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Gnosticism: Demiurge & Dualism

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Gnosticism: Demiurge & Dualism
by Tau Malachi Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 5:22 pm

In answer to a question:

In all schools of Gnosticism the principle of the demiurge occurs in one form or another – a word
from Greek literally meaning “half-maker” or “false god.” In general, Gnosticism proposes that a
lesser god, the demiurge, creates the realms, worlds and universes of sentient existence, not the
True God – “God Most High.” This, of course, gives an appearance of Gnosticism as dualistic in
nature, for it appears that Gnostics speak of a “God of Light” and “God of Darkness” as two
completely separate and distinct entities; likewise, the language of ancient Gnostics, reflecting
the view of the demiurge as “creator of the world,” can sound very anti-world, striking a great
divide between the spiritual and material worlds. Among the various Gnostic schools such a radical
dualistic view may well, in fact, be the foundation of their teachings. However, other Gnostic
schools may hold a far more subtle and sublime view of the Divine and the demiurge than many
modern scholars, and even some modern Gnostics, realize. In other words, while some experts
might claim all Gnostic traditions are inherently dualistic in their view, or that all Gnostic
traditions view the spiritual and material worlds as opposed to one another, that may not
necessarily be the case.

In the study of the ancient Gnostic scriptures that have been found what is often not understood is
that, typically speaking, a Gnostic school has a body of inner and secret teachings that form an
oral tradition. What may be recorded in writing assumes a knowledge of the inner and secret
teachings given to initiates of the Gnostic mystery school – teachings that define the principles and
meaning behind the terms and symbols that are used. Thus, an actual initiate of one of the ancient
Gnostic schools reading one of the sacred texts of their school that has been discovered could very
well read an entirely different message and teaching than the modern non-initiate guessing at the
original meaning. The assumption of a radical separation between the True God and the demiurge,
as though conceived of as two distinct entities separate and apart from one another, may be an
excellent example.

In general, among some Gnostic schools, the most common Gnostic view of God is as “Divine
Mind,” and the generation of the “Pleroma” from which creation arises is generally conceived of as
Thoughts in the Divine Mind – various luminous emanations occurring as thoughts in the “mind of
the Divine,” and these in turn are the powers that create the cosmos (“Entirety”). In this model,
the demiurge, generally speaking, personifies the principle of cosmic ignorance – dualism that
arises in consciousness when there is a shift from primordial unconscious unity towards
individuation. This cosmic ignorance, of course, plays out among the great cosmic powers, and
throughout the spiritual hierarchies that form the metaphysical matrix of the universe, having its
greatest affect in the material dimension. In essence, this ignorance is an illusion of separation
that arises through a natural phenomenon of self-grasping in the individuation process, which
becomes the play of desire and fear based upon a subject/object relationship in dualistic
consciousness. On account of this ignorance, Thoughts of the Divine Mind, in effect, become
restricted and distorted, giving rise to mutations of the Divine Thoughts in a dualistic or
fragmented state of consciousness; creation (the “Entirety”) being the radiant display of the Divine
Mind manifest in this dualistic or fragmented condition. Thus, in this sense, the demiurge
(ignorance) is the “creator” of the realms, worlds and universes of sentient existence.

If this basic idea of God as “Divine Mind” is within and behind some of the Gnostic scriptures, then
all of the characters that are spoken about in the elaborate Gnostic cosmologies and theologies of
those scriptures are essentially personifications of principles in consciousness: all are aspects of
the Divine Mind, the One Being-Consciousness-Force, which though transcendent, is manifest as all
sentient beings. This would include beings-forces that are great cosmic powers, as well as those
throughout the entire hierarchy of beings-forces, including divine, admixed and dark forces, and
humans, animals and plants – literally, “all beings.” Though certainly speaking of the plight of
dualistic consciousness (the unenlightened condition), quite obviously, regardless of how dualistic
such Gnostic scriptures might sound, within and behind them there would be a more subtle and
sublime non-dual view.

Why use such seemingly dualistic terms in a mystical and symbolic language if the inner and secret
teachings are based upon a non-dual view? Well, it is all a matter of skillful means, for in the
unenlightened condition our experience is dualistic and the experience of dualism is our relative
reality – we must be guided from the unenlightened condition using our own experience as the
vehicle of enlightenment and liberation. After all, among the Gnostics the teachings are not so
much about a creed and doctrine to be believed, but rather the spiritual life and practice through
which the experience of Divine Gnosis occurs; hence, the generation of the Gnostic experience.

