Home 2019 December 19 Spiritual Transformation Described in Egyptian Book of the Dead

Spiritual Transformation Described in Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a wonderful compilation of ancient texts that describe passages of the deceased through the process of death. It is known that the ancient Egyptian culture had a lifestyle that revolved around preparation for what will come after the physical body dies. In that sense those people have placed a great emphasis on leading a life that is just, compassionate, and that will move them towards attaining wisdom. Many also struggled to completely break free of the chains that tied them to this physical world, so that they could become divine beings, often time shown as being transformed into some kind of a bird, such as falcon or swallow, or a god, or something else that depicts a higher form of life. Most of texts in this compilation describe processes of those who in their earthly lives struggled to reach a high stage of the spiritual work (or a full completion of it), and have succeeded.

In the following text is a chapter that describes a person who have done a significant part of the spiritual work in her earthly life and her process of death, which includes passing through the judging hall of god Anpu (Anubis), exiting from it successfully, and is also describing this person pleading to be granted a higher life. It goes like this:

The Chapter of Making the Transformation Into a Swallow

The overseer of the house of the overseer of the seal, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am a swallow, I am a swallow. I am the Scorpion, the daughter of Ra. Hail, ye gods, whose scent is sweet; hail, ye gods whose scent is sweet! Hail, Flame, who cometh forth from the horizon! Hail, thou who art in the city, I have brought the Warden of his Bight therein. O stretch out unto me thy hand so that I may be able to pass my days in the Pool of Double Fire, and let me advanced with my message, for I have come with words to tell. O open thou the doors to me and I will declare the things which have been seen by me.

“Horus hath become the divine prince of the Boat of the Sun, and unto him hath been given the throne of his divine father Osiris, and Set, that son of Nut, lieth under the fetters which he had made for me. I have made a computation of what is in the city of Sekhem, I have stretched both my hands and arms at the word of Osiris, I have passed on to judgement, and I have come that I may speak; grant that I may pass on and declare my tidings. I enter in, I am judged, and I come forth worthy at the gate of Neb-er-tcher. I am at the great place of the passage of souls, I have done away with my sins, I have put away my offences, and I have destroyed the evil which appertained unto my members upon earth.

“Hail, ye divine beings who guard the doors, make ye for me a way, for, behold, I am like unto you. I have come forth by day, I have journeyed on my legs, I have gained the mastery over my footsteps before the God of Light, I know the hidden ways and the doors of Sekhet-Aarru, verily I, even I, have come, I have overthrown mine enemies upon earth, and yet my perishable body is in the grave.”

Author: Dario

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