Five Trees
Encyclopedia
"Five Trees" in Paradise
is a mysterious allegory or concept from famous Coptic
Gospel of Thomas
NHC 2: (gnostic library from Nag Hammadi
in Egypt
) 19th saying/logia
of Jesus
and other sources of religious mythology
.
Blatz Translation:
"Blessed is he who was before he came into being," is similar to other enigmatic statements commonly found in mysticism
across cultures, referring to the benefits of self-awareness (knowledge of one's true nature) before development of ego identity beliefs. "If you...listen..., these stones will minister to you," may refer to both "listening" to the true self within - which would allow one to accurately trace internal/cause from observing external/effects (physical reality/stones), or that only through this "self-awareness" are we able to understand Jesus' symbolic language and master external reality. The word, tree, is a creative (manifesting) symbol in Jewish and Christian sacred texts, descriptive of both ingesting (taking in) fruits and/or producing fruits (Genesis and Four Gospels).
In the Acts of Thomas
, Chapter 27, during an anointing ceremony, the apostle implores, "Come, elder of the five members of mind, communicate with these young men;" the five words for 'mind' according to Theodore bar Khoni (www.gnosis.org/library/actthom.htm) are the equivalents of hauna (sanity), mad'a (reason), re'yana (mindfulness), mahshebhatha (imagination), tar'itha (intention) - considered the Five Manifestations of the Father of Greatness which may provide the clue to the meaning of the five trees. These five would therefore be the causal factors in the experience of the Real.
Marvin Meyer writes: "The "five trees in paradise are mentioned frequently in gnostic texts, ordinarily without explanation or elaboration. In Manichaean Psalm Book 161,17-29, it is said that various features of life and faith are put together in groups of five. This section opens with the statement, 'For [five] are the trees that are in paradise [. . .] in summer and winter.' On the trees in paradise according to Genesis, see Genesis 2:9." (The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus, pp. 77–78)
: Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriah, Atzilut & Adam Kadmon - descriptive of dimensional levels related to the soul's progress toward unity with or return to the Creator. Generally understood as developmental levels of intentionality related to man's natural "desire to receive." The methodology for accomplishing this is considered the secret Science of Kabbalah - how to receive by correcting intention until a state of unity with pure altruism is achieved. One then becomes pure Creator (experience of the divine). Related to this, the concept of "reality as a mirror of desire" (pure desire = perfect results/impure desire = negative results), would correlate to the tree symbol as "productive" of paradise.
These developmental levels are in parallel with five Partsufim. And these are same as soul levels: Nefesh, Ruah, Neshama, Haya and Yehida. Possibly these important Judaico-Biblical concepts are most similar to "five trees".
Paradise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
is a mysterious allegory or concept from famous Coptic
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
Gospel of Thomas
Gospel of Thomas
The Gospel According to Thomas, commonly shortened to the Gospel of Thomas, is a well preserved early Christian, non-canonical sayings-gospel discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945, in one of a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library...
NHC 2: (gnostic library from Nag Hammadi
Nag Hammâdi
Nag Hammadi , is a city in Upper Egypt. Nag Hammadi was known as Chenoboskion in classical antiquity, meaning "geese grazing grounds". It is located on the west bank of the Nile in the Qena Governorate, about 80 kilometres north-west of Luxor....
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) 19th saying/logia
Logia
In New Testament scholarship, the term logia is a term applied to collections of sayings credited to Jesus. Such a collection of sayings of Jesus are believed to be referred to by Papias of Hierapolis...
of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and other sources of religious mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
.
Blatz Translation:
(19) Jesus said: Blessed is he who was before he came into being. If you become disciples to me (and) listen to my words, these stones will minister to you. For you have five trees in Paradise which do not change, either in summer or in winter, and their leaves do not fall. He who knows them shall not taste of death.
"Blessed is he who was before he came into being," is similar to other enigmatic statements commonly found in mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
across cultures, referring to the benefits of self-awareness (knowledge of one's true nature) before development of ego identity beliefs. "If you...listen..., these stones will minister to you," may refer to both "listening" to the true self within - which would allow one to accurately trace internal/cause from observing external/effects (physical reality/stones), or that only through this "self-awareness" are we able to understand Jesus' symbolic language and master external reality. The word, tree, is a creative (manifesting) symbol in Jewish and Christian sacred texts, descriptive of both ingesting (taking in) fruits and/or producing fruits (Genesis and Four Gospels).
In the Acts of Thomas
Acts of Thomas
The early 3rd century text called Acts of Thomas is one of the New Testament apocrypha, portraying Christ as the "Heavenly Redeemer", independent of and beyond creation, who can free souls from the darkness of the world. References to the work by Epiphanius of Salamis show that it was in...
, Chapter 27, during an anointing ceremony, the apostle implores, "Come, elder of the five members of mind, communicate with these young men;" the five words for 'mind' according to Theodore bar Khoni (www.gnosis.org/library/actthom.htm) are the equivalents of hauna (sanity), mad'a (reason), re'yana (mindfulness), mahshebhatha (imagination), tar'itha (intention) - considered the Five Manifestations of the Father of Greatness which may provide the clue to the meaning of the five trees. These five would therefore be the causal factors in the experience of the Real.
Marvin Meyer writes: "The "five trees in paradise are mentioned frequently in gnostic texts, ordinarily without explanation or elaboration. In Manichaean Psalm Book 161,17-29, it is said that various features of life and faith are put together in groups of five. This section opens with the statement, 'For [five] are the trees that are in paradise [. . .] in summer and winter.' On the trees in paradise according to Genesis, see Genesis 2:9." (The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus, pp. 77–78)
Senses
According to the Naassenes, paradise was the human head. It has been suggested that the "five trees" may parallel the five human senses which produce one's internal world view and belief system - knowledge of which is a requirement for purification and thus enlightenment or return to paradise/unity. However, the body's five senses - more synonymous with lower level egoism and learned misperception, would more likely be referenced as an impediment to reunion with the divine.Kabbalah
The "five trees" also could be interpreted as referring to the Five Worlds of the mystical Jewish KabbalahKabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
: Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriah, Atzilut & Adam Kadmon - descriptive of dimensional levels related to the soul's progress toward unity with or return to the Creator. Generally understood as developmental levels of intentionality related to man's natural "desire to receive." The methodology for accomplishing this is considered the secret Science of Kabbalah - how to receive by correcting intention until a state of unity with pure altruism is achieved. One then becomes pure Creator (experience of the divine). Related to this, the concept of "reality as a mirror of desire" (pure desire = perfect results/impure desire = negative results), would correlate to the tree symbol as "productive" of paradise.
These developmental levels are in parallel with five Partsufim. And these are same as soul levels: Nefesh, Ruah, Neshama, Haya and Yehida. Possibly these important Judaico-Biblical concepts are most similar to "five trees".
Hindu parallels
As noted from a Hindu reference page, which may also relate to The Gospel of Thomas's reference of the Five Trees, are the five trees of Indra's paradise. http://www.salagram.net/Sacred-trees.html There is theory that Jesus traveled to India during his "missing" years from in the Bible. This could support that theory.The five trees (panca-vrksa) which adorn Lord Indra's garden (Nandana) in his paradise (Svarga) are:
- mandara (Erythrina stricta) with scarlet flowers in horizontal clusters at the ends of branches; its shade relieves one of physical ailments and mental stress;
- parijata (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) with bark of gold, leaves of copper color, and fragrant, rejuvenate fruit; it arose out of the ocean of milk and was taken away by Indra to his paradise from where it was brought to Dvaraka by Lord Krsna at the instance of his wife Satyabhama. After the passing away of the Lord and the submerging of Dvaraka in the ocean, it was taken back to heaven;
- samtanaka, a tree of wonder having leaves which promote fertility in men; its identification remains obscure;
- haricandana or sandalwood (Santalum album
Santalum albumSantalum album or Indian sandalwood is a small tropical tree, the most commonly known source of sandalwood. This species has been utilised, cultivated and traded for many years, some cultures placing great significance on its fragrant and medicinal qualities. For these reasons it has been...
) well known for its fragrance and cooling effect, it keeps evil spirits at bay; and- kalpa vrksa or kalpa taru, the tree of eternity which emerged as a result of the churning of the ocean of milk; it was lifted to Svarga by Indra, and is frequently mentioned in Sanskrit literature for its wish-fulfilling quality.
See also
- Arich AnpinArich AnpinArich/Arikh Anpin is an aspect of Divine emanation in Kabbalah, identified with the sephirah attribute of Keter, the Divine Will....
- ChristianityChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
- Genesis
- GnosticismGnosticismGnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
- Gospel of ThomasGospel of ThomasThe Gospel According to Thomas, commonly shortened to the Gospel of Thomas, is a well preserved early Christian, non-canonical sayings-gospel discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945, in one of a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library...
- JesusJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
- KabbalahKabbalahKabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
- LogiaLogiaIn New Testament scholarship, the term logia is a term applied to collections of sayings credited to Jesus. Such a collection of sayings of Jesus are believed to be referred to by Papias of Hierapolis...
- MysticismMysticismMysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
- Nag Hammadi LibraryNag Hammadi libraryThe Nag Hammadi library is a collection of early Christian Gnostic texts discovered near the Upper Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945. That year, twelve leather-bound papyrus codices buried in a sealed jar were found by a local peasant named Mohammed Ali Samman...
- Partsufim
- Tree of LifeTree of LifeThe tree of life in the Book of Genesis is a tree planted by God in midst of the Garden of Eden , whose fruit gives everlasting life, i.e. immortality. Together with the tree of life, God planted the tree of the knowledge of good and evil . According to some scholars, however, these are in fact...
- Zeir AnpinZeir AnpinZeir Anpin is a revealed aspect of God in Kabbalah, comprising the emotional sephirot attributes: Chesed, Geburah, Tiphereth, Netzach, Hod and Yesod.The Zohar's imagery expoundes its role in Creation, where it is the microscopic equivalent of Arich Anpin in...