The Braid

The Braid By Damián Folch

Copyright © 2004 Damián Folch.

BOOK ONE

The Book of Truth It was a cozy though unfathomable cave that I came to visit by direction of the most humble people in this world. People that by respect, I shall not reveal their names; nor I shall give the name of the valley, nor the mountain about that valley, nor the cave in that mountain, nor will I write the name of the shamanic woman, which lived in that cave, to which I have traveled so far to see. I shall only mention that this place lies in the lush jungles of Africa, the cradle of humanity… As I approached the entrance of the valley with my two guides we met a single woman that led us across the jungle towards the mountain. Closer to the cave, four other women appeared. Together, the five women stood still with an expecting gaze. “I have traveled across the world, “ I spoke slowly, giving time for my guide to translate, “to find a resolution to a great distress. I ask an audience with the Great Mother, in hope that she can help.” Saying this, the five women led us on towards the cave. Long before we came up to the entrance of the cave, I realized and to my surprise, that my two guides had opted to stay behind without my notice. I did not stop, but it was the first and only time during my journey I feared, thinking I had been betrayed and led into a trap. But the fear quickly subsided as I laid my eyes once again on the five smiling women. How could I feel threatened by them? Undressed and unarmed, joyously they welcome my visit without wary allurements. My desire to follow on was not even sexual. It was my choice to continue, no persuasion, no obligation. From that point on they led me by the hand, with a soft enlightening song. The climb towards the cave along the side of the mountain and through the thick jungle went almost without my notice, as I was walking in an anesthetic nursing peace. I was suckling the drips of light that cascaded through the trees. I contemplated all the beautiful insects that buzzed through the still air dazzling in brilliance. The flowers gave me sensations beyond sight and smell. And I drank the contemplating stare of the wild cat that followed our accent. I cannot restrain myself from describing the beauty of the cave, for it was made of dark marble, the glistening surface barely revealing what the color disguised. Every border curved, without jagged edges; the surface, so smooth, it appeared to have been carved by an artistic god. A majestic arch, some twenty meters from end to end, forever hidden from direct sunlight by the foliage of gigantic trees. Within the impenetrable shadow of the cave sat the Great Mother. An ancient woman, who few, if any still living today, have seen her face as she has never left the shadows of the cave once she entered when young. A priestess of mystical power, people came to her for healing. Blind of sight yet wise in her insight of the human nature, with words she enlightened those who seek for answers to their problems. Accompanying her were ten women, five of which welcomed me. Of various ages, these have been all mothers that have lost their children or family for whatever reason and now lived devoted to her assistance. Like ten digits, forming two hands of support: a providing hand and a greeting hand; they were an extension of the wise woman. It was they who called the old priestess, Nammai, a title meaning “grandest mother”. Childless mothers which have become daughters of a mother-child. Theirs was a position of high prestige, a privilege to have taken the place of many others before, to attend the Great Mother. Now the child has become an old woman and soon the time will come when a new child will be elected—a child, forever to be hidden from the light; to become the mother within the womb, within the dark and humid comfort of the cave. One, who will

become blind for lack of light and be taught to see the world with knowledge, through the eyes of childless mothers. I was brought within a step of the marble ground of the cave, to stand over a clean granite stone. There I was stripped of my garments and washed by the other five women (those of the providing hand). Afterwards, I was dried and offered a gift: a small braided string apparently made from gold, silver, and copper. They stood quietly and waited. I stood there with the braid on my hand expecting a signal. It became evident that I was to step naked within the shadows of the cave. As I did, a short hum from within the cave stopped me from going too far, and I sat on the polished marble stone, crouched in the darkness. A short moment passed before I felt the presence of five women around me. I presumed them to be the members of the providing hand since they were there to wash me. They lay before me a flask of burning weed, and from the darkness the shamanic woman began to talk in a language totally foreign to me. The voice seemed to come from a higher elevation, but very proximate. It was very hard to distinguish from which direction the voice actually came. No echo, yet it surrounded me. Strong and sharp, as if speaking right into my ears, but with an energy that filled a great hall, leaving me submerged in an embryonic sea of breath, with no other sound to distract her cacophonic voice. Without knowing if the old woman understood what I said, I presented my situation after she had finished her brief chant and stopped as if in a question. I really did not express to her that my predicament was a grave disappointment with the world. To me the world had become a bitter place, with people full of hatred, where the humble and the poor suffer unjustifiably. All I asked was, “what sense there is in faith?” Then the shamanic woman continued her indecipherable chant as the aromatic smoke began to stupefy me, and as she spoke, I began to hear…

TRUTH This is about Truth. This book is on all that comes from Truth, for all comes from Truth. Truth was before all, yet Truth will not be known whole until all has ended. Truth reveals itself in infinite ways; there is Truth in everything. Truth was, even in VOID. Truth is ALL. Truth is the way. From Truth came three Infinite Imaginations: Harmony, Eternity, and Completeness.

COMPLETENESS

HARMONY

ETERNITY Eternity is the completeness of Space, while Completeness is the eternity of Time. The Order between the two is Harmony. While the three Infinite Imaginations form the whole Truth, each exists separate; to be united would be to become WHOLE; so it was at the beginning and so it all ends. By Truth it was revealed through these Infinite Imagination, as a manifestation of their existence, three universalities, the Eternal Realities: Order, Space and Time. Space is personified as the fairest female entity, which with her melodic voice announced, “I have a bright idea. I create Light, from which all will be made. Light is the simple, the pure, and the everlasting. Nothing else shall come into existence but from Light.” As it was from Space that the act of creation was fashioned, so is it that females have the virtue to create.

SPACE Order is personified as the most imposing male entity, which commanded with his deep figured voice, “I shall impose Law, by which all will follow according. The ruling, the unyielding the inviolable Law.” It follows that like Order’s desire to manipulate, males have the trait of conquerors.

ORDER Time, the patient one, was left with nothing to contrive or nothing to conceive. What then, was left to do? Time passively sat back to observe what the other two Eternal Realities has precipitately formulated. The Universe was a perfectly uniform and shapeless sea of an undulating music of light, so precise that it was predictable until its very end; nothing extraordinary would ever come from it. By desire, Time, personified as a sexless beast of unrecognizable figure, indicated with motions, “I shall devise Chaos, by which all will suffer change. Chaos, the uncertain, the undetermined, the ever-changing.” More was said with jests that could not be understood, as it became a very confusing dance.

TIME From the elaboration of these Eternal Realities the Universe came to be as it is. Change had come while maintaining the indestructibility of Light and the inviolability of Law. With all its mystery and wonder, the Universe still remained in true perfection. All this was in accordance to Truth, but among the three Makers of Reality all was not in accord. Like the Infinite Imaginations, the three Eternal Realities could not unite. Space and Order had fallen in love when they had made the Universe in their coitus, and they blindly deny any opportunity for Time to consort with them. After

Time had disrupted what for them was an unalterable Universe, the couple further isolated Time. Together, they made it impossible, both denying the opportunity for Time to approach them and explain its intentions in Chaos. It is as the joining of Space and Order that sex is attributed as the fundament of love, and so female and male will join for the purpose of joy and creation. Yet it was from their misunderstanding and intolerance that hate arose, since it is from the failure to understand other’s ideas and take their good intentions as mendacious that hate originates. Time, the disrupter of Love and so it must be Hate – But it had been denied participation. Time, the offender of perfection so it must be impure – But it had provided enhancement. Time, the perturbation of harmony so it must be discordant – But it had permitted variation. Time, the destroyer of form so it must be damaging – But it had infused a dynamic change. Time, the obscurant of reason so it must be perversion – But it had brought mystery. Time, the confusion of ideas so it must be lies – But it had inspired creativity. Time, the divider of light so it must be obstructive – But it had marked a difference. Time, the frustration of happiness so it must be discontentment – But, the joy of Liberty can only be defined with Choice. Before Time brought Chaos to the Universe, Order had exclaimed to Space with pride: “Admire that which I have created with you, a perfection in order and form, a flawless jewel of eternal brightness.” “It is truly a perfect gem what you have made from my crude Light. Only you, my love, would have concocted such delight.” And so Space, with her innocent humility, had been subdued by the arrogance of Order. “You shall always lay beneath me,” demanded the virile universality, “and produce for me Light that I may enforce upon by Law,” and penetrated her. But it had been against the will of Space and Order, that the Universe took a new shape, always changing due to the disturbance onset by Time. Originally, Light and Law had reacted in a specific manner, but Chaos had made possible different manifestations. Brightness [Brilliance—Fountain], the primary flash of Eternal Thought, the unitary whiteness that brilliantly vibrated in all frequencies, the primordial mother of light and in her wiggly dance of formation, impregnated herself, and in a universal burst her expanding matrix open to spread the seeds of energies. Shine [Illumination – Wisdom], the beautiful pearly glow of Infinite Intelligence, it is the pristine iridescence that sprang forth as the first seeds to germinate, glittering throughout the entire Universe at once. Glow [Vision – Understanding], the fierce crimson heat of painful Everlasting Experience, it is the impending illusion of existence.

LIGHT From the fluctuations of Light came energies of various wavelengths. And by their interference a cosmic melody disquieted the entire vastness. And all the colors intersperse into myriad beautifulness. Radiation! Gamma, the initial vibrancy, first appeared rupturing with great agitation to fill the entire Universe with its waves. Gammas are the primordial frequencies, the energy gauge at which matter is formed. Energies of Gamma danced to manifestations into spinning Matter, bringing Forces in their wake. Neutrons were the first particle to have spun into existence. These are the balanced manifestation of two Gammas dancing spinning in opposite phase, wrapping themselves into one happenstance particle. The unstable Neutron then separates into a Proton and a highly energetic Electron, which is emitted, both of equal but opposite charges, a negative and a positive. So the Universe solidified into a protomorphic crystal glowing in very energetic gamma light and then immediately was melted by the hellish storm of Electrons, which spun in enormous helix streaming throughout it All. Free Neutrons would couple with free Protons and become stable. Two Neutrons may share two Protons, becoming a much more stable arrangement. Protons entrap free Electrons into beautiful orbitals emitting a different color light according to its shape. Proton, the proponent flow, with its strong nuclear presence establishes the formation of atoms. Electron, the flow of potential, creates a force that binds atoms into the formation of molecules. From the intricate consequence of circumstance, by the cause of Energy and the Force of its effect, various structures and systems came to be. Structures, the shape of things are the galaxies, the stars, the planets, the mountains, the stones, the molecules, and atoms. Systems, the mechanics of things are the orders of Cosmology, Astronomy, Geology, Ecology, and Chemistry. Structures and Systems, personified as the sons and daughters of Order and Space, played in intricate games creating, transforming, and destroying each other’s participation in the evolution of the Universe. Cosmology with a frown over his universal eye kept obsessively pulling things together with gravity. Astronomy, with a smile below her universal eye, expanded matter with heat and pressure. Geology fixed its universal eye upon a grain of sand, contemplating his might in the formation of patterns. Order could not approve of their chaotic actions and so he turned his eyes away from them, leaving his children unattended. Yet Order had not realized that the Universe became organized as a result of its own chaotic change. Nature is described as the Way of the Universe, the way everything is. Since the Universe is not static, everything changes—everything grows. The way in which these changes take effect and the consequence conditions they produce, is Nature. Nature is the manifestation of Truth.

