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About Me Member General Poet PurificationByFire56/Male/United States Recent Activity Deviant for 5 Years
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Knowledge

Wed Dec 8, 2004, 7:43 PM
Here is an adaptation of a Sufi teaching. (It can be viewed as an analogy):
There are four levels of knowledge.
They will be illustrated using a moth and a flame.

1. A moth hears a rumor or receives a teaching from a wiser and learned moth concerning the flame, which it assumes is God. The wise one speaks truly and imparts much knowledge which spans mystical revelation and several of the physical sciences. The moth who truly hears the wise man has acquired the first degree of initiation, the Lore lf Certainty. He has not acquired the Truth, and he may not even believe the wise teacher, nevertheless he has achieved the Lore of Certainty.

2. A moth has heard of the flame and has traveled to investigate it. He sees the flame for himself and he realizes that the wise moth spoke truly. He also realizes that the teachings of the wise could not possibly do the flame justice. And the aspiring moth may even make some critical judgments himself adding to the Lore of Certainty. This moth has achieved the second degree of initiation, The Eye of Certainty.

3. A more foolish moth is not content with the knowledge he has gained once he has achieved the Eye of Certainty. He decides to go closer, to experience it more directly. In doing so he comes to close and his wings are singed. He becomes wise indeed because he has achieved the higher level of knowledge. He has not just seen the truth, but he has felt it. He has achieved the Truth of Certainty.

4. Another moth decides that even the Truth of Certainty is not enough. It suspects that there is still a higher level of initiation, although all of the wisest assures him that there is not, and that he would be a fool to try. Ignoring all advice he joins the flame and merges with it, thus achieving the highest degree of initiation. His very essence has become one with the flame. This the Essence of Certainty.

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Devious Info

  • Current Residence: Philadelphia
  • Interests: Art, History, Science, Myth, Philoshpy
  • Favourite movie: The Matrix
  • Favourite band or musician: Enigma
  • Favourite genre of music: just about all types.
  • Favourite artist: Salvador Dali
  • Favourite poet or writer: Lord Byron & Langston Hughes
  • Operating System: Windows 2000 Professional
  • Favourite game: Go
  • Favourite cartoon character: Dexter (Dexter's Laboratory)
  • Tools of the Trade: Paint Brushes and keyboards

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:iconthebluelotus:
Still breathing? ...Good. Expect payback soon for all your email spamming. Oh, and I want to re-photograph your paintings, and maybe scan whatever other work you have so you can upload it, but I'll work the details out with you via email.

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"Spiral Out, Keep Going..."
:iconabsinthyium:
You need your computer back!!!!!! damn you!!!

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Absinthyium-stock TheBlueLotus
:iconpurificationbyfire:
Sigh. I will begin to submit more within the next month. . . . I hope. Crisis after crisis. Death of a mother. Big time computer viruses. Lots of trouble. None of that seems to add up to good art. But come and annoy me anytime. (You never really annoy me, no matter how outrageous you get.)
:iconabsinthyium:
Submit more stuff or I'll come to your house and annoy you in person... you know I will... MWHAHAHA... it has been a while since we've anooyed each other, hasn't it?

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Absinthyium-stock TheBlueLotus
:iconpurificationbyfire:
Thanks to EyesOfUnknow & peacockmask , both have a really great artistic sense. I am new at this. New stuff will be kind of slow at coming for a month or so. I have lots of work, but most of it is does not photograph well. Photoshop is new to me. A friend, Absinthyium is teaching me.

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