great philosopher and
Qabalist of the present century, says in his 44 Histoire He la Magie ” (bk. i. ch. 7) : 44 The Qabalists have a horror of everything that resembles idolatry ; they, however, ascribe the human form to God, but it is a purely hieroglyphical figure. They consider God as the intelligent, living, and loving Infinite One. He is for them neither the collection of other beings, nor the abstraction of existence, nor a philosophically definable being. He is in all, distinct from all, and greater than all. His very name is ineffable ; and yet this name only •expresses the human ideal of His Divinity. What God is in Himself it is not given to man to know. God is the absolute of faith ; existence is the absolute of reason, existence exists by itself, and because it exists. The reason of the existence of existence is existence itself. We may ask, 4 Why does any particular thing exist ? ’ that is, 4 Why does such or such a thing exist ? ’ But we cannot ask, without its being absurd to do so, 4 Why does existence exist ? ’ For this would be to suppose existence prior to existence.” Again, the same author says (ibid. bk. iii. ch. 2) : 44 To say, 4 1 will believe when the truth of the dogma shall be scientifically proved to me,’ is the same as to say, 4 1 will believe when I have nothing more to believe, and when the dogma shall be destroyed as dogma by becoming a scientific theorem.’
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KABBALAH.
That is to say, in other words : 1 I will only admit the Infinite when it shall have been explained, determined,, circumscribed, and defined for my benefit ; in one word, when it has become finite. I will then believe in the' Infinite when I am sure that the Infinite does not exist. I will believe in the vastness of the ocean when I shall have seen it put into bottles.’ But when a thing has been clearly proved and made comprehensible to you, you will no longer believe it — you will know it.”
33. In the “ Bhagavadgita,” ch. ix., it is said : “ I am
Immortality and also death ; and I, O Argana ! am that which is and that which is not.” * And again (ch. ix.) : “ And, 0 descendant of Bharata ! see wonders in numbers, unseen before. Within my body, 0 Guda-- kesa ! see to-day the whole universe, including everything movable and immovable, all in one.” And again ( ibid.y Arguna said : “ 0 Infinite Lord of the Gods ! 0 Thou who pervadest the universe ! Thou art the Indestructible, that which is, that which is not, and what is beyond them. Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient One ; Thou art the highest support of this universe. By Thee is this universe pervaded, 0 Thou of the infinite forms .... Thou art of infinite power, of unmeasured glory ; Thou pervadest all, and therefore Thou art all ! ”