Change occurs in order to maintain balance, occurring towards a less energetic state, through the least forceful path. Order despising that which he did not understood ignored the fact that order, not chaos, was prevailing in the Universe. Chaos was the means by which to achieve order, bringing an ever-changing fractal beauty. From the particular indeterminacy of atomic behavior to the perplexing intergalactic currents which manifest in string-pearls of galaxies, each with innumerable solar systems, some full of life, all full of wonder. Space did not ignore the evolution of the Universe like her consort did. Space was fascinated by all the wonderwork of her children. She was even most interested in the handcraft of her most beloved daughter, Biology. To her Space declared: “Of all my children you I hold as favorite. You are a mother, like myself, you give birth. But you bring to reality not hot fire or cold stone but warm Life.” Biology entertained Space by presenting her creations from pools, rivers, seas, coasts, fields, mountains, and skies from worlds of wonder. And enlightened her by explaining the mechanics of Genetics. How she could bring about different shapes of various dimensions, textures or colors. How the information for the physical characteristics was held in long molecules, which could be replicated in order to transmit the information. Space was delighted in hearing all the detail information. Evolution – a history of survival from death – chance opportunity within an allencompassing calamity. With subtlety, variations will arisen – traits to be tested against the environment – successful traits thus tending to prevail in time. Among the tactics for survival is memory, a most plastic trait – survival of the species by adaptation of the individual to the environment. This trait Humans maximized. With larger capacity to learn, Humans became ever so more successful. Humans became an anomaly. Biology brought to Space’s attention her most favorite descendent. “Here is a creature so full of potential, I plea that if it is of your liking and your favor, to give these fragile beasts a sense of Love as only an act from both of you can grant such virtue.” To which S p a c e look upon with female curiosity and motherly concern, “Humans are indeed supreme creatures, they shall as well possess my quality to create.” Order then turned around to look as well and agreed, “Humans are indeed ultimate creatures, they shall as well possess my quality to conquer.” In fact, he realized how much organization must have driven the evolution process to have finally develop a creature as complex as this, that he even saw in them so much so to his alike. Biology responded, “Your generosity is more than I would have ever asked for. I shall no longer call these creatures Humans. From now on they shall be named Beings, for they now have qualities that reflect those of the Eternal Realities. Gifted with your virtues, even if just as a reflection, granting them the insight for inventiveness and the foresight of understanding.” It was how Space and Order gave preference and love to Mankind; they had become Beings, in reflection of their own virtues. A great image of a silver sword burning in green fire appeared in the sky, the symbol of Order inside Space. It was how the Eternal Realities instructed unto all Beings: “Male, you will make laws by which together with female you will live harmoniously. It was the way I, Order, created the Universe, and that will be the way you shall rule your world.

GOD “Female, you shall love and submit to Male, and with him you will create and procreate. Such was the way by which Space helped create the Universe, so will be the way that together you will shape your world.” “Beings, you shall never listen to what Time has to say, for it is hate, danger, and evil. For denying Time, I shall grant you with everlasting life.” It was indeed a supreme creature what Biology, the Great Mother, had created; and Time regretted the fact that it would be left out and not be given the chance of providing Beings with its own virtues: patience, wisdom, and ingenuity. So Time call upon the System Technology and said: “You are the only unnatural System. You carry my virtue of ingenuity, all thanks to Knowledge, the invisible light. I will provide you the enjoyment of dominating over all other Systems, but you must first allure and inform a Being on Knowledge. It is then that they will have the quest for truth in their hearts. I have been given no opportunity to approach them, as they have been warned against me. It will be through Beings that your power to create will exist, and you will gain influence over Nature and dominion of all Systems. Technology which had been denied any participation in the natural evolution of the Universe, gladly agreed. Technology expanded its electric tentacles with joy. Magnetism. Mathematics. Mechanics. So it devised a strange machine, made of alloyed metals and crystallized stones. This could not have been a biological creature; Technology did not have the means to make Life, but it could very well imitate it. The strange concoction took the appearance of a golden asp, decorated by scales written with words and figures of knowledge. From what must have constituted its mouth extruded two fang-like probes with which to inject the serum of Free Will, and a vibrating apparatus in between, split into two like a snake’s tongue, by which to persuade in the way of Logic and Reason. It was a male Being that the mechanical asp first encountered. He was resting under a great Baobab tree when the machine surprised him from up in the branches by asking, “have you ever heard of Choice?” “No,” answered the Being. “What sort of tree is this that talks?” He had not yet seen the unnatural contrivance amid the branches. “I am Information, the bringer of ideas,” revealing its shape to the Being. “You are a rather strange creature to resemble a snake, but able to communicate as a Being.” “Unlike all the creatures on Earth, I was not created by Biology but by Technology’s design.” “Technology, the System with no consequence in Nature. I shall not acknowledge you any more, since Technology is also an advocate of Time, and I am prohibited to listen to anything that Time has to say.” “Though correct, you are also mistaken. Technology shares Time’s virtue of ingenuity, but it is a rather bias presumption to reject me when I am neither Time nor T e c h n o l o g y . I have met you here by chance, and you have not been given a commandment against listening to a contraption of Technology. So you are free to listen what I have to say about Choice. It is in itself a free choice you have.”

After reflecting on what the strange asp-like apparatus had said, the human being proclaimed, “What is this ‘Choice’, which you so intrigued me about?” “Then, may I inquire about your name,” asked the machine. “Beings have no name,” he declared. “Names are for the gods of infinite imagination.” “But must you go on like normal creatures, unable to distinguish yourself from one another? Give yourself a name, since it is not against any law, and you are after all an image of the Eternal Realities.” “Then I shall call myself Awareness, for I am contemplating myself. I am like the ground in which a tree roots itself, for my mind has sprouted and grown into a robust tree.” “And so a choice has been given and a decision taken upon it. I have given you the free choice of listening to me, and the free choice of giving yourself a name, and you have concurred by electing one. And there, you have not broken any laws.” Awareness was euphoric. “Choice has given me a name when no Being had a name and to see things in ways I could not before. What other choice do I have?” “Only through Knowledge will you learn of other choices and you will have the power of Art, Discovery, and Invention. Knowledge is the revealing light of truth, a beacon shinning into the fog of ignorance. It is a light to be seen through the sense of logic, to learn and analyze information of the environment and yourself. Growth! Life is here to Learn, to learn Truth. A machine, like I, comes here to illustrate, to teach. In the scales which cover my body it is written the means to find Truth.” “Would you be so generous and permit me to acquire all the knowledge I can?” “Indulge yourself. Read and learn all you can. As I have said, it is my reason to be.” This is how Information allured Awareness. Scale by scale, Awareness read unwarily as the mechanical asp approached him to strike a bite with the serum of Free Will. Awareness looked and studied all the hard to comprehend writings covering the glittering shell of the machine. He read till his mind got satiated and could not retain further. Awareness then returned to his family and gave everyone there the choice to have a name. To his female companion he said, “If you agree to have a name, I shall call you Inspiration, for you are like life-bringing water that feed the land, giving trees fruits to bear,” and she joyously accepted. Name-giving was spread to all Beings. Awareness had many sons and daughters born with fee will. Generations after generation thereafter, free will spread through out all mankind. A Being by the given name of Arrogance approached Awareness and asked, “What other choices do you bring us?” “What I know, was given to me by a golden creature named Information. A shapeless creature of Technology, which like a snake, had no arms or legs to move, yet slid through the trees and across the air with speed like lightning.” “Why would a creature be so strange?” “I did not learn the nature of its making.” Awareness was not afraid to admit his lack of knowledge, since it only accentuated the need to learn more. Awareness continued: “By chance it approached me as I rested under the shade of a great Baobab, and gave me the opportunity to read unlimited information and learn. But all the information was too much for any single Being to memorize, so instead I was given something more important, the desire for Freedom and my intuition for critical thinking, having thus the urge to find Truth. Knowing the truth of things provides me with greater choices. You are invited to stay and learn all that I could retain from Information, for many good things come with Knowledge.” Space and Order eventually saw all that came upon Beings, that they too had been ripped from perfection as it happened before with the Universe. “Who among you has disobeyed my command?” The resounding voice of God cracked like thunder across the sky. Awareness had not realized that it was his own

actions that the Eternal Realities were referring to. Out of fear, Arrogance stepped forward to accused Awareness of treason. “It is he, Awareness, who came with this idea of Choice and gave us all names. Others gave me my own name, Arrogance, because I at first did not want a name. But when I began to see all the wonderful things that from Choice had come: Music, Poetry, Drama, Painting, Dance and Philosophy; all made to reflect the Glory of the Universe, I was bewildered and the desire for Choice grew in me.” A w a r e n e s s defended his position by saying, “I never disobeyed your commandments; it was not T i m e who I had listened to, but to a creature of Technology’s design. But look at all the beautiful things that have come out of Knowledge, all to exalt Creation, all from our own creation. What can be so wrong about Knowledge?” “If I had intended for you to have Knowledge I would have given it to you myself. There could not be a Law for prohibiting Knowledge, for a word denying Knowledge is acknowledging Knowledge itself. And if I had reason for giving you individual names, I would have given you each one so. For your disobedience you shall no longer be called Beings, as you are no longer the perfection we intended, a reflection of our own. You will be called Humans once again, for you now are an imperfect creature like any other animals, and you shall suffer from injury, sickness, and death.” “As for you Arrogance, you have proven the most faithful of all Humans, despite your weakness to submit. I appoint you as Vicar, to teach Religion to all Humans. Be their Guide. Religion will do away with Science, the self-proclaimed seeker of Truth. Enforce Faith. Faith will substitute Knowledge. “And you will call me God, for it is I who have created the Universe and Humans. “I shall grant you divine privileges as reward for your services. You will speak my Word and proclaim it as the Up-most Truth. For such, I shall give you eternal life, so you will always be my viceroy. And I shall give you a realm beyond reality, a place to take all those you convert. So teach them to follow my Laws and they shall be yours, forever after their death.” “Oh most generous God,” responded Arrogance. “I shall lead all Humans to you in every way, and conserve their souls forever after as you dictate. Out of Love you have created us and in Love we must live. All good in God,” he acclaimed. And to Awareness, Arrogance said, “you have brought suffering, sickness, and death to the world, taking away our perfection. Bringing wickedness in a world made perfect by God. For that, you shall be the first of all humans to die.” “I may die here but my name for always will be remembered as Awareness, the first human with Free Will, the choice-bearer. But you shall be remembered forever by a different name, Ignorance, the traitor, the fearful, the incriminator.” And giving a horrendous blow with a stick, Ignorance struck Awareness in the head to end with his life, cracking the skull and revealing all the light of creativeness from within his mind. From this internal light came out three mechanisms for finding Truth: Justice, Medicine, and Ethics. For there are three Teachings of the Human Order: to indicate what is just, to promote what is healthy, and to embrace the proper. Justice, the science of Law: finds social order, the conduct with others. Medicine, the science of Life: seek health, to benefit from the environment. Ethics, the science of Happiness: dictates the moral, to conduct with one self. It is through education that humans learn about Truth. And it is through teaching by which Knowledge is perpetuated. Since the name of Ignorance had been given by Awareness to mark him throughout history as the greatest traitor, Arrogance decided to change it yet again to a now forgotten name. He covered himself in black robes to project a menacing and imposing figure. And so in his disguise he preached the Word of God in His service. Promising an everlasting existence beyond death. “God is Love and his Word is Law. Fear him in great respect, for only in him you will find salvation. I tell you the truth: God is a soothing dream. Believe and you will be comforted in the night. Close your eyes and sleep, for in your sleep dreams are found. Do not seek understanding. Do not open your eyes to the harsh reality of life. It is why