The assumption that the apparent radical dualism of many Gnostic schools is simply the Gnostic
answer to the “problem of evil” in the world versus the “goodness of God” may be true in some
cases; yet, it may be a misconception or oversimplification in other cases, for many Gnostic schools
may be using figures of speech to point at more subtle and sublime truths realized in the Gnostic
experience. Likewise, the actual view taught by some Gnostic schools may well be non-dual when
their actual intention and meaning is understood through an experience of the Divine Gnosis of
which they are speaking.

The Sophian Tradition of Christian Gnosticism is an excellent example, for though a non-dual view
underlies all of our Sophian teachings there are some provisional teachings that can sound very
dualistic, akin to what we read in many classical Gnostic scriptures. Likewise, among Sophian
initiates, within the same Gnostic lineage, there is a vast diversity of views held – some initiates
may even ascribe to a radical dualistic view, even though, generally speaking, the non-dual view is
the foundation of our lineage’s teachings and practices. It’s really all about what facilitates the
Gnostic experience for each individual and, perchance, brings about a state of Divine Illumination –
Divine Gnosis. Ultimately, all questions regarding the nature of reality, enlightenment or God must
be answered by the actual experience of enlightenment and liberation – this, in essence, is the
message of Gnostic teachings.

In the end, what we might have “believed” along the way matters very little, for the whole
purpose of the vehicle is the experience of the journey – the mind or soul-stream’s fruition in
enlightenment or unification with the Divine.

If founding one’s spiritual life and practice up a dualistic view facilitates the experience of Divine
Gnosis; then that view is useful, good and true – how wonderful! Likewise, if one enters into the
experience of Divine Gnosis through founding one’s spiritual life and practice on the non-dual view
– how wonderful!

May we be blessed with the View that bring our spirit home and gives us rest; amen.

Blessings & shalom!

by Elder Gideon Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 8:55 pm

Shalom Tau Malachi!

I very much appreciate the clarity of this post. Apart from the necessary tug-o-war between duality
or non-duality inherent in any individuation and self-knowledge, so much of the anguish arising
from "or" is tail-chasing in my experience. I find myself fluidly moving between the two, not for
some final answer for all time, but for what it may alleviate in a moment, much like a
prescription.
When I read in our forum that our inmost nature flickers between Ain (Nothingness) and Ani ("I"),
I'm reminded of a similar dynamic in the duality and non-duality of the Demiurgos with the True
God. I also recall a line from the Gospel of Truth where (paraphrased) all is contained by the True
God, though nothing contains "Him". Some Gnostics seemed to have conceived of these principles
not linearly, but concentrically, like principles within principles; each has its relative reality within
an ever greater reality.

Does it therefore understand what you've posted to ask if, in this context, the Demiurgos is
"surrounded" by the True God?

Gratefully,

Brothersmiley

Divine Mind
by Tau Malachi Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:11 pm

Salutations Brother Michael!

Yes, indeed, the demiurge is contained within the Divine, precisely! We may understand this by
looking into our own experience, as with any Sophian teachings on cosmology, theology or
theosophy; for whatever is spoken of the macrocosm (universal) is also found in the microcosm
(individual) – the macrocosm and microcosm is the radiant display of Divine Being-Consciousness-
Force, the “Divine Mind.”

The mind that is enlightened and the mind that is unenlightened is the same in essence and nature
– one and the same mind. Agnosis (ignorance) and gnosis (illumination) are states of mind. If this is
true in the microcosm, it is true in the macrocosm – “As above, so below; as below, so above.”

In speaking of the demiurge, this is ignorance or self-grasping – the misperception of the

phenomenon of self, whether at the individual level (microcosm) or the cosmic level (macrocosm).
The sense of self or the I-thought arises in the mind, but in ignorance it is perceived as having a
separate or independent existence apart from the ground of mind, even though all the while it is a
phenomenon of the mind, inseparable from the ground of mind, sharing the same fundamental
essence and nature as the mind itself. The demiurge is the personification of this principle on a
cosmic level, which plays out in the experience of individual sentient beings.

Consider the archons of the demiurgos which manifest in the mind as self-cherishing, pride and
arrogance, greed, lust, jealousy, dull stupidity, fear, anger, hatred, doubt and such; and consider
their apparent opposites, the virtues – all occur in the same mind. So it is with the Entirety and
Pleroma in the Divine Mind – all is in God Most High, all is contained in the Divine Mind.

