Post by giovanni on Apr 5, 2006 15:31:39 GMT
THE MOUNTAIN AND THE CAVE
Bro René Guénon
A close relationship exists between the mountain and the cave in that both are taken as symbols of spiritual centers, as, moreover, for obvious reasons, are all ‘axial’ or ‘polar’ symbols, among which the mountain is precisely a principal one. In this connection let us recall that the cave must be considered as situated beneath or inside the mountain so as to be likewise an the axis, further reinforcing the link between the two symbols, which are in a way complementary to one another. In order to ‘situate’ them exactly in relation to one another, it must also be noted, however, that the mountain has a more ‘primordial’ character than the cave, which results from the fact that it is outwardly visible, and we might say that it is even the object most visible from all sides, while the cave on the contrary is, as we have said, a place that is essentially hidden and enclosed. It can easily be deduced from this that the representation of the spiritual center by the mountain properly corresponds to the original period of terrestrial humanity, during which the truth was integrally accessible to all (whence the name Satya-Yuga, the summit of the mountain then being Satya-Loka, or ‘place of truth’); but when, owing to the downward course of the cycle, this same truth became accessible only to a more or less restricted ‘elite’ (this coinciding with the beginning of initiation understood in its strictest sense) and became hidden from the majority of men, the cave became a more fitting symbol for the spiritual center and consequently for the initiatic sanctuaries that are its images. Through such a change, it could be said that the center did not abandon the mountain, but only withdrew from its summit to its interior; on the other hand, this same change is a sort of ‘inversion’ by which, as we have explained elsewhere, the ‘celestial world’, indicated by the elevation of the mountain above the surface of the earth, has become in a sense the ‘subterranean world’ (although in reality it is not the celestial world that changes, but the conditions of the outer world, and consequently the relationship between the two); and this ‘inversion’ is found represented by the respective schemas of the mountain and of the cave, which at the same time express their complementarity.
As we have said before, the schema of the mountain, as well as that of the pyramid and of the mound which are its equivalents, is a triangle with the summit pointed upward; that of the cave, on the contrary, is a triangle the summit of which points downward and so is the inverse of the former. (Figure 12) This inverted triangle is also the schema of the heart[1] and of the cup, with which it is generally assimilated in symbolism, as we have shown particularly with regard to the Holy Grail.[2] And if we add that these last symbols and their like refer, from a more general point of view, to the passive or feminine principle of universal manifestation or to one of its aspects,[3] while those represented by the upright triangle refer to the active or masculine principle, then we have here a real complementarity. On the other hand, if the two triangles are placed one beneath the other, which corresponds to the position of the cave tinder the mountain, we see that the lower triangle can be considered as the reflection of the tipper triangle; (Figure 13) and this idea of reflection quite aptly expresses the relationship between a derived symbol and a primordial symbol, in accordance with the already mentioned relationship between the mountain and the cave as successive representations of the spiritual center at different phases of cyclic development.