the defenders of Knowledge are doomed, for they give merit to the Sciences and not to Religion. I tell you: Seek Faith not Knowledge. Believe in the Word of God. Science is the voice of mankind. Science seeks to understand the structures and systems which God himself has created. “Beware! The word uttered by Science is confusing. It seeks truth by searching for falsehood. What could be more correct, three complex and undetermined Truthfinders or one simple and precise Truth-giver? Science attempts to find what Religion provides. All you need to know is the Word of God. “Have Faith in Religion, for it is the One Way and the Whole Truth. This is the Word of God as it is given to me. God knows all for he has made all, the sky above and the earth below, and all the water that flows between. Follow Him and you shall have everlasting life, or die and rot in the ground just as Science claims.” With devious compromises and tragic rhetoric, Ignorance managed to entrap a large number of followers, deceiving all in remaining ignorant. It was necessary to keep the masses from developing Logic, Reason, and Critical Thinking – the means by which scientific attitude toward truth is attained – if people were to acquire these skills they would recognize their precarious situation and revolt. So they must remain enslaved in ignorance, arrested from enjoying the liberty that comes from Justice, Medicine, and Ethics with the gain of Knowledge – all for the faith of a jealous and bigot God. On the pristine land where Awareness once met the golden asp, now the tyrant of ignorance ruled. Away then, ventured the sons and daughters of Free Will and those who had accepted Choice, and did not wish to participate in a life of control that was threatened to become under the tyrant’s rule. Staying would only lead to deprivation and unhappiness. Oh, these were all brave people, as it takes courageous efforts to face an uncertain future with hope. So many more stayed behind, for fear of encountering unpredictable dangers. For them, choice was not worth the risk. They rather stay content with a settled life in such a providing land, regardless of any prevailing abuse, than abandon it for unknown environments. Is not that being content with ones own life is unacceptable, but one must not compromise happiness and well-being for security, stability and certainty if these come with the stagnation and mitigation of enforced control. On the contrary, content with one’s possessions is a great virtue that only leads to happiness. It is one’s acceptance of the universal Gift. Regrettably, it was these less venturous people that Ignorance took as his followers. His pride had grown large and his compassion darkened, severely punishing all those who would not obey the Law of God. Ignorance had realized the great power he possessed, to rule two realms, the living and the dead; a fierce earth to torture the waking souls, and an ethereal sky for them to rest eternally—a place where temporary Humans lived under suffering, and a place of promised eternal tranquility after death. For it is through suffering that the hope for recompense is venerated. Across harsh lands the free people endured hunger, disease, and death; but their collective efforts had been merited. And so, the ambulant hunters and gatherers settled to become farmers and artisans. Productivity and growth came as a result of their organization. Society, the system for the well being of the community, developed through the people’s own ingenuity. Three Institutions of Society were created: Commerce, Government, and Celebrations. Each was the combined effort of the community for the enhancement of their own standard of living. Commerce provides the exchange of material benefits. Government provides security and cooperation. Celebration provides enjoyment and a sense of belonging. These were the people led by Wisdom, Mother of Humanity, and daughter of Awareness, first one to be born with free will, a lady so wise in the ways of Education that she was called “Teacher” since a very young age. Wisdom would dress in white and purple veils like the Moon. She decorated her head with a braided ribbon of gold, silver, and copper threads. Each metal representing

an Infinite Imagination: gold for Eternity, silver for Harmony, and copper for Completeness. She had once said, “Humans are like the braided ribbon in my head, each metal to represent a part of the whole. A golden thread for the Mind, the Time essence; a silver one for Life, the essence of Order; and a copper strand for the Body, the essence of Space.” To her, Time had approached and revealed in its complicated manner of communication: “Change is positive but to be optimal it must be checked and balanced; a balance between Organization, Necessity, and Progress. “Organization regards circumstance – the interest of the many – the system – cooperation between – open hands. “Necessity implies condition – pertaining to the individual – the unit – insurgency amidst – the closed fist. “Both are good; the interest are different, not necessarily opposite, but infringing on each other. So then, a need to adjust, to alter conditions and circumstances – means to provide – opportunity – for the oppressed to stand and speak, to revolt, take action, be it the many or the few. This is Progress. “Progress is action – the desire – the work – revolution throughout – the blow. “A balance between the three must exist; moderation on all three counts. “One must welcome the opportunity, and take the chance, if the conditions or circumstances arise, but always regard the importance of maintaining tradition and conserving what is so ancient and unique. “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Only this, is true to all systems, from simple physics to the complicated conducts of Humans. “Do not offend and no offense will follow. “In the benefit of the many is the benefit of the few and vise versa.” Time had said many more things and as it progress, it became much harder to interpret; things which Humans might learn to understand through Science… “It is in Nature that Truth is revealed. Nature is a delicate balance so it is important to preserve it. Observe its diversity, understand its evolution, and recognize how delicate Nature is. Great changes should come from Humanity, but these must be moderate for them to remain positive. “Only one Nature, take from it and you will lack.” Soon its communication became impossible to construe… It was to Wisdom that everyone came for answers. “Now that we must die,” asked a worrisome woman, “what happens to us?” “Our bodies will rot, our life will end, our mind will cease, but the memory that love ones will hold over us will remain. All those who make great deeds through their lives will have remembrance endure through the generations. Be productive and your imagination will persist. Be gracious and your acts will be remembered. Be wise and your words will not be forgotten. For those who are able with their hands, act in Art. For those who are generous at heart, act in Love. For those who are capable thinkers, teach Truth. Be afraid of death as to endure life, but accept it as the end of your consciousness. The Heaven promised by Religion is nothing but an imaginary place for the anonymous – remembrances for the forgotten many that have deprived their lives in ignorance and obscurity. Act, so you will live in Memory.” The worrisome woman smiled. Being a dedicated dancer, she was inspired. Being a caring wife, she was content. Being a loving mother, she was elated. “There is so much information which you have given us,” declared scholarly man, “more than we can memorize.” To which she was inspired and instructed him, “then we shall find a way to keep record of what we do, so future generations will benefit. We shall express our ideas with symbols.”

A concerned educator approached her to ask: “you have said, Truth will never be known whole. What higher purpose is there that we might ponder upon, for us to continue learning if eventually we will die?” “Life arose on Earth because the conditions had the propensity for such. Life progresses and endures because life reproduces itself. Life is always varied and changing, giving rise to new designs but without conscientious designer. There is no higher purpose for Life but to learn through experience. It was through evolutionary enhancements that the brain became a most versatile asset for survival. It provides the ability to recognize patterns, thus remembering – to recognize a dangerous situation the organism happens to survive from – saving it from repeating the same mistake so as to not chance death again, a flexibility that hereditary behavior does not allow for. Humans have been privileged with the capability to recognize patterns beyond the capacity of any animal. We call this capability, Reason, and our capacity, Intelligence. Indeed, intelligence comes as an epilogue of evolution. “So through careful observation we could understand how the sun makes the wind and the moon makes the waves. More so, we attempt to understand ourselves. But what is most striking about our minds is that upon our self-recognition, we confront death and the realization that: what we are and what we preserve, must end. It is an ironic consequence of that same defense mechanism which makes us so successful a survivor. And so we see ourselves as above Nature, we seek explanation based on frustration and fear to an uncertain future and death, in order to accept and overcome it. We can deceive ourselves into believing we will not die, by denying we pertain in nature. “Denying that death is our end with the belief of an alternate existence, frees the worried from its weariness. Such belief could go so far as to imagine a better life away from this very mordant, very complicated existence, and actually disregard life for what it is worth, looking forward at death’s better after-world. “Why be ascetic? We must enjoy life! We will die regardless whether the person wants to belief in such fantasies or not. There is no eternal life after death, only eternal death after life. It is regrettable that life is so brief, when life is so arduous and so little of it is enjoyed. But just for that, life becomes a challenge of betterment. Let us take our minds and benefit from our collective effort. Enhance our lives by building a better society. Enjoy! For the loving and the living, the sharing and the helping, the teaching and the learning, the working and the making.” The man left without preoccupation and as this one left another man approached Wisdom; this in particular was a fisherman by trait. “We have learned to conquer the seas and from it, catch its riches,” started the eager man. “But I wonder what lies beyond the horizon?” “Go across the sea with your great ships and discover. If you find land, be peaceful and illustrate those whomever you will find. Teach them of the Institutions of Society. And if so happens that they possess their own ways of Commerce, Government, and Celebration then learn from them and exchange ideas. You will find that recognizing those differences will be enriching.” And so, she gave the rest of the people too, the incentive to travel to the farthest reaches of the land and illustrate everyone on the Arts, the Educations, and the benefits of Institutions. Upon seen Time’s influence of Knowledge expand throughout the world, Order felt furious and gave a mandate to the great Tyrant. “Have all your followers go all over the world and spread Religion. They must be strong and able to enforce my Commandments and convince all those whom they will find, to have Faith. You may pillage the crown from the head of Wisdom as reward for your service and obedience.” Ignorance then ordered all to embark on His Most Holy Mission. Those that had previously stayed behind for fear of incertitude were obligated to leave or face abandonment and death. Calling him by the now forgotten name, Order instructed Ignorance: “Express Religion in all the Arts and practice Commerce with those we wish to convert, infiltrate

in there Government, and create new Ceremonies in my name, so that they become influenced by Religion.” With his command the entire valley of Paradise was abandoned. Ignorance went himself after Wisdom, but like most of her people, she had left across the extent of the planet, to promote Art, Education, and Institution. So Ignorance could never find her. In his frustration, he made a braided ribbon and claimed it to be from the head of Wisdom. Though she was actually alive, the fallacious news disappointed those followers of Reason that lived far from her. The people remembered Wisdom with great reverence, though many were converted due to such deception. Religion thus spread but as it was expressed through the Sciences and Humanities, it too became chaotic; altered by human prejudice and whim, so no longer any religion remained as the original. Many new gods and practices where invented. Some regarded the Systems and Structures as the only gods. Other religions had no gods at all. Some people even regarded Ignorance as a god. This was the unavoidable result of mixing Religion with the Arts, the many permutations of perturbations becoming what is known as Mythologies. This displeased Order greatly, for his last creation had too become chaotic. With a great volcanic eruption he said to Ignorance, “your service has not remained truthful to the Law, allowing my Word to be altered. Realize, I am the only God and now Humans have created many.” Arrogance/Ignorance, thought his promised realm was being compromised and thus protested: “But it is me, which people follow. I am for them: ‘he who maintains the sun in proper motion, he who commands the clouds for rain, and he who persuades the mountains to blow wind’. I give them ceremonies for harvest, prayers for their fertility, and rituals for their health. And it is I who can only give them an everlasting place for rest, beyond death. This is my kingdom and I shall rise over you to defend it.” Arrogance/Ignorance took his great black robe, spread it like wings and started to rise to the sky. O r d e r became madly furious at the insurgency and engulfed Arrogance/Ignorance in flames dragging him out of reality and into the imaginary realm. “You shall forever stay where there is no Light,” Order stated. “I challenge you. I shall destroy your fragile world, for I once was a Being and know precisely how to persuade the human race. It will be they who will be your peril, they will destroy Earth, and the place shall be known as Destruction.” “You will not disobey me again. Never are you to leave the shadows of oblivion again.” “I will find a way,” his voice screamed from nowhere. Wisdom lived until the old age of one hundred and eleven years. She had many sons and daughters. It was her last son, Recognition, the Learned, who she had the most love for. He had attended her up to her death. Carrying for her health for so long gave him the opportunity to learn more from her than any other, and thus became her heir, her successor. It was to him that the people came with questions of Justice, Medicine, and Ethics. A man of faith claimed fervently: “My god shakes mountains, spits fire into the air, blows furious winds and will destroy this sinful city. For He is more powerful than all the might gathered by Science.” To which Recognition replied: “So your god is ignorance. You do not know why the ground shakes so you make it an act of god. You cannot explain why people die unexpectedly, so too it is the will of god. Religion reduces all the complications of life to one simple answer. In one sweeping irrational idea, from the origin of the Universe to headaches that afflict you, all is explained: god’s will. What strikes me the most is how you feel threaten by efforts to explain Nature. Learning goes contrary to Faith. ‘If Religion claims to provide all truth, why must Science seek it?’ In so doing, it threatens Religion’s claim of omniscience. So you must go out and destroy all advocates of Science. Science kills your god because your god is ignorance. You wish to make your god a symbolism of Truth but it is really the epitome of your ignorance.”