In Gnostic scripture it is said that the demiurge believes itself to be self-made, and it says of
creation “I made this,” believing itself to be the highest power, unaware of itself dependent upon
the True Light. Does this not describe the state of our egotism – the unenlightened condition? If I
put an end to this in myself, is that not liberation from the “dominion of the demiurge” – all in the
mind?

This is not to say that gods and goddesses, angels and demons, archons or titans and such do not
have a relative reality as sentient beings of another order, nor is it to deny the relative reality of a
spiritual hierarchy extending beyond us; it is only to say that we can look and see it within us, as
well as beyond us. As we look and see all of this within us, we recognize how all of this is in the
Divine Mind, contained by the Divine Mind.

Whatever phenomenon – thought or emotion – may arise in the mind, the mind itself transcends it.
We can look and see this in meditation. Likewise, whatever arises in the Divine Mind, the Divine
Mind is transcendent of the appearance. The play of Light and Darkness may occur in the Divine
Mind, in God, yet the Divine Mind transcends the play of Light and Darkness; in this we may
understand how a dualistic view and non-dualistic view meet without contradiction.

(One may also get a sense of how a theistic view and non-theistic view meet in this, for if God is
understood as Divine Mind, then speaking of enlightenment in the context of God or No God is the
same – there is Enlightened Mind or Divine Mind, whatever one may elect to call it.)

What we are talking about could not be more practical, for through prayer and mediation we can
realize the nature of mind and experience liberation from dualism, liberation from the play of light
and darkness, birth and death, as we see in the person of the Risen Christ.

A person might say, “Meditation without form is superior to meditation with form,” yet this fails to
recognize the nature of mind and the nature of all that appears in mind. You see, whether form or
formlessness it is the same; all is Ain, No-Thingness. How, then, is meditation with form or without
form different? Form is formless, formlessness is form. This speaks to the Divine and creation, and
to all that appears – “Yahweh Elohim.”

Indeed, we must recognize the nature of mind, the ground from which all arises, in which all
abides, and into which all returns – in this we shall experience the Gnosis of God, the
enlightenment and liberation of the soul. One way of realization or another is not superior, for the
essential realization is the same, the enlightenment mind is the same – only when we are bound up
in dualism and the play of light and darkness does “saint” and “sinner” appear, or the apparent
separation of God and the demiurge.

All grasping, all attachment and aversion, is the play self-grasping, this is the play of the demiurge
and it is the motivating power of the gilgulim and the Entirety.

Consider the stories of Sophia giving birth to the demiurge, Yaldabaot, apart from her consort. Is
this not the radiant display of mind in ignorance, dualism? And when her consort, Christ the Logos,
comes to her, is this not the dawn of the Presence of Awareness through which the non-dual nature
of reality is realized; hence non-dual Gnostic Awareness? Indeed, in the union of awareness and
emptiness the mind is enlightened, it is Awakened.

Sophia is the emanation of God, the Divine Mind, as all sentient existence; she is the very nature of
mind, whether enlightened or unenlightened. Logos is the Presence of Awareness through which
the nature of mind is recognized and realized; hence the Christos is the union of Logos and Sophia
(hieros gamos – bridal chamber): Divine or Enlightened Being. This process of awakening, of course,
is ongoing throughout the Entirety – the Divine Mind (God) is being awakened in sentient beings.

To the extent that our present experience tends to be dualistic, and in the unenlightened condition
this world tends to be fraught with immeasurable sorrow and suffering, the use of a dualistic view
between God and the demiurge, and the spiritual and material, can be useful to Gnostic
practitioners at times; for grasping at name and form, and personal history, must be dissolved, and
attachment and aversion must be brought into cessation – as skillful means it can be useful, even
necessary in certain periods of development. However, view is simply part of a teaching and
method for realization, it is not a statement of the ultimate truth – the ultimate truth cannot be
spoken, but is realized through direct experience, Divine Gnosis.

It is important that we do not confuse the teachings and methods with the actual attainment of
Divine Illumination – all teachings and methods are provisional.

With this in mind, perhaps new vistas might open up in our study and contemplation of both
modern and ancient Gnostic scriptures, moving closer to the original intention of Gnostics taking
up the play of sacred writings.

May the Mother Spirit illuminate of study and contemplation, and may she bring our prayers
and meditations to fruition; amen.
Blessings & shalom!

by Cepelin Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:10 am

I agree with you completely.

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