Literature Clues: The Fool

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 18 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jmd	18 Apr 2003
From the BRIHADâRANYAKA-Upanishad, IV Adhyâya, 4th Brâhmana, 17-22, which I'll give in two sections, as the latter makes it maybe just a tad too obvious: [17] He in whom the five beings and the ether rest, him alone I believe to be the Self, - I who know, believe him to be Brahman; I who am immortal, believe him to be immortal. [18] They who know the life of life, the eye of the eye, the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, they have comprehended the ancient, primeval Brahman. [19] By the mind alone it is to be perceived, there is in it no diversity. He who perceives therein any diversity, goes from death to death. [20] This eternal being that can never be proved, is to be perceived in one way only; it is spotless, beyond the ether, the unborn Self, great and eternal. [21] Let a wise Brâhma n a, after he has discovered him, practise wisdom. Let him not seek after many words, for that is mere weariness of the tongue. [22] And he is that great unborn Self, who consists of knowledge, is surrounded by the Prâ n as, the ether within the heart. In it there reposes the ruler of all, the lord of all, the king of all. He does not become greater by good works, nor smaller by evil works. He is the lord of all, the king of all things, the protector of all things. ... to be continued after some replies...

Melvis	18 Apr 2003
The Emperor? (Hmmm...I don't know if I want to win...how am I going to follow such excellent examples of prose? I guess I'll have to break out the Dr. Suess. ;) ) Peace, Melvis :TSTRE

Silverlotus	18 Apr 2003
My guess is Death.

jmd	18 Apr 2003
(now how will you give this glass of water? will it be balanced on your toes or... on your nose? who knows! but the cat in the hat (not stringed nor tied nor, I bet, zen tried!) 'tis good to read Suess even if I have none or less nor any in my house nor for my mouse!) but in terms of the answer... it ain't the Emperor (unless it's the one with no clothes :)) - nor Death - though I see how each they could be through the quote. More quote coming soon...

jmd	18 Apr 2003
[22 continued] He is a bank and a boundary, so that these worlds may not be confounded. Brâhma n as seek to know him by the study of the Veda, by sacrifice, by gifts, by penance, by fasting, and he who knows him, becomes a Muni. Wishing for that world (for Brahman) only, mendicants leave their homes. Knowing this, the people of old did not wish for offspring. What shall we do with offspring, they said, we who have this Self and this world (of Brahman)? And they, having risen above the desire for sons, wealth, and new worlds, wander about as mendicants. For desire for sons is desire for wealth, and desire for wealth is desire for worlds. Both these are indeed desires only. He, the Self, is to be described by No, no! He is incomprehensible, for he cannot be comprehended; he is imperishable, for he cannot perish; he is unattached, for he does not attach himself; unfettered, he does not suffer, he does not fail. Him (who knows), these two do not overcome, whether he says that for some reason he has done evil, or for some reason he has done good - he overcomes both, and neither what he has done, nor what he has omitted to do, burns (affects) him.

skytwig	18 Apr 2003
The Hermit.

jmd	18 Apr 2003
skytwig, you posted your response at precisely the time I posted the additional quote... it is not the Hermit, but hopefully the rest of the quote may help a little more!

skytwig	18 Apr 2003
See, I debated..... The Hierophant

Melvis	19 Apr 2003
Hanged Man. Peace, Melvis :TSTRE

jmd	19 Apr 2003
I find it so interesting that some of the clues given on the other thread I find so puzzling (especially ones which are afterwards mentioned being from songs) others have found so clear, and yet here, I am obviously confusing rather than clarifying what for me was so archetypically the Major Arcana card I am clue-ing. Allow me to highlight certain attributes from the quote (reference is especially to either the Marseille [tdm] or the Waite/Colman-Smith [rwcs]): [17] He in whom the five beings and the ether [rwcs] rest, [...] [18] They who [...] have comprehended the ancient, primeval [tdm] Brahman. [19] By the mind alone it is to be perceived [rwcs] , there is in it no diversity. [...] [20] This eternal being that can never be proved, is to be perceived in one way only; it is spotless, beyond the ether, the unborn Self, great and eternal. [for me, both tdm & rwcs - though this may confuse] [21] Let a wise Brâhma n a, after he has discovered him, practise wisdom. Let him not seek after many words, for that is mere weariness of the tongue [both tdm & rwcs - especially with the card's title] . [22] And he is that great unborn Self, who consists of knowledge, is surrounded by the Prâ n as, the ether within the heart [rwcs] . [...] [...] Wishing for that world (for Brahman) only, mendicants leave their homes [tdm] . [...] they said, we who have this Self [rwcs] and this world (of Brahman)? And they [...] wander about as mendicants [tdm] . [...] He, the Self, is to be described by No, no [good unintentional pun in the tdm] ! He is incomprehensible, for he cannot be comprehended [tdm] ; [...] he is unattached, for he does not attach himself [both tdm & rwcs] ; unfettered [both tdm & rwcs] [...]

Melvis	19 Apr 2003
Aha! The Fool! (I'm really hoping...) Peace, Melvis :TSTRE

jmd	19 Apr 2003
:):):)

The Literature Clues: The Fool thread was originally posted on 18 Apr 2003 in the Tarot Games & Fun board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Games & Fun, or read more archived threads.