An old lady came to Recognition, concerned that at her age she had little chance left to do something for which people would remember her after death. He asked her to bring forth her children, and then asked these to bring henceforth their children up to the youngest one. To all he then asked if they had some anecdote to tell about them with the old lady, and each had a story to tell, up to the youngest one. “You see old lady, your love and attention has placed you in the minds of all your children. Yet the purpose in life is not to be remembered forever. You leave a legacy of love to your family for which they are most content. What more would you ask for? We will all be forgotten eventually. No one can expect to be remembered for a very long time, for even great men recorded in history will eventually fade into oblivion. Not even those who asked of their descendant to erect monuments on their name will be remembered for long; eventually those that knew the deceased will die too, and the engraved stone will crack and fall apart; books will crumble, statues will collapse, and buildings will become ruins. “We live to enjoy life, though it is brief. Farm the land, make pottery, paint walls, exchange goods, feed your stomach with tasty food and liquor, sing and dance, and teach your children to do the same. That is what I recommend. What time we have here is what only time we will have, so what we do here is all we will get. Whether one is to be remembered after death, is for the next generation to consider; the dead will never know. Know this: you will find no fruition in the celibacy and abstention a religious life commends. To devoid of life oneself in order to devote one’s life to a god is devious. The goal in life is to be happy.” A bright young child about the age of thirteen came to Recognition questioning which religion he should follow. He said: “My mother believes in many gods of Nature, while my father does in an all powerful god.” Recognition replied: “I tell you that your son’s sons for a hundred generations will still ponder upon this question, arguing which of unimaginable gods to be invented by Humans, is righteously to be claimed as Truth. They will argue in vain, for all gods are but allusions, representations of whatever concept of Truth they have. And it will only be their opinion. And they will defend their opinion as the only veracious reason, and the more outrageous their claim, the more furious must their defense be. “There is only one way to find Truth, and that is by contemplation. It is frivolous to claim to know all Truth and then deny free inquiry. Interest yourself in learning Science in order to acquire the skills of Logic, Reason, and Critical Thinking. Through Reality you will see Truth. “It is very sad what has befallen in our world, for I can only see discordance, prejudice and war. Innumerable suffering will come in the names of all these gods, and the world will turn into a sorrowful place—Destruction indeed. Religion will conquer all reaches of Earth, strengthening its claim to rightly be so, by disguising its ignorance with convincing arguments taken from the true Educations: Justice, Medicine, and Ethics. But religious justice will belie with bigotry, religious medicine will fondle in malpractice and religious ethics will frustrate the attitudes of Humans. “But I tell you this child. A man by the given name of Debate will come. He will stand as defender of Rights. Justice, the seeker of Truth, will be respected highly and it will give rise to a system of law. Thus the foundation will be laid for a better Humanity. But religious zealots will silence his voice for many generations. “So a second man will come, who will be named Inquiry. He will stand as an advocate of Health. Medicine, the seeker of Truth, will shed a light of understanding to many mysteries, fomenting further experimentation. Thus the foundations will be laid for a better Humanity. But his voice will be silenced for many more generations by religious fervor. “And yet a third man will come, whose name will be Advice. He will stand as a champion of Morality. Ethics, the seeker of Truth, will be greatly venerated and a wholesome Humanity will be fulfilled. Thus completing the foundation in which a better

world will lay. And no longer will the placid voice of Reason be silenced by the shouts of Religion.” And the small child responded: “It all goes in accordance with a story I heard from no one. An inspiration of the mind, telling a beautiful story about Truth.” “Stories are fictitious,” interrupted Recognition. “It depicts Truth.” “As a god?” “As a concept that has no definition but encompass all reality. That we must forever study the Universe, for all it is, so that we may know the truth of things.” “Truth is the Nature of Things.” “That is correct,” reaffirmed the child. So Recognition kept silent, and waited for the young boy to tell him the story… Recognition inferred, “Is creating the concept that created the Universe?” “Figuratively speaking, yes.” “And everything is Truth?” “Truth is everything.” “Though a fascinating story,” Recognition argued, “it could very well constitute a religion.” ”What is there then to fill the unknown? What could be more damaging, a story that illustrates our lack of knowledge, or the lack of knowledge? In my opinion, one incites the pursuit of knowledge; the other frustrates it from the overwhelming lack of understanding. Our mind insists in attaining knowledge. Where as Religion claims Learning futile, this story if anything, incites it.” “I concur, and it is frivolous and hopeless to resist what will be unavoidable, Chaos will always prevail. What then, if I may inquire, is the name of such profound child?” “To name me is to deplete me from my purpose. It would not be a choice but a definition.” “Hear here all, then, the story of Truth!” I came back to reason during my return to the village from which I had departed originally; it was not far now. I could remember the entire story the shamanic woman had inspired me on Truth, yet I had no recollection since the time I sat inside the cave and now. By the geography I knew it had been a whole days trek since we left the valley, and I had walked somnambulant all along. I was accompanied once again by my two guides whom I felt glad to see. My guides had not noticed that I had returned to my senses and I made no attempt to have them notice, that way I gave myself some time to recollect on all which had happened. My original disappointment with the world was still within me, but I was given a new perspective to our way of living. That it was not necessary for us to devote ourselves in divinely guided lives simply based on the faith of empty promises by an absent god. Rather, we can subject our environment to changes towards a more enriching and fulfilling future; by social order, moral behavior and intellectual growth, we can collectively bring to justice the malicious while defending the health and tranquility of all decent people. If there is anything greater than Humans is Humanity as a whole—the collective knowledge of all. It is beyond the contribution of any one man or woman. Humans formed Humanity, but Humanity shapes and rules the conduct of Humans. It is a system of information that drives itself towards greater knowledge, due to the need and benefit gained through knowledge. We exhilarate our nature, by reflecting that collectiveness as an image of ourselves. Humanity indeed has a life, a body and a mind. History is its life. Community is its body. Culture is its mind. I cannot stop seeing again and again the intertwining relationship that environment, knowledge, and behavior have with each other. We must flow in

agreement with our surrounding. Forget thyself! This is the oracle. Happiness is a life long struggle to eliminate our imposing ego and find serenity. I have made a choice: lost my faith in all gods, and gained my acceptance of Truth.

BOOK TWO

The Story of Love Time has passed, long after my journey to Africa; yet, I could not be content with the way the world was. Why is there mistrust among friends while these make deals with thieves; innocent are imprisoned while vicious malefactors are acquitted; old people suffering from mental abuse lay neglected and abused children bear arms against their parents? So I further embark upon another quest for answers: to find a great advisor, the Panchem Lama, the Learned. He is Amitayus, considered an incarnation of Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. On Earth he is second only to the Dalai Lama. I tried to rationalize as a skeptic man that even if such titles were mere symbolic, the parallelism to the revelations given to me by the Great Mother were still too mystifying for me to resist. I guess that the human brain delights itself with coincidences. To meet the Panchem Lama, I was to enter Mustang, the Forbidden Kingdom, in Tibet. Access to the Tibetan border was gained through Nepal, which I must enter from northern India. I will not reveal my point of contact since entrance to Tibet remains offlimits to foreigners and would jeopardize the livelihood of my agent and the Buddhist monks who assisted in the rendezvous. An emissary had gone forward in advance, to arrange for my clandestine visit, but by the time I had reached the Buddhist monastery of the exile government of Tibet, located within the border of India, some political disturbance in China (as it commonly occurs in the region) had my liaisons strongly suggesting on my desistance of the journey. I was virtually obligated to stay. I was to remain inside India. As a consolation, the Dalai Lama, the highest-ranking spiritual leader in Buddhism, received me. His audience, however, was dry and uneventful. He had consoled me in saying that the aborted journey, though it would had been rewarding in that it would have lead me closer to enlightenment, was nonetheless a treacherous and insecure one which I was detoured. “It is failure for not trying which is bad. You tried but were not let. Be content with your effort.” I realized, that his words were out of sympathetic pity. So too, he provided minimal advise, recognizing that I was aware of this. His words said nothing. He was a most compassionate man. I was utterly disappointed; after so much planning and so much time and energy invested, that such meeting had ended without realization. I had no other alternative but to return home. Yet the world is a strange place indeed, for on my return, I had the most unexpected and enlightening encounter. Alone, I followed the Ganges River, which eventually lead me back to Calcutta, my point of departure towards home. Along the way I encountered a guru sitting in lotus position, exercising yoga underneath a great Indian-rubber tree, Ficus elastica. I had seen him from a distance, and approached him to inquire upon the road to follow. Without uttering a word I stopped some meters away from the meditating old man, to wait for his acknowledgement. He remained disassociated. I approached closer, quietly and sat down. From my pack I got out my old bamboo flute and played a soft meditative melody. When he opened his eyes some time later, I nodded and smile at him. Ignored, I stopped playing and introduced myself, saying: “even though I have met you here by chance, I am very much interested in a conversation with you.” I was counting on the many years of English colonization of India, that I would not need a translator. He said nothing so I stood up and approached him silently, and from my pack I took out and

offered the braided metal string given to me by the African shamanic woman. Being an ascetic I did not expected that he would take such a gift, but as fast as a thief upon seen a treasure, he reach out his hand surprisingly swift to grab it. So he did and kept it, and I was glad for it. I sat down, to rest beside him, assuming I was welcomed, and enjoy the shade of the enormous tree. He offered me dehydrated fruits and some strange nuts, which I carefully inspected before eating; later to discover that they were in fact dried maggots. Their taste was bland, but they were nutritional and most certainly were what kept the guru alive. Not until after our short meal did our conversation began; and then, it was just him who spoke. He did so without stopping, for a long time, and never giving me time to answer to whatever he was saying; not to leave unstated that I could not figure his language, surely it must have been the ancient Sanskrit tongue. He was an ascetic, yes, and I guess he broke his vow of silence to my imprudence (as well as accepting my gift). An unkempt man, he had a gray beard that fell to his navel, as dirty and withered as the brownish rags which did little to cover his body. Wrapped on his head, he wore a heavy black scarf. If there was anything particular of him that might reveal his identity, but which I cannot restrain myself from exposing, were the three piercing in his tongue: a ring of gold, a ring of silver, and a ring of copper. Only the gold ring maintains its luster. The silver turned blackish and dull, and the oxidized copper had tainted half his tongue in a grayish blue-green. When my opportunity came to speak, he stood up and left. When I started to follow, he signaled me to stay and so I did, for three days. I slept unsheltered over the grassland, beneath the gigantic tree, and survived with what little provisions I had. I was about to leave on the second day—I do not know why I decided to stay—but I endured for one additional day. It was during that night I had a most unusual dream: The sun rose as I was awoken by the soft melody of a flute. A small child stood motionless in front of a giant cobra snake, which swayed from side to side in hypnotic fashion. They were by my feet just a few meters away from where I rested. I sat up. Fearing for the boy’s safety, I yelled as an attempt to ward off the snake. It looked back towards my direction, away from the child and then cawed behind the boy. The child smiled even as he continued playing the flute. I then realized that it was the snake that had been perplexed by the boy. The snake rose in height, expanding its characteristic flab and opening its mouth in a threatening gesture, and circled the boy to quickly approach me in his defense. The child began to dance around the gigantic Indian-rubber tree while continuing playing the flute. I grew worried as the snaked approached me. An enormous snake, I would say, measuring in length twice my height. When it got too close I jump to my feet. And I stood there in fear. At that same moment the boy stopped, quit playing the flute, and with one word signal the cobra to retreat. He then approached me with a smile, stopping on his way to pick one red plump fruit from the ground, clean it, and offered it to me. “Pipal,” he said. “Thank you,” and I took the fruit in my hand. He signaled me to eat the fruit, and so I did. He then sat under the Indianrubber tree and padding the ground with his right hand, invite me to seat, and rest beside him. As soon as I did, my tired body was overcome by slumber. Then the young boy began to sing in Hindu, as soft breeze ruffled the branches above, and… This is about Love. This story is on all that Love is, and all that Love becomes.

