Book of Law Study Group 1.35

RLG

This is one of a handful of verses that are recursive, i.e., they refer to the text itself. The Book is threefold, meaning it has three chapters. The simple self-definition of the text insures that no further writings can lay claim to being the 'fourth chapter' of the Book of the Law.

Although this is obviously the surface meaning of the verse, my own researches have also shown that the idea of the number 3 is embedded very deeply in the qabalah of the new aeon, as shown to Crowley later in his book Liber Trigrammaton, where 'threefold' images, (trigrams made up of three lines), are composed of the three symbols of Tao, Yang and Yin. So it is possible that the triune nature of the Book of the Law, and the three primary voices it contains, are an adumbration of a more generalized trinity to be revealed to AC in the future.
 

Grigori

RLG said:
Although this is obviously the surface meaning of the verse, my own researches have also shown that the idea of the number 3 is embedded very deeply in the qabalah of the new aeon, as shown to Crowley later in his book Liber Trigrammaton, where 'threefold' images, (trigrams made up of three lines), are composed of the three symbols of Tao, Yang and Yin. So it is possible that the triune nature of the Book of the Law, and the three primary voices it contains, are an adumbration of a more generalized trinity to be revealed to AC in the future.

Thanks RLG, I've been wondering what this line could mean beyond the number of chapters included. I was reading this morning commentary on Crowley's ritual Liber V Vel Reguli, and the importance Crowley placed on the three horizontal paths of the Tree of Life, crossing the middle pillar, which forms the sigil of the traditional Hierophant (Pope). It also reminded me of the symbol on the Hierophant card with the three interlocking rings, also seen on the Ace of Cups. The change from three separate lines to three interlocking circles is interesting to think about.

The connection to Taoist philosophy is interesting, and something that has stood out to me in other verses also. I've not heard of Liber Trigrammaton so will have to search it out. I was thinking the other day how puzzling it is to see so much similarity to Taoist philosophy in Thelema. From the timeline, I would have assumed Taoist philosophy would fall cleanly into the prior aeon, and yet from the small bit that I know about it, it really doesn't seem very Osirian at all. Perhaps that explains why Crowley embraced it so eagerly, and made relationships between the trigrams of the I-Ching and his tarot.
 

ravenest

And repeating the previous three fold ; Law, ritual, ordeal?
 

Beira

It is certainly interesting how the number three and Taoist philosophy agree with Thelema.
I can see how the Law, rituals and ordeals may refer to Nuit, Hadit and Ra Hoor Khuit..
Something all-comprehensive (Law), something to "Go in search" (rituals), and something very challenging (ordeals) and hard to overcome that brings a new level of awareness..

I haven't read Liber Trigrammaton either.
I was looking for AC's interpretation of the I King as I find it a very elegant and "on the spot" divination system.
I have the classic translation by Whilelm but I find it hard to follow the evolution of the hexagrams in the order he has put them.
I have read somewhere in AC's works that what most fascinated him about the hexagrams was how one springs from the previous and evolves in the next.
This definitely doesn't happen in my copy of the book.
I look forward to have a look to Liber Trigrammaton so that I can fond the right order to study them so to be able to apreciate yet this other level, and also to see AC's comments on them.
I reckon Liber Trigrammaton is in Class A so it was consider inspired and holy..
Pherhaps this time I'll learn to use the I Ching by myself without relying on online programs for the interpretation..