About the Gospel of Eve

May 20, 2007

, " Sreenadh "

<sreesog wrote:

Dear All,

I happen to read something about the 'Gospel of Eve' (form

GnosticGospels ). The Gospel of Eve is known only from

one or two short quotations from the words of Epiphanius (310/20 -

402), bishop of Salamis*. He tells us that certain Gnostic sects

used it. As per Epiphanius, these are the words 'Jesus' as collected

by 'Mary' (probably Magdalene). As per this sect, Jesus himself was

the first teacher of the ritualistic practices and techniques they

followed. The quotations are as follows-

" I stood upon a high mountain and saw a tall man, and another of

short stature, and heard something like the sound of thunder and

went nearer in order to hear. Then he spoke to me and said: I am

thou and thou art I, and wherever thou art, there am I, and I am

sown in all things; and whence thou wilt, thou gatherest me, but

when thou gatherest me, then gatherest thou thyself. [Epiphanius,

Panarion,26.3.1] "

This is beautiful! Jesus standing at the hill, and Mary listening

to his words. It is a conversation between a guru and his disciples.

The guru is reflecting his revelation, and is not speaking to

anybody in particular. See the beauty of these words- " I am thou and

thou art I, and wherever thou art, there am I, and I am sown in all

things; and whence thou wilt, thou gatherest me, but when thou

gatherest me, then gatherest thou thyself. "

Jesus is just reflecting his revelation - " I am god and I am the

creation of god, where ever is the creation of god there I am, I am

present in all things, and when god takes them back, he is

collecting me, but when he is collecting me, he is collecting him

himself (because I am one with god) "

Jesus is expressing his consciousness. The experience of the

reality where the Creation, Creature, The Action of creation becomes

one, Where the Law, Law giver, and those that are governed by the

law becomes one. All enlightened men speak on similar terms – let it

be Krishna, Buddha, Mahaveera, Osho or Jiddu.

The soul (Microcosm) and the Brahma(Macrocosm) are one and the

same. Whether in this subtle spiritual sense or in the materialistic

sense. It cannot be the other way round! The soul is scattered and

is present everywhere – it is the feeling of Union – one with the

universe! " They say that the same soul is scattered about in

animals, beasts, fish, snakes, humans, trees, and products of

nature. [Epiphanius, Panarion, 26.9.1.] "

This is Tantra, This is Veda, This is Upanishad, and This is

Zen. 'Prenja' (Consciousness) and the total experience of

consciousness – always being in consciousness - (enlightenment) was

the same for the whole humanity from staring of human evolution to

till date. The experience is the same. But the description,

expressing it in words may differ as per the articulation

capabilities of the individuals. 'Vistaram Vastu saktita' –

elaboration depends on the capabilities and knowledge of the

individuals.

I loved and was greatly impressed by the above quote, and

therefore thought to share it with you all. One more observation of

Epiphanius attracted my attention. He says that details of theology

(which depends on the knowledge of non-experienced people) of these

Gnostic sects varied from one sub-sect to another. As per the sect

that used the 'Gospel of Eve'- " In outline the material world was

ruled by an evil " archon " or intermediate deity. The bodily flesh

belonged to this archon, and would not be raised up. " The info that

attracted my attention is the word 'archon' which is still used in

south Indian Dravidian languages which means 'King'. It is spelled

archon or arachan and finds its root in the Sanskrit word 'Rajan'

(King). This suddenly makes sense, and helps us in deciphering the

observation of Epiphanius. So the translated meaning of the above

words would be – " The material world was and is, ruled by an Evil**

King or Government. Our body and worldly actions belonged to,

controlled by, ruled by, them. We are forced to obey them. The

Government or any other moralistic law giver (e.g. religious

authorities) is the immediate ruler. But worshipping or obeying such

materialistic rules and laws and the ethics framed by them or the

rituals will not help us in spiritual upliftment. The laws of

spiritual upliftment are entirely different and comes from within.

The law of the divine is entirely different and is beyond the

classifications such as good or evil " .

[seek not the law in your scriptures, for the law is life,

whereas the scripture is dead. I tell you truly, Moses received not

his laws from God in writing, but through the living word. The law

is living word of living God to living prophets for living men. In

everything that is life is the law written. You find it in the

grass, in the tree, in the river, in the mountain, in the birds of

heaven, in the fishes of the sea; but seek it chiefly in yourselves.

For I tell you truly, all living things are nearer to God than the

scripture which is without life. God so made life and all living

things that they might by the everlasting word teach the laws of the

true God to man. God wrote not the laws in the pages of books, but

in your heart and in your spirit. They are in your breath, your

blood, your bone; in your flesh, your bowels, your eyes, your ears,

and in every little part of your body. They are present in the air,

in the water, in the earth, in the plants, in the sun beams, in the

depths and in the heights. They all speak to you that you may

understand the tongue and the will of the living God. – Jesus says

in 'Gospel of Pease']

Isn't that beautiful? He was a real rebel! [he taught quite

otherwise than the priests and scribes - 'Gospel of Pease'] By the

way the study of Gnostic Gospels (Gospels of Philip, Thomas (Brother

of Jesus), Eve, Judas, the Gospel of Pease etc) will reveal that the

path followed by Jesus is more related to the 'Tantric' system

followed by many people in ancient and modern India. Know that

in 'Gospel of Judas' Jesus speaks about the Calendar system related

to Yugas (72 Manuwantaras) and the division of Zodiac (12 Signs).

The understanding of the mutual correspondence of external Wheel of

Time (Kala-chakra = Zodiac) as reflected in sky (21600 min) and

internal Wheel of Time as reflected in human body (21600 breaths per

day) is arrived at and reveled by the 'Tantric Yoga' path, which

stresses on meditation & Yoga to have the experience of union with

the universe (enlightenment).

Love,

Sreenadh

Note:

* Note that Epiphanius was the bishop of Salamis (A person after

power), who wanted to spread Christianity. Therefore except the

(original looking) quotes he provides, don't believe in any other

info he provides, because the intention of de-grading the worship

methods followed by any other sects other than his own, would be

there fore sure. As per his own description, when the people of this

sect, in which man and women were free, and equally participated in

the worship of the divine, invited Epiphanius to participate in

their rituals " Epiphanius prayed to God, resisted the women, and

freed himself from the sect. He then reported them to the bishops,

who drove eighty of them from the city. " So he was the destroyer of

this sect, (into which Jesus himself belonged) rather than a

supporter of it.

** Let it be King, Government, religious authorities; people after

power is without exception, evil.

The accounts and texts related to 'Gospel of Eve' are from: Wilhelm

Schneemelcher, New Testament Apocrypha, James Clarke & Co-

Westminster/John Knox Press, Cambridge and Louisville, 1990, and

Philip Amidon, The Panarion of St Epiphanius, Oxford University

Press, 1990.

The accounts and texts related to 'Gospel of Pease' are from: The

Original Hebrew and Aramaic Texts. Translated and edited by EDMOND

BORDEAUX SZEKELY

MCMLXXXI. INTERNATIONAL BIOGENIC SOCIETY, 1981.

--- End forwarded message ---

May 20, 2007