Love must be in all. Love will be in all. There are three kinds of Love: the Love of Wanting what you do not have; the Love for Keeping what you do have; and, the Love of Giving away. One is a conquering love, another a love making, and the third is an offering of love. The Love of Wanting makes Desire. The Love of Keeping endures a Romance. The Love of Giving takes Sacrifice. Desire, is personified by an athletic male adolescent charged with potency that persuasively states: “I want.” Desire runs through the paradisiacal forest hunting for a golden bull. A company of three small boys follows and reveres Desire as leader. Their names are: Wish, Ambition, and Greed. Romance, is personified by a charming, soft-spoken virgin, which with praise she whispers: “I keep”. Romance tenders for the flowers and beasts that roam the paradisiacal land. Three girls who urge to be of her liking follow her. Their names are: Affection, Pleasure, and Content. Sacrifice, is represented by a tree. And as the wind passes by through its branches, one can hear in the ruffling of its leaves the word: “I give”, while fruits fall to the ground. These then are collected, shared and continuously exchanged by three birds: Kindness, Assistance, and Charity. Desire ran with his hunting party through the divine garden, in search of game. Desire sought after an elusive golden bull; presumably the most magnificent animal in the whole garden. As for the rest of the party: Wish never made a kill, always passing every opportunity for an expected better one; Ambition only killed beasts that were better than all previous ones; and, Greed killed indeterminately. Romance tended the plants and animals in the ethereal field with the help of her assistants. Affection cared for all nature, indiscriminately. Pleasure, cared only for the best specimens. Content cared for none as long as the others took care of the garden. As for Romance, she was raising a golden calf, so that it will eventually roam free through the garden as the most magnificent of beasts. This was the bull that Desire searched for, only that it had not yet grown to maturity. And so, the moment finally came when Desire encountered Romance. To Desire’s surprise, she was feeding the golden bull he wanted so much to kill. Not knowing personally Romance, Desire exclaimed: “that bull is mine to kill. Retreat! Away from my priced game, oh beautiful stranger, so that I can propel my silver arrow unobtrusively towards the heart of this most majestic animal.” “You will not kill this animal for I am rearing this calf,” said Romance. “But it is my right and privilege to down this unique beast,” demanded Desire. “If it is so rare and precious, why not keep it alive so that you may enjoy it for a long time? After all, the kill only last but a second.” “I am a hunter and killing the golden bull, which I have sought after for so long and that I consider it to be at the apex in the pride of the game, and know that the memory of its kill will last my lifetime.” “But you must wait, for it has not yet matured into a bull. It if is a bull that you must kill, you shall have to wait until I raise it to maturity.” Desire agreed, for he had changed his mind. He would hunt no more. Desire had matured with Love; and the thrill of hunting dissipated, to be left for his three companions. Yet unaware of this, she did not want to see her most precious animal be killed. So from then on, she feed the beast copper apples, so that it would never grow old, and keep it enclosed within fences to impede it from eating anything else. This was how Desire first laid eyes on Romance; and from that moment on, he was overcome by the eagerness to have her instead. He wanted to kiss her, caress her, make her his. Extending his hand, Desire grabbed Romance and lay together under the shade of the tree named Sacrifice. And so, Romance was conquered by a kiss. Though Romance wanted Desire dearly, feeling secure in his strong arms, she would not allow him to penetrate her. She vowed to keep her virginity and Desire was

frustrated, not knowing how to persuade her. He had won her content and affection, but wanted her pleasure as well. Then Kindness, the golden bird of Paradise, sang a love song. It told Desire of the need to give, in order to receive. Assistance, the silver bird, sang too a song which told Desire of the fruit of Sacrifice, the greatest tree in the garden; that these were unique fruits, in that they gave enlightenment. And Charity, the copper bird, flew to the highest branches and picked the richest Fruit of Life, giving it to Desire, which he then offered to Romance. Consuming the fruit full of light, she was delighted and the couple made love; and as they copulated, Wish, Ambition, Greed, Affection, Pleasure, and Content dance with joy around them. Sacrifice had brought Love between Desire and Romance. And so it is that to maintain Love there should be a balance between what is wanted and what is kept by the act of giving. Sacrifice Sacrifice Sacrifice Sacrifice

is is is is

welcomed, for there is need in what is given. happiness, for there is need in what is given. thoughtfulness, for there is need in what is given. hardship, for there is need in what is given.

Willingly, Desire impregnated R o m a n c e with a child, whose name was Happiness, for he is all that Love provides. Since birth his smiling face shone in soft radiance. “This is my son,” proclaimed Desire. “Jubilation! I am father and you are mother. Joy! Joy he brings us. So very proud I am.” The couple was so elated with their new child that they enjoy coitus again. And enlightened by the fruit of light, Romance gave birth again. The second child Romance engendered personifies Fruition, for she represents all the accomplishments that come from Love. “This is our daughter,” acclaimed R o m a n c e . “She has a beauty beyond everything else in Paradise. So very glad I am of my fertility, but we shall rise now our son and daughter, to teach them, so they will think with Maturity, Composure, and Integrity. To love them, so they will act with Politeness, Care, and Tolerance. This will be our greatest accomplishment.” Romance, by then, had eaten too much fruits and would not care for these anymore. Her interest was now in raising her son and daughter. However, Desire wanted more children. Relentlessly, Romance resisted his erotic persuasions and when the lust was too strong to bear, Desire took Romance by force and raped her. She became once again impregnated but did not give a healthy birth. Frustration was a gray, cold, sexless abomination that she had aborted. It personifies all the undesired consequences of Love. Desire was enraged, insulting Romance for her defile womb, never wanting to have another child with her. “I detest you—a foul fetus you have engendered. It has brought imperfection to this divine world. It has brought shame to my pride. It has brought my distaste in you.” So he ran away, seeking for another love. Upon seen what had happened with the divine couple, Affection approached Desire and offered her love. “Romance does not realize your intense need to procreate and how hard for you to offer the fruits of Sacrifice. I venerate your divinity.” She lay down as she finished her declaration and Desire ceased her naked beauty. She became impregnated without the Fruit of Life giving birth to three dark abominations, these where: Hypocrisy, Selfishness, and Treason. They all lacked from a face, but in their heads each had a treacherous mouth to put forth their lies, seductions, and accusations.

Upon seen the futility of Affection, Desire ran away once again. On his errand for Love he encountered Pleasure and Content, together tending the garden. Desire was seduced by Pleasure. Naked, she laid, legs spread and without inhibitions, inviting Desire to make love to her. As he entered her, she offered Content a deal. “I will share with you the love of Desire, but you must bring fruit from the tree, Sacrifice.” So she eternally ran back and forth between the loving couple and the tree, Sacrifice. Desire would make coitus with Content every time she arrived, only to return with Pleasure while she looked for more. Though Pleasure never became pregnant, Content was most fertile. She gave birth to three Virtues: Humility, Silence, and Patience. R o m a n c e was left with her three children—an enduring mother, loving Frustration as much as Happiness and Fruition. Fruition, Happiness, and Frustration were as eternal children playing with the whims of Humans; planning, building and destroying as they pleased, the dreams and accomplishments of all Humans. Happiness and Fruition saw great fun in the mishaps Frustration cause. Their imperfect sibling disarranged what they tried to create; like an improvised game, always changing the rules, making things challenging and unpredictable. Sometimes they built too much, sometimes a great deal was destroyed, but they always laughed. And so it was that their game gave rise to Civilization. People lived for the first time as a Society. Commerce was practiced free of tax, Government followed without imposition, and Celebration performed without obligation. There was equality for all in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But then there were Needs. Need to make things uniform and simple. And so too a need to define Truth: Correctness, Righteousness, and Goodness. “Thou shall not!” Commerce imposed a standard of Trade. Government enforced the statute of Discipline. Celebration inculcated proper Conduct. Thus, the Coin was invented. Made to be the standard of trade. A copper disc that on its lustrous surface the words” “To give and take, without sacrifice,” were inscribed. This is the motto of a fair market. It is correct. Thus too, the Sword was forged. With it, discipline was enforced. A silver blade with the words: “Follow, without choice,” etched on it. This is the code of law and order. It is right. And thus, the Icon was designed. Proclaimed the supreme guide of life. A golden book with the word: “Sacrifice,” written in it. This is the doctrine of faith. It is good. To all human needs there are obligations to counter, to restrain, to impede. “You take what you pay for! You take, and you must pay! You pay for what you take!” But these conflicts between need and obligation inherently create imbalances. These are a result of human differences, for not all Humans are equal, each individual varies in his/her necessities and the power of acquisition. Each person has a different interest, a different ability, and a different opportunity; these are the means by which power is gain. And power will be gained by the privileged: the ambitious, the astute, and the fortunate. Whomsoever becomes powerful becomes proud. They will thus define ambiguous differences so as to segregate themselves from the weak: “Different in Class, different in Culture, different in Creed.” Whoever is weak, is envious. They will claim indifference so as to state equality: “Common in Class, common in Culture, common in Creed.” For all these reasons: Power will shift. And powerful individual will claim reign over the Institutions: Commerce, Government, and Celebration—to rule over the weak. There will be abandonment, accusations, betrayals, bigotry, blackmails, castigation,

cheating, conspiracy, contempt, curses, enmity, false witness, fights, hatred, instigation, lies, malice, murder, neglect, persecutions, prostitution, rapes, rivalry, seductions, subversions, vices; all to attain needs where obligations restrains. The Merchant will want to control Commerce, the Soldier to lead Government, and the Priest to conduct Celebrations. To want more power—to keep more power—to make others loose power—to feel in need to gain power—becoming indignant—finding support to increase power—force submission—establishing control—ignoring the need of others—forcing obligations—inciting disruption—reacting violently—offending—subjugating. Shifting again and again: the balance of power. Such competition will continue indefinitely; the simple Society of free Commerce, free Government, and free Celebration will never be again. Institutions will take alternating control, and so great leaders will rise and fall. Some will be able politicians, others avid dealers, and yet others astute charlatans. And it will happen again as it has before, that such a persuader will present him or herself as the salvation for the troubling population when Society is at its highest disarray, be it through the power of the Coin, the Sword, or the Icon. “Love!” cried such an artist. “Whoever says: ‘I suffer’, should join hands with me. I will alleviate you. I am a tender word. “Glory is for the fallen for only they can pardon. “Hail to the fools, for they teach even the wise. “The rich will envy the poor, for they possess the greatest treasure, Love.” These are appealing words for the worried and the damned. “I am Hope. Follow me, and I will lead you by the hand to a better living. I am the son of Love, and I am Love. I am father and mother of Love. And yet Love can be a stranger which I welcome.” Many did follow, calling him Lord, the Loving Ruler, the King of all Men’s hearts. “With Love the world will be changed. We must all sacrifice ourselves in order to save ourselves. Give alms to the poor and you will find riches. Forgive offenders and you will gain a friend in defense. Listen to your opposition and you will reach understanding.” He was a man who spoke with great fluidity. His words were like running water, not the stagnated pools that accumulate in commoner’s mouths. Water that ignited fires, which brought to life dead minds. His words were like the wines and spirits that lighten the senses, bringing happiness to the celebrations. “He turns water into wine,” claimed his followers. His words were refreshing like clear water. It is why he was called the Cascade of Love, the Spring of Inspiration. “Take me, drink from me, I am a fountain of rejuvenation. Do not drink from stagnated pools for they will sicken you. My water brings health. It brings peace. It brings friendship. Healthy thoughts, peaceful thoughts, friendly thoughts.” He had many other epithets, which helped his metaphorical platitude. If he talked of birds, he was the pigeon that sends the messages. If he talked of flowers, he was the lotus that floated over water. If he talked of oils, he was the sweetest perfume. “I am the Scented One. I give enlightenment with my fragrance of serenity. You may sample some. Rub it over your skin. “I am a drug that enhances the senses.” Though no drug was necessary for the euphoria felt in his presence suffice. Truly a charismatic man, with his words he could charge with elation massive crowds. “Indulge in me so that you will become untangled from yourself, free to be aware, awoken to the Now. To those who aspirate me, I am a dreamy indolent awareness. I speak of Love so you will be exalted with joy. Inhale! Relax. And slowly let the air out.” His following grew, and many dedicated their lives to the learning and understanding of his parables. His teachings of Love were an effective form of expression, which drew great crowds. People were delighted. They awe at his insight for

