The Gospel of Thomas (Part 8)

Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin

36

Jesus said, “Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear.”

I can only assume this is a reference to rites and rituals, which are abandoned along with personality view and doubt (in conditionality).

37

His disciples said, “When will you become revealed to us and when shall we see you?”

Jesus said, “When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and place them under your feet like little children and tread on them, then will you see the son of the living one, and you will not be afraid.”

The garments here are the five skandhas which must be discarded and turned away from for true mind to be realised.

38

Jesus said, “Many times you have desired to hear these words which I am saying to you, and you have no one else to hear them from. There will be days when you will look for me and will not find me.”

This might be referring to the Gnostic myth that Jesus was the first successfully divine messenger; others, such as an avatar called Baruch, manifested but failed. The last sentence may use ‘days’ metaphorically — referring to the days of creation: six days of action followed by the day of rest, when seeking ceases, and mind emerges as pristine awareness.

39

Jesus said, “The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge (gnosis) and hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed those who wish to enter. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.”

This truth — alchemy — was known to the priests of ancient Egypt. By legend, it was transcribed by Hermes Trismegistus (first scribe), whose lineage includes Moses. This seems plausible given the mystical depth of ancient script, as if the script were created rather than evolved. It may seem unlikely, as modern narratives suggest ancient humans were primitive. Buddhism suggests otherwise — that ancient humans didn’t need writing due to advanced psychic abilities.

Learning words creates an entirely artificial layer of perception. Words are perceptions entangled with personal meaning. Their apparent consensus is superficial. We might agree on what ‘danger’ means, but lengthy explanations reveal differences.

Words are Babel — a curse from the Demiurge to limit humanity. They may be seen as both tool and affliction as humanity declined morally. Socrates famously avoided writing for fear that its value is outweighed by its misuse and misinterpretation. Western philosophy expands with each generation — not necessarily because ideas evolve, but perhaps because humanity forgets. Written philosophy may reflect increasing ignorance, not increasing wisdom.

Words handicap us. They became necessary as humanity lost innate knowledge. What have we forgotten? Learning to write with one hand laterally divides the nervous system, exacerbating divided awareness.

Returning to Jesus: here he laments that wisdom — once accessible to all, perhaps exquisitely transcribed by ancient sages — was hidden away by priesthoods. Requiring rejection of wealth and power, this wisdom is forgotten even by the priests themselves.

In the final sentence, Jesus refers to the middle path straight up through the Tree of Life, where balance exists between intelligence (a function of self) and faith (a function of selflessness).

40

Jesus said, “A grapevine has been planted outside of the Father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed.”

To progress, one must sacrifice all prior concepts of self — desires, hopes, and dreams. One cannot become enlightened and remain the same being; the old self must give way to the new. Without mastering this stage, one cannot progress successfully. Attempting higher teachings without first addressing unresolved aspects of self risks allowing these fragments — the shadow or alter-self — to adopt the garments of wisdom and emerge as skandha demons that will tempt and obstruct.

The Buddha body exists in rudimentary form in every sentient being. To fully develop it, all concepts of self must be progressively abandoned. Even the tiniest residue maintains samsaric perception.