Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Manopubbangama
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Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by Manopubbangama »

I always thought the alchemy symbolism, asides from 'primitive chemistry' was at one point in time used to visualize an inner transformation.

No real 'evidence' for this but they are very interesting symbols to me for some reason.


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SarathW
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Re: Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by SarathW »

Interesting, but it makes more sense if you use the real thing (say real fire or water) instead of symbols for Kasina.
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Coëmgenu
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Re: Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by Coëmgenu »

Why do terra and earth have different symbols?

Why does fire have two different symbols?
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Sam Vara
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Re: Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by Sam Vara »

Coëmgenu wrote: Sat Nov 24, 2018 3:42 pm Why do terra and earth have different symbols?
I'm just guessing, but the former might refer to the world as a totality, and "earth" to matter or solid stuff as a substance.
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Re: Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by chownah »

I think that terra and earth refer to the same entity but terra is used in special circumstances like when the earth travels through a hoop to which some netting is attached.
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by Manopubbangama »

chownah wrote: Sun Nov 25, 2018 1:54 am I think that terra and earth refer to the same entity but terra is used in special circumstances like when the earth travels through a hoop to which some netting is attached.
chownah
From my understanding a lot of the 'esoteric' aspects of alchemy have been lost in history, so I highly doubt we will ever know.

Needless to say, this was an actual belief-system at one point in time and has left behind a lot of symbolism that is still present to this day.

I read a book awhile back, very esoteric, Le Mystere des Cathedrales, about symbolism found in European cathedrals from the Middle Ages: https://www.amazon.com/Fulcanelli-Alche ... cathedrals

I would imagine that the esotericism was born out of fear of persecution, as this was the time when 'heretics' such as Jan Hus were being burnt at the stake.
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Re: Alchemy symbols as Kasina

Post by Pseudobabble »

Manopubbangama wrote: Sun Nov 25, 2018 4:31 pm
chownah wrote: Sun Nov 25, 2018 1:54 am I think that terra and earth refer to the same entity but terra is used in special circumstances like when the earth travels through a hoop to which some netting is attached.
chownah
From my understanding a lot of the 'esoteric' aspects of alchemy have been lost in history, so I highly doubt we will ever know.

Needless to say, this was an actual belief-system at one point in time and has left behind a lot of symbolism that is still present to this day.

I read a book awhile back, very esoteric, Le Mystere des Cathedrales, about symbolism found in European cathedrals from the Middle Ages: https://www.amazon.com/Fulcanelli-Alche ... cathedrals

I would imagine that the esotericism was born out of fear of persecution, as this was the time when 'heretics' such as Jan Hus were being burnt at the stake.
Couple of books you might like: The Rosicrucian Enlightenment and
The Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age. Both by Francis Yates.
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"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.'" - Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta


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