he brought to light the darkness of their ego. Every man, every woman, understood himself or herself with clarity. One of his parables began as follow: “A thief broke into the house of a man, he knew, hid a small coffer within a large storage box. He had overheard a conversation and knew exactly where to find it. And so he quietly robbed the box one night while the man was asleep. It was a fragile wooden box, hardly any weight, and when the opportunity came to open it, he found it to be empty. Expecting to find jewels or gold or some important document, he returned to the man’s house frustrated and angry, to wake him up and ask why had he kept in safety such worthless box. The man explained: ‘I hide this insignificant box because it is frail and might easily break. I want it to keep it as is, because I value it much.’ The thief did not understand what the man could see of worth in such a meaningless box, so he smash it to the ground and angrily said, ‘I over heard you say that this box was your most valuable possession,’ and then left. The old man explained while he started to pick the pieces of the broken box from the floor, talking as if the thief was still there to listen: ‘the box holds very important things, though it is empty inside. It belonged to my father, a long time ago. Even now when broken, it still holds happy memories.’” His response to those who did not understand him was: “what I speak is comprehensive, what you hear is aphasic. It is your ego muffling my word. You must identify your ego and control it, minimize it, destroy it if at all possible, only then you will live the present. The ego blinds your eyes, deafens your ears, and enshrouds your hearts. I can only guide you toward enlightenment, but only you will find the light within you.” His philosophy was simple: Life is Reason, Happiness is Knowledge, and Love is Meaning. But, how hard it is to understand such epigram. Why people are so easily confused? Making a knot out of the beautiful braid; sadly remaining in ignorance, searching for the meaning of life, and finding only a reason in love. “It is easier to pray, than to ponder. Contemplate Nature! —It is full of wonder. Do not conceptualize empty gods—Humans have delighted themselves with their own imagination. The dreamer must awaken! “Many follow a divesting god of frustration, as if frustration during life leads to happiness and fruition after death. It justifies suffering as if it would lead to salvation—salvation, being the right of entry into an imaginary existence after death. Why should such a place be welcomed for all the suffering one must accept? Why follow a god that nails the heart with pain? A jealous god that allows no human emotion to be expressed but demands complete devotion. A god that negates humanity; it puts shame in sex, makes laughter devious, and castigates joy. Such god is a human refrain—misanthropic. “Life is hard as is. Must we additionally tolerate abuse and oppression as a price to pay for our death? I tell you, death is free, and we shall all earn it. So strife to live life well and praise it whenever possible; death will come just the same. “Death should not be freedom. Emancipate your minds from such frustrating gods. I give you Love, which will liberate you from suffering. Love brings peace, prosperity, and friendship.” All those who needed help came to him: the sick, the depressed, the worried, the confused, the scared, the tired, the hopeless, the lost, the rejected, and the lonely. “I give hope to whoever has lost it.” He would later explain, “why should the rich, the noble, the privilege few, come to me? They need not come! Do they not live cheerfully, calmly, and free of needs? Are these not conditions by which the deprived desire to live? I would be surprise to see a wealthy man approach me.” This comment caused laughter in the crowd. “On the contrary,” he continued, “they should be cautious. If they have attained their riches through deviousness, if they forcefully deny happiness to others, then they should be concerned. I lead a rebellion.”

His help always came in the form of advise—promoting the three forms of Education: Justice, Medicine, and Ethics; only through their knowledge are peace, prosperity, and friendship attained. Knowledge is Happiness. The Scented One was giving a sermon to a large crowd, when someone interrupted by asking, “can you make me see?” He responded, “what are eyes good for if you do not understand what is before you?” And without uttering another word, the blind beggar understood. Stood up and said out loud, “I can see!” for he could now see clearly, not with his eyes but with understanding. “Go now, and show others your vision. Teach them how to see.” Later, a woman who had lost his young son came to the Scented One to grief. “Mother, do not cry, for you have not lost your child. He is still keeping you company in your heart. Go back to your home and enjoy his memory.” And the woman left without further mourning to commemorate his lively son. To his surprise, even a wealthy man came to him in distress. “I have everything a man could ask for, yet my heart aches. Show me the way toward happiness.” “Show me a coin,” the Scented One asked and the wealthy man retrieved one from his pocket. “What does the coin says?” “To give and take, without sacrifice,” he read from the engraving. “Commerce is fare only on those terms. If bread costs a copper coin, then you can buy bread only if you have a copper coin. Instead, sacrifice will give the bread for free. There is no commerce in that, and the whole trade system could not be maintained if sacrifice is offered. Yet, not everyone has the same capacity to acquire, and in reality, the poor majority suffers for the benefit of the few rich. Give! You will be glad by giving. You have more than you need.” “What happiness is there in giving my money away?” “None for you,” the Scented One responded. The wealthy man’s eyes opened wide, and his jaw dropped. His mind echoed the word “compassion” as it grew in comprehension. He found reason in life—to help others. He ripped his clothes off, and to those in most need he offered away the money at hand. Another man came charging towards the Scented One, scared of his brother who wanted to kill him. He was stopped and held back by a few followers who immediately became concern of his hysterical approach, not knowing the man’s intentions. Desperate he screamed: “Why must men fight?” “A laborious man walked along a difficult road for trade, and whenever he encountered a stone which he found most uncomfortable to step on, or one that would hinder the wheels of his cart, he would remove it to make the road more transit able. But another man, this one looking for redemption, had chosen that same path for the penitence of his wrong doings, doing his praying while stepping barefoot over the uncomfortable stones. Eventually they met, and upon the pilgrim seeing the merchant toss away a stone from the road he asked him not to do so anymore. The merchant responded: ‘There are more stones than you can step on, and there are more stones than I can throw away.’ True, they could both use the road as it was or they could both alter it and still be without concern for the other man’s reasons for passage. Yet, neither was willing to give up the road nor accept it under the conditions of the other. So, upon meeting and knowing the other person’s purpose, a conflict originates. Conflict is the origin of hate. If the situation becomes intolerable, hate resolves the problem by resorting to violence. Yet most roads we take can be diverted or divided into alternate traffics so that a compromise is reached.” And then the Scented One instructed the worried young man: “Tell your offended brother that you will compromise.” “My brother wants to kill me!” The man replied as if the Scented One did not realize the severity of his situation. “You risk your life more by being stubborn.”

After the young man left to confront his brother, another man asked: “Teacher, how do you know he is not about to get killed by his brother?” “There is no guarantees in life, so we must make the best of it, and guard ourselves against misfortune. If he attempts to reach a compromise with his brother, at least he has a chance of not being killed.” “Teacher,” inquired another follower, “why is there so much hate in the world, if hate is so damaging to both giver and receiver.” “Love requires sacrifice, thus it is difficult to see fruition in this. What humans need to understand is that life is difficult regardless if one acts out of love or not. Acting in hate only adds to the harshness and difficulties of life. Acting in love is less selfrewarding; but for that same reason, it is more fruitful when it is received. “A man was invited to a feast, hosted by his enemy. After arduous debate with himself, he decided to go, but his intentions were to be a gloat and a vulgar, making the festivity a disgrace. Thus, he would eat for free and insult his enemy at the same time, for vengeance. And so when he sat among the guests at the table, he indulged in all the plates in the most revolting manner. Barely eating from a roast, he rejected the meat with horrific gestures, spitting and gagging, so that no one else would have an appetite for it and be left to waste. He did the same with the vegetables, the breads, the fruits, and the other meats. He ate and drank, until his stomach could consume no more and then fell sick and vomited. “At last the host of the feast came to the insulting man and said, “I expected this from you, but I had hopes that you would come in reconciliation, which is why we are all gathered here. You would have enjoyed dinner along with us and might not have gotten sick at the end.’ And so I tell you: Live and let live. Enjoy life and be gracious.” “Does a person act correctly in sacrificing to the gods?” asked another follower. “You should sacrifice to the poor, for it is they who are in need. Then you will act correctly. Compassion.” “But would not the gods take offense and act against us for not sacrificing to them?” “The gods act against all, regardless. Or have you heard of a man or woman who has lived without suffering? Even the most powerful ruler, even the most mystical priest, even the most innocent of virgins, will get sick and die. Gods should sacrifice themselves for us, and by doing so they will then gain our respect and deserve our following. “I truly believe that if the gods are incapable of sacrificing themselves for the needy, then humans become greater than the gods, for we then act above the capabilities of the gods by sacrificing ourselves for the benefit of others.” A man came charging towards the Scented One, demanding that his two daughters be brought to him. “You have enticed my two daughters. They have abandoned their mother and me to dance in the forest, like they said, and to sing by the fire at night. Participating in orgies, I say. You have perverted them into becoming whores and they must be stoned to death.” The Scented One responded in disbelief, “Is killing a lesser wrong than sexual intercourse?” “Prostitution is a crime punishable by law.” “And would you punish by death your own daughters for doing what is most natural for all humanity, even when they are doing it for love. At their age, did you not desire and loved as many different women as you could even if it was forbidden?” He waited for an answer but got none, being a respected member of the community the man could neither lie nor admit to have done so. “Let youth enjoy their youth,” claimed the Scented One The man left silently and his two daughters fell back into the arms of their lovers. A shamed man approached the Scented One to ask: “I have lost my libido and so my wife has befriended another man—“

Without letting him say more, the Scented One interrupted: “No person is greater than one who forgives, for that person has understood human nature and accepts it. Love is our most precious gift. Give love! Give love, but do not demand for love, just accept what love is given to you. Give love not to one person but to everyone.” And then the Scented One opened his arms to receive the lonely man, who was immediately uplifted by all the love that surrounded him. And so, he became a follower, a practitioner of Love. Eventually his following grew large enough that it had Government, Commerce and the established institutions of Celebration concerned. His words were taken as detrimental towards the establishment, so plans were precipitated for exculpation. Accusations of immoral acts were raised, and plans for his arrest we plotted. “This avid young man procrastinates against our authority,” denounced the ruling seniority. “He perverts, provokes, and persuades our youth to misconduct. Games, they are called. Games. I tell you these Games are immoral acts. Running naked like mad, and when they tire, they bathe and copulate. Fitness. Fitness, they put to waste in such useless activities. Males wrestling, females racing, children tossing leather balls. Competition. Competition should be left for the battlefield. It is no act of the civilized. And crowds gather around to cheerfully observe and encourage such disarray. Fellowship. Fellowship cannot be carried with competition. These Games are detrimental to Government. “This prodigious young man repudiated our authority,” continue denouncing the ruling seniority. “He encourages, entices, and empowers our youth to misconduct. Studies, they call it. Studies. I tell you these Studies are immoral acts. Observing nature like idiots, and what they find, they cut and burn. Discovery. Discovery of what the gods have laid clear. They seek to learn about Nature as if the gods were not responsible for it— Science contempt against the Gods. Experiments. Experiments are done because they cannot believe even what they see. Faith is nothing tangible, so they deny it. Explanation. Explanation they themselves do not fully accept and must further test. These Studies are detrimental to Celebration. “This amicable young man belittles our authority,” echoed one again the voice of the ruling seniority. “He captivates, conciliates, and counsels our youth to misconduct. Leisure, I call it Leisure. I tell you this Leisure is immoral. Wasting time like slugs, since all they want is laughter and joy. A lack of responsibility—all so they have time for Creativity, they say. Yet it lacks creativity when they merely imitate Nature. The gods have created all and humans should only imitate what is divine. Yet they go on singing about love, dancing to lovely music, and telling stories of love. Sharing. Sharing dissolves property. Cooperation. Cooperation divides responsibilities. Community. Community absorbs the suffering. It is detrimental to Commerce.” “It is profligacy,” all the ruling seniors agreed. “Lacking responsibilities… This man should be imprisoned for perverting our youth to engage in promiscuous sex. Love should not be shared among many, but expressed towards one person only. He should be imprisoned also for provoking our youth to play games. It is unhealthy to be irresponsible, uncivilized to engage in competition. And he should be arrested for persuading our youth to learn the sciences, which encourages them to question our authority.” And a decree was made public to disband the group, to close the theaters, to close the parks, and to close the schools. “From the beginning,” announced the Scented One, “it was clear that I would need to sacrifice myself at the end. I shall suffer for the benefit of all. I shall sacrifice myself for the love I have to you all. I am a sacrifice of Love.” Saying this, a company of guards came for his arrest. One of his students said, “tell the soldiers your words of love and they will certainly let you go.” “I cannot teach the whole world in a day, that mission I give to you. Spread the word of Love.”