It may seem surprising that the inverted triangle should be represented here as smaller than the upright one, since, as a reflection, it would seem that it should be equal in size; but such a difference of proportion is not exceptional in symbolism. Thus, in the Hebrew Kabbalah, the ‘Macroprosope’ or ‘Great Visage’ has as its reflection the ‘Microprosope’ or ‘Lesser Visage’. Moreover, in the present instance there is a more particular reason: as regards the relationship between the cave and the heart, we have recalled the text of the Upanishads where it is said that the Principle, which resides at the 'center of the being' is ‘smaller than a grain of rice, smaller than a grain of barley, smaller than a grain of mustard, smaller than a grain of millet, smaller than the seed that is in a grain of millet; but also at the same time ‘larger than the earth, larger than the atmosphere [or the intermediary world], larger than the heavens; larger than all the worlds together.’[4] Now, in the inverse relationship of the two symbols under consideration the mountain corresponds to the idea of ‘greatness’, and the cave (or the cavity in the heart) corresponds to that of ‘smallness’. The aspect of ‘greatness’ refers to absolute reality, and that of ‘smallness’ to appearances relative to manifestation; it is thus perfectly normal that the first should be represented here by the symbol that corresponds to a ‘primordial’ condition,[5] and the second by the one that corresponds to a later condition of ‘obscuration’ and spiritual ‘envelopment’. If we wish to represent the cave as being situated in the very interior (or, one could say, at the heart) of the mountain, we need only place the inverted triangle inside the upright triangle in such a way that their centers coincide (Figure 13); the inverted triangle must then necessarily be smaller than the other so as to be entirely contained in it, but aside from this difference, the whole of the figure thus obtained is clearly identical to the symbol of the ‘Seal of Solomon’, where the two opposed triangles likewise represent two complementary principles, with their various applications. On the other hand, if the sides of the inverted triangle are made equal to half those of the upright triangle (we have made them a little less in order that the two triangles should appear entirely separate from one another, but it is in fact obvious that the entrance to the cave must he on the surface of the mountain and therefore that the triangle representing it ought actually to touch the outline of the other),[6] the smaller triangle will divide the surface of the larger one into four equal parts, of which one will be the inverted triangle itself, while the other three will be upright triangles. This last consideration, as well as certain numerical considerations connected with it, has no really direct bearing on our present subject, but we will doubtless have occasion to come back to it later in the course of other studies.
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[1] This representation can he related to the fact that the Arabic word for heart (qalb) literally signifies that it is in an 'inverted' position (maqlub). Cf. Titus Burckhardt, 'Concerning the Barzakh' [in Mirror of the Intellect (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, Albany, 1987), chap. 19].
[2] In ancient Egypt, the vase was the hieroglyph of the heart. The ‘cup’ of the Tarot also corresponds to the ‘heart’ of ordinary playing cards.
[3] In India, the inverted triangle is one of the chief symbols of the Shakti; it is also that of the primordial Waters.
[4] Chāndogya Upanishad III.14.3.
[5] It is known that Dante places the Terrestrial Paradise at the summit of a mountain; this location is, then, indeed that of the spiritual center in the ‘primordial state of humanity.
[6] One could say, according to the same schema, that if the mountain is replaced by the pyramid, the inner chamber thereof is the exact equivalent of the cave.
Bro René Guénon
A close relationship exists between the mountain and the cave in that both are taken as symbols of spiritual centers, as, moreover, for obvious reasons, are all ‘axial’ or ‘polar’ symbols, among which the mountain is precisely a principal one. In this connection let us recall that the cave must be considered as situated beneath or inside the mountain so as to be likewise an the axis, further reinforcing the link between the two symbols, which are in a way complementary to one another. In order to ‘situate’ them exactly in relation to one another, it must also be noted, however, that the mountain has a more ‘primordial’ character than the cave, which results from the fact that it is outwardly visible, and we might say that it is even the object most visible from all sides, while the cave on the contrary is, as we have said, a place that is essentially hidden and enclosed. It can easily be deduced from this that the representation of the spiritual center by the mountain properly corresponds to the original period of terrestrial humanity, during which the truth was integrally accessible to all (whence the name Satya-Yuga, the summit of the mountain then being Satya-Loka, or ‘place of truth’); but when, owing to the downward course of the cycle, this same truth became accessible only to a more or less restricted ‘elite’ (this coinciding with the beginning of initiation understood in its strictest sense) and became hidden from the majority of men, the cave became a more fitting symbol for the spiritual center and consequently for the initiatic sanctuaries that are its images. Through such a change, it could be said that the center did not abandon the mountain, but only withdrew from its summit to its interior; on the other hand, this same change is a sort of ‘inversion’ by which, as we have explained elsewhere, the ‘celestial world’, indicated by the elevation of the mountain above the surface of the earth, has become in a sense the ‘subterranean world’ (although in reality it is not the celestial world that changes, but the conditions of the outer world, and consequently the relationship between the two); and this ‘inversion’ is found represented by the respective schemas of the mountain and of the cave, which at the same time express their complementarity.
As we have said before, the schema of the mountain, as well as that of the pyramid and of the mound which are its equivalents, is a triangle with the summit pointed upward; that of the cave, on the contrary, is a triangle the summit of which points downward and so is the inverse of the former. (Figure 12) This inverted triangle is also the schema of the heart[1] and of the cup, with which it is generally assimilated in symbolism, as we have shown particularly with regard to the Holy Grail.[2] And if we add that these last symbols and their like refer, from a more general point of view, to the passive or feminine principle of universal manifestation or to one of its aspects,[3] while those represented by the upright triangle refer to the active or masculine principle, then we have here a real complementarity. On the other hand, if the two triangles are placed one beneath the other, which corresponds to the position of the cave tinder the mountain, we see that the lower triangle can be considered as the reflection of the tipper triangle; (Figure 13) and this idea of reflection quite aptly expresses the relationship between a derived symbol and a primordial symbol, in accordance with the already mentioned relationship between the mountain and the cave as successive representations of the spiritual center at different phases of cyclic development.
It may seem surprising that the inverted triangle should be represented here as smaller than the upright one, since, as a reflection, it would seem that it should be equal in size; but such a difference of proportion is not exceptional in symbolism. Thus, in the Hebrew Kabbalah, the ‘Macroprosope’ or ‘Great Visage’ has as its reflection the ‘Microprosope’ or ‘Lesser Visage’. Moreover, in the present instance there is a more particular reason: as regards the relationship between the cave and the heart, we have recalled the text of the Upanishads where it is said that the Principle, which resides at the 'center of the being' is ‘smaller than a grain of rice, smaller than a grain of barley, smaller than a grain of mustard, smaller than a grain of millet, smaller than the seed that is in a grain of millet; but also at the same time ‘larger than the earth, larger than the atmosphere [or the intermediary world], larger than the heavens; larger than all the worlds together.’[4] Now, in the inverse relationship of the two symbols under consideration the mountain corresponds to the idea of ‘greatness’, and the cave (or the cavity in the heart) corresponds to that of ‘smallness’. The aspect of ‘greatness’ refers to absolute reality, and that of ‘smallness’ to appearances relative to manifestation; it is thus perfectly normal that the first should be represented here by the symbol that corresponds to a ‘primordial’ condition,[5] and the second by the one that corresponds to a later condition of ‘obscuration’ and spiritual ‘envelopment’. If we wish to represent the cave as being situated in the very interior (or, one could say, at the heart) of the mountain, we need only place the inverted triangle inside the upright triangle in such a way that their centers coincide (Figure 13); the inverted triangle must then necessarily be smaller than the other so as to be entirely contained in it, but aside from this difference, the whole of the figure thus obtained is clearly identical to the symbol of the ‘Seal of Solomon’, where the two opposed triangles likewise represent two complementary principles, with their various applications. On the other hand, if the sides of the inverted triangle are made equal to half those of the upright triangle (we have made them a little less in order that the two triangles should appear entirely separate from one another, but it is in fact obvious that the entrance to the cave must he on the surface of the mountain and therefore that the triangle representing it ought actually to touch the outline of the other),[6] the smaller triangle will divide the surface of the larger one into four equal parts, of which one will be the inverted triangle itself, while the other three will be upright triangles. This last consideration, as well as certain numerical considerations connected with it, has no really direct bearing on our present subject, but we will doubtless have occasion to come back to it later in the course of other studies.
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[1] This representation can he related to the fact that the Arabic word for heart (qalb) literally signifies that it is in an 'inverted' position (maqlub). Cf. Titus Burckhardt, 'Concerning the Barzakh' [in Mirror of the Intellect (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, Albany, 1987), chap. 19].
[2] In ancient Egypt, the vase was the hieroglyph of the heart. The ‘cup’ of the Tarot also corresponds to the ‘heart’ of ordinary playing cards.
[3] In India, the inverted triangle is one of the chief symbols of the Shakti; it is also that of the primordial Waters.
[4] Chāndogya Upanishad III.14.3.
[5] It is known that Dante places the Terrestrial Paradise at the summit of a mountain; this location is, then, indeed that of the spiritual center in the ‘primordial state of humanity.
[6] One could say, according to the same schema, that if the mountain is replaced by the pyramid, the inner chamber thereof is the exact equivalent of the cave.