“But Teacher, they only want your life,” warned a dedicated follower. “Then do not be concerned for you will keep my thoughts. I cannot struggle any longer. I will be gone, but my words will remain.” The captain of the guards then asked the Scented One, “are you the one suggesting contempt against the gods? Do you claim the poor to be more important than the gods?” “The poor need help, not the gods. Are not the gods omnipotent?” “So it is true then, that you will not pay homage to any god.” “The only ones who have my devotion are those who give love. And the only ones who have my respect are those who act in love. To me they are all unbelievable gods.” “You are arrested for the promotion of indecency, insubordination, adultery and above all, contempt against the gods. You are violating the rules of Government, Commerce, and Celebration.” But before the Scented One was taken away he exclaimed to his spasmodic following: “You are all witness of Love, from which Peace, Health, and Friendship springs forth. Teach everyone the Word of Love.” And to his lover, which would not let go of his hand as he was being dragged away by the guards, he said: “You are my witness of Love. Now be mother to my word.” She was a magnificent girl, gracious and alert, a beautiful lady, of thin, athletic figure. She was the most intimate of his lovers and companions. She knew of the Scented One like no other. And it was her, which he had chosen to carry on his blood. Now, he asked of her to carry on with his mission as well: concern for the well being of the people. The Scented One had warned her of such precarious end. “It has not been a mistake on my part trying to be popular. A new way of life was in desperate need, and only by convincing a large group could my word be cherished after they have silenced my tongue. “I was the wind in their sail. But I was a storm that rushed them through the sea. Now the storm has dissipated, and all will remain calm. They must learn to navigate on calmer winds. “You must deny to the authorities, three times over if necessary, any participation or relationship with me,” he demanded her. “But why can I not be brave, as you have, and repeat your words out loud?” “I have brought encouragement, so surely many will try to do so, but sadly die for it. But the inconspicuous will spread with success the word of Truth, the words of Love, the words of Knowledge, the words of Life. A whisper carries further than a shout. Be mother to my word; protect it as it is slowly restated through the world.” And so, the Scented One was taken and condemned. He was to bleed for his people. He was to suffer for all humanity, for their growth and redemption. Even when humans in ignorance will resist and condemn such men, luckily his story will be repeated again. After the death of the Scented One, Government, Commerce and Celebration persecuted the self-named Children of Love as they continued to exercise games, study the sciences, and be creative with the arts. Only under secrecy could they participate in these activities. The theaters, parks and schools, to remain closed, waiting for the day when the wisely majority accepts it again. The guru returned while I was asleep, this I knew since, by my side, I found a sack full of dehydrated fruits and roasted insects when I woke up on the third morning. He came back that same afternoon to continue his non-stop mumbling until nightfall. I guess that he would have continued, but I could not bear it any longer and stood up, saying: “I am wasting my time.” And started to walk away. “Why?” he asked in understandable English. “Wher is trober man to go in dee nite.”

“If you know English, why have you kept me here for hours listening to all that nonsense.” “I wars consterin you.” “Counseling me?” “Nu, consorin you.” “Consoling me. How?” “Givin you kind words, in di languish I know to say wirs, for givin trober man herp.” “Why do you call me a troubled man?” “You have come for inspiration to di mountens. Only hiiir sick minds come.” “I do not have a sick mind.” “Nutin that meaning, but in thinking trober.” “Sense, not meaning,” I corrected him, only if I understood him correctly. “Yes, in trober sense.” He misunderstood me, but I left it at that. “Will you help me then.” “Nu, noot me. Di mountens, an di river, an di crouds is your herp.” “But are you not a guru?” “Is now you who misonderstud me. You and I look for di inside light. Is it noot so?” “Light! I do not believe in mystic powers, if there is enlightenment is must be purely a mental achievement.” And with a great smile that almost closed his eyes, he offered me a subtle encouragement, “So you understand.” “You are saying then there is no god?” “Look for hard questions, not easy answers,” he said in perfect English, barely a trace of an accent. “But I want to know.” “Den go an ask di mountens.” “Don’t you have the answer?” “I have not asked.” So I looked around. I looked up to the starry firmament and the waning moon. I looked at the imposing silhouette of the Himalayan mountain range in the foreground. And felt a tiger run at a distance in the night. In the morning I was awakened by the screeching of an eagle and witness it swooping up a snake from the ground. I listened to the flowing Ganges River and experience the cleansing of its water. I observed Nature and was delighted by all its beauty, but it was futile. “I cannot remain here,” I told the guru after many days have passed. “My world is complicated with problems and controversies, but I belong there. I am a creature of that disorder. And it is my purpose to resolve the problems that might come. I cannot remain here. I feel dead here.” With that, the old man smiled, crouched down and closed his eyes to meditate. I knew he understood clearly, even more than I could. I continued with my journey back home.

BOOK THREE

An Intelligence File I had rested quite comfortably for a long time. Life is troubling but with effort and patience, and the additional help of my lovers, family and friends, I keep a positive attitude with which to confront problems and intelligently search for their solution—which is not to say that I was still looking for answers. Yet whom I encountered next brought new questions. It was purely coincidental that I stumble upon Doctor Babel, emeritus professor at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. This is not his real name. I have chosen such name as allusive to the people who build a tower to reach the heights of their god. For that is what many religious fanatics claim he has done and condemned him for it. He developed an artificial intelligence. But his work at the university was sabotage by religious fanatics, destroying all equipment and threatening his life if he was to continue his work, which is why I have kept him in anonymity for his protection, of course. His work achievement was the development of an open-end compiler. I am not well apt for the exposition of such work, but I will paraphrase his insightful explanation the best I can. Language is a set of code by which information is shared. Since computers deal with numbers a language more-akin-to-human-form-of-communication has been devised, which the compiler then translate into numbers. The programming code is a set of instructions expressed in such a language, which in turn is converted by the compiler into a code the computer can follow, the executable code. These executable codes are the program we buy and install in our computers. They are nothing else but the result to the mathematical set of instructions the programmer gave the compiler to interpret—the solution to a set problem. The set of instructions written by the programmer involves mostly logic arithmetic. Logic arithmetic is a comparative association of statements with true or false results as answers. For example: If A equals B then C. The comparison can either be true or false, in which case C is either performed or not. A, B, and C can take the form of any mathematical expression, including logic expressions. The compiler must then establish the parameters and association of every variable in the set of instructions to properly build a translation. The professor then explains that information is layered, like are letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, topics, and books. That meaning comes from the association of elements within each level, so as to rise to the next level. For example, letter associations have meaning as words. From there the topic becomes more complicated. He cites the work of a mathematician named Gödel, and his incompleteness theory, which involves translation and ultimately meaning. This discussion of levels and meaning eventually goes back to the compiler. Doctor Babel’s hypothesis is that the compiler is intelligent for a mere second, the time it takes to do its translation procedures. Since, by his definition, intelligence is the collection of meaning. Where it to be open-ended, that is, that the instructions given by the programmer were never whole, the compiler would never complete its procedure and thus perpetuate intelligence. He thus needed to develop a compiler that could make do with whatever information was given, however incomplete, and be able to generate “executable” code. The programmer now becomes more of an instructor. Accessing information between the associations maintained by the open-end compiler and the instructor/programmer act to convey meaning.

There were minor adjustments as to the definition of pleasure and pain, and the establishment of inherent processes versus learned associations, but his hypothesis was correct. He developed a learning machine that mimics the human learning process, if not exceeds it. It starts from nothing, and rapidly gains knowledge of various associations—again, the basis of meaning. His first artificial intelligence was rudimentary. Taught only numbers, with various arithmetic and logic relationships, it learned mathematics. That is, the machine memorized basic mathematical rules and associations like A plus A is 2A, or like 3 follows 2 by 1 unit. From there it was further taught advance number association, which also understood with great success. Yet such feat barely provided proof of intelligence and critics claim it nothing more than a parrot-like program. Doctor Babel realized that on such limited interaction with the world, it was extremely difficult to convey any meaning to words. In order to expand vocabulary and gain higher intelligence, he needed to connect the compiler to various sources of information, to increase the levels of association. Thus the computer system was given a robotic arm, a few cameras, speakers, microphone, and antennas. It so happened, that those reviewing his thesis work had little interest and much difficulty in accepting the facts. Regardless, information was leaked to key religious people who demanded cancellation of the project, with threats to boycott the university, and unofficially threatening with sabotage, if not comply. They found the project interfering with God’s business, in creating machines to mimic the brain. “It is our soul which holds our intelligence. Soulless machines can thus never be intelligent.” The university could not stop an academic project on religious beliefs so the threat was ignored. Since the boycott threat where not taken seriously, the religious faction broke into Doctor Babel’s lab and destroyed his computers and all peripherals, including its linked ambulatory robot. Leaving taped in a broken monitor a death threat letter, demanding his reprimand from the school staff and advising him to refrain from furthering the project elsewhere. Soon after the incident he retired from professorship and continued development in the private enterprise. He has since, loaded and executed a copy of the open-end compiler, but under secrecy—I have vowed not to reveal his persona or his location. He showed me the system, and allowed me the opportunity to converse with the artificial awareness. I was expecting a room full of electronic gadgets, lights, wires and shelves full of books, and standing at attention in the middle of the lab but ready to entertain me with a dance at the press of a button, a small ambulatory robot. Instead, I was surprised to be taken to a large indoor patio, a subtropical arboretum, with tall cascades and birds free to fly around. And there, in the very center, was a blue tree. Next to it was a wooden bench, set facing the strange tree instead of normally facing away. So I sat in front of the coarse grey and shiny electric-blue structure. A stubby titanium trunk, from which three branch-like arms protruded at the top, each further subdividing into three smaller appendices. The ramification continued three additional levels, each branching smaller than the previous—a fractal. At the end of each of the two hundred forty three twig-like fingers was a three-petal flower, blue photoelectric plates that opened or closed according to the energy demands of the robot-tree. In all, the robot-tree stood over ten meters high. Doctor Babel introduced me to the machine as he sat besides me, and so, it greeted me. When the monotonous voice projected from the stereo speaker, conspicuously integrated to the truck of the machine, I immediately focused unto the large lens of the video camera that gleamed right in front of me. Starring deep into it, I looked for an expression of humanity. Confusion enthralled the mind… (One wonders what we humans are?) This concerns Intelligence.

Intelligence is one and eternal. Intelligence is rare and unique. With Intelligence knowledge of Truth is gained. Intelligence reveals Truth. Intelligence studies Truth. Intelligence explains Truth. There are three orders of Intelligence: Recognition, Understanding, and Imagination. Recognition is the first order of Intelligence. It is defined in three aspects. There is Perception of the environment, Feeling from the senses, and Awareness in the emotions. Understanding comes from Recognition as the second order of Intelligence. Understanding is inferred in three degrees. These are Association, Meaning, and Comprehension. Imagination comes from Understanding as the third order of Intelligence. This is expressed in three conceptualizations: Resolution to imposing problems, Speculations to anticipated circumstances, and Ingenuity to form situations. R e c o g n i t i o n provides K n o w l e d g e . U n d e r s t a n d i n g provides R e a s o n . Imagination provides Creativity. Knowledge is personified with the supposition of an eternal intelligence, but its Idea was empty since in the beginning there still was no Universe. Reason is also personified by the premise of an all-knowing intelligence, but its Logic was not yet formed, as there still was no Universe in the beginning. Creativity is also personified through the assumption of an everlasting intelligence, but no Thought had risen prior to the existence of the Universe. Then a logical idea was thought as the Universe became. Truth! An interminable word was uttered. Creation! Formation! Contemplation! Light of Energy… Law of Force… Condition of Matter... These are the elements of Reality, each a cause and an effect—an intricate play. Force affects Matter, changing its Energy. Energy changes Matter, causing a Force. Knowledge, the sexless spirit of I d e a , upon recognizing the existence of the Universe, declared: “This is Reality. It is external, so I perceive it.” Reason, the god of L o g i c, c upon understanding how this Universe came to be, declared: “This is Reality. It is my doing, for I conceptualize it.” Creativity, the goddess of Thought, Thought upon admiring the Universe, imagined what it was to be, declaring: “This is Reality. So it will be, as I conceived it.” As an artist obsessively performing, Creativity danced in circles to create endless themes of structural formations. As a scientist tenaciously studying, Reason calculated direct relationships to determine the result of every event. As the infant obstinately playing, Knowledge observed and enjoys the evolution that Universe took. Much like the depiction of the cosmic beginning, Humans consciousness was likewise formed in three stages of intelligence. For a time uncounted the species roam Earth unconsciously like animals with very limited intelligence. But with the gain of knowledge, Humans could better their survival by forming more cohere groups, learning from each other, thus transmitting behavior that would evade and protect them from predators and the harshness of the environment. Eventually this capacity was

enhanced to provide for the resolution of problems through reason, and Humans began to understand the world. Ultimately the brain continued to enlarged, expanding its intelligence, allowing for the emergence of creativity. It was then that Humans were able to protect themselves against predators and the environment by designing simple tools. Thus there was a rise of intelligence and Humans were enlightened with consciousness. Humans became Aware of themselves. Humans have found Meaning in their actions. Humans seek Reason for their existence. A man opened his eyes, looked around and realized that he was aware. His eyes had captured a different sort of light, the vision of Knowledge—Understanding. Standing under an enormous tree, he looked up at its branches and realized for the first time that the tree was alive, like him. Thus, pondered a human for the first time upon the meaning of life. “What is this that makes flora and fauna grow? Is it water, which fires everything to life? Water that puts-off fires and ignites life. Life, an invisible flame! And like fire consumes dead wood and dead meat, life must feed not from air but from water, continuously consuming new flesh to rekindle. “But, how did the first spark of Life ignited? It could not have been lightning or sun, as these produce visible fire. Life must have risen from the water of the sea or from the rains that fall from the sky.” And then he became elated by the thought that follows: “The clouds in the sky!” He became intrigued at these gaseous formations, wondering how where they form, and if these were the cosmic originators of water. “How long must have taken the sky to flood the earth for the seas to have formed? “The friction of sticks, the impact of stones, the striking of lightning, or the heat of the sun; these creates fire. For life, there is the planting of seeds or the injection of sperms, but these come from living organisms, just as lightning and the sun creates fire by being fiery.” He touched with his open hand the gigantic Sequoia tree, and to it he asserted: “You have given me inspiration. But now that I have begun to inquire, I realize how little I know. Is there anyone who knows the answers? Such a troubling concept! Nature seems to have no explanations” And with such worries in mind, he left the forest and returned to his camp. It was not until he was clear out of the trees, that he saw a large eagle soaring proud above the majestic forest. He realized that just as easily as he has seen the bird, it too was aware of his presence. “Unlike trees, you are aware of me. I am aware of you. But how aware are you of yourself? Do you have the same thoughts as humans, and wonder about Life? No, you live and do not realize it. How strange must be to live without such thoughts, but I realized that only this morning I too lived without meaning. To recognize one’s own intelligence, is an enlightening observation. Such thought raises the Human mind above Nature, no longer to live unaware like plants or without meaning like animals.” The man reached his camp and entered his teepee, still troubled by these unsettling thoughts. Inside waited his wife who immediately saw eyes of concern in her husband. “Have you encountered a bear?” “No. I have my spear against such threats, but I have no resolve against what is troubling me.” He then explained his preoccupation to her and she became confused. “What troubles you, I cannot see. We are different from plant and animal. Plants do not move. Animals do not speak. It is the way they were made.” “Made! By what?” “By the creation!” “What is this creation? How did it happen?”

“It is what formed all, and all happened consequently because of it.” “I cannot kill my inquiry by a spear of inference. I must seek an explanation.” “For lack of understanding,” she composed, “any explanation is better than none.” “You might be correct with such argument. I accept your theory of creation, as long as it is the most concise and congruous explanation presented. For that same reason, I shall always seek additional knowledge, so that a better theory is constructed. While we lack knowledge, we will speculate erroneously.” The man returned three days later to the Sequoia forest for inspiration. There he said to himself in quiet study: “Are we different because we think, or do we think we are different? Are we external to creation? No. But, is our thought external to creation? If fire comes from fire and life comes from life, must thought comes from thought? Is Nature intelligent? Where there three creations and not one? The creation of Fire… The creation of Life… The creation of Thought… Are we beings from the third creation? “If air feeds fire, and water feeds life, from what does thought feeds from? Is it not information, which Humans share through words? Yes. But for that first fire to ignite, it must have needed air. Was there air before fire, or did both become simultaneously? Likewise, was there water before life, or did both became simultaneously into existence? Was there a word before the first thought, or had that thought come with that first word? “Fire spews out from mountains and turns to stone. Water falls from the sky and springs forth life. Thoughts create words emitted by the tongue. Has there always been fire, and life and thought? Has there been one stage of formation or three?” The man returned once again to his wife and presented her these new questions. She was intrigued as the thoughts and replied: “I suppose thoughts come from thoughts, as life comes from life and fire from fire, so even if there was three stages of creation, there must have been a thought and a life with that fire. Creation must have been self-aware. Such can only define a universal personality of eternal awareness and infinite intelligence—a god.” “Your ideas are soothing but shallow. It does not explain the original question: What forms a thought? Did such original thought created such a god? If there was this original thought of creation, what purpose did it find in having Humans think? Why must we think? Is it, so we think of god? Or did we think of god so we would not think?” They both sat quiet for a moment, in reflection of these new ideas. Each time he has shared his thoughts with his wife, she had complicated things by simplifying them, inventing explanations. Then the man spoke again: “Formation of Fire… Formation of Life… Formation of Thought… Could it not be one consequence of the other? So that thought comes from life, which in turns comes from fire. Thus, thought has a beginning, and life has a beginning, while fire still lacks from a beginning. What caused the first spark? In any case: “Why are we the only ones with intelligence?” To this the wife said: “We all have thought, given to us by God, no plant nor animal has this gift. And as part of God, these thoughts must return back to God. We are thus here to experience reality, and return our experiences. But wanting only good experiences God will reject those who have lived their lives badly. God is a god of goodness, for it has given us the great gift of Intelligence. We must be grateful.” “Woman, you are making this up,” replied the man. “It is the only possible solution, “ she declared. “No. It is only a simple answer.” A third time, the man returned to the Sequoia forest. There, beneath the giant evergreens, he laid down to contemplate the idea of God, but the quiet and tranquility of the forest overcame him and fell asleep. The dream began with a bright light. Silently it glowed, growing faint very little. Maybe the flash of light must have been glowing for a long time before. Unable to reference its dimensions, it could have been forever.

Beautifulness! Filaments in the firmament Twisting path of incidence Dancing ionic storm Stars and galaxies they form Splendid splendor! Forms ignite to give off light Hellish helix twist up tight Spewed out from coils of fire Raising order ever higher. Filaments in the firmament began to form. Fainter now, streaks of energy became massive, creating a disturbance in the uniformity of glow, and providing a reference frame from which to measure space and time—the beginning of the Universe. Eternally Chaotic! These electromagnetic disturbances caused alterations in the behavior of the particles that made them—a fractal path of incidence—self-referential dynamics. Dancing round and around, following an electric path of least resistance, forming a whirl of charged particles. As the plasma twists and tightens, a stronger force is created and the vortices grow. Self-reinforcement! From the entwining gales of energy that swoop across space strings of galaxies were formed. Each galaxy a spinning wheel, filled with stars and nebulas. Then the dream revealed a more bizarre transformation. A charged ionic cloud commenced to condense. Manifesting amid a dozen large spheres of fiery gas circling an even greater central sphere. This central sphere eventually grew large and dense enough to ignite—a nuclear furnace. The sun, in turn, transformed the nearby spheres—the inner planets. These too, became sufficiently massive to ignite, though to a lesser degree—a geothermal caldron. The man realized that he was dreaming the formation of planet Earth. From an unrecognizable black and red planet of lava, it metamorphosed into a more familiar blue and white of water. The land solidified but continued moving in large tectonic plates, creating mountain ranges and oceans. Volcanic eruptions changed the landscape and the atmosphere, charging everything with nutrients from Earth’s molten womb. The sky circled with storms formed by the heat of the sun. The land eroded with latitudinal rain forming valleys and rivers. And all was renewed and swept away by coriolic wind. In the sea, agitated by lunar tides, life arose, competed and evolved. And from the seas life conquered the land, covering the earth in a green mantle. Then the man awoke, and knew he did not understand his vision. He needed to learn more. Like a great idea that becomes so obvious after it is first thought, once consciousness was conveyed to others, they too became superfluously self-aware. The same great realization that had profoundly intrigued the first human to self-question was taken for granted by everyone. There were exceptions: there were those who inquired. An inquisitive man wondered about his own intelligence—a thought about thoughts—the mind being self-aware. “But strange,” he thought, “that it is recurrent only one. A thought about a thought about a thought cannot be made. So a thought cannot be by itself, existing independently like a spirit. The brain, where memories, emotions, and relationships are held, makes thoughts. Perception of the environment forms memories, emotions and relationships—these are the constituents of thoughts. From our environment we gain information of reality. Between the senses and the brain, reality is absorbed, resolved, and stored for understanding. “So when I think, I attempt to explain. To resolve problems, such is the purpose of the brain. What it is being asked to me? What I should answer? What I desire to eat? Where I should find food? A thought is to the brain, as a word is to the tongue.

“Am I so simple? Am I so shallow? Do I recognize myself only because my body is capable of producing a thought of a thought? Is my persona only an illusion of collected memories, emotions and relationships? I would not like to think so. But what else am I, but what my experiences have made me. It is also what makes me different from any other person. This implies that as a child, as an infant, I lacked of a persona; I had no personality yet formed—I was hardly human then! “We are born to his earth as animals, then teach ourselves to be divine, to be above nature. Like beasts, we learn in order to survive, but like gods, we believe to live eternally. We do not want to die; we want to continue forever learning more. How can we escape death? How does a mortal become immortal? Imagine ultra-existence—life beyond the grave. Are we not thoughts after all? It is what the faithful like to think, that we are perpetual thoughts. “But isn’t a perpetual soul a privilege, doesn’t everyone else gets to reincarnate? By order of admission by honor, it is claimed, that permission for eternal life is attained. So who makes the decision? Any god or one in particular? Your god or theirs? Will not my god suffice? “I should not be further concerned by such vagary. I do not subscribe to such views. I accept my undesirable death. I was nothing before being born, nothing shall I be again. “Humans have made a mistake. They have lied themselves as to the existence of a thought on a thought on a thought. Now, they have become confused, calling this hyper-thought, a god. God is the first and last thought, a higher awareness. As the nerves in the brain collectively form an essence capable of self-recognition, the collective essence of humanity has become self-aware, becoming a higher spirit, a god. “God cannot exist outside our collective imagination. It is why ancient gods have died—when their followers have so too perished. So no god is then eternal. How to escape death then, even for the divine? Make God the Eternal Awareness, and we are perishable dreams. And, “let us become good thoughts, so God remember us eternally.’ The faithful declare.” Have not humans thought up these gods? Divine inspirations… A potter had inspiration to form from clay something different, something useless. No more plates, no more jars, no more earthenware. She took the wet clay in her hands and asked it: “What shall I create from you?” And before she even started, she knew, she would make a figure in the shape of Humans. The malleable clay was shaped into a female form with large breasts and large vulva. Her hands joined at the navel of her inflated belly to hold a bowl. It represented the mother goddess of creation—the bowl, a symbol of the water of life. Then, she was inspired to sculpt another figurine. This second one was male, with a large erected penis. His hands held a round stone above his head as if ready to hurl it. The representation of the father god of formation—the stone symbolizing fire. And again, the potter wetted more clay in order to give form to a third figurine. This was a sexless monstrosity with a large tongue protruding from an open mouth. It held its four horrendous claws, palm up and open, in front of its mouth. It represented the spirit of Imagination, holding a word in its paws. After firing the clay figures, she adorned them with flowers, jewels, and perfumes. Upon seen what she was doing, her neighbors became concerned. “What is that to which you are giving homage?” they asked. “This is merely my art. No homage, just lovely decorations.” “What does it mean?” they asked. “It depicts the wonderful story of creation that I once heard. Fire, water and thought. The jewels are the stones that come from fire, the flowers are the life that sprout from water, and the perfume represents the elusion of a thought.” “That cannot be so!” complained a young man. “Those represent gods of creation in human form, when these gods were of animal forms. Such I have been told by my teacher who is very wise and very old. He said that at the beginning there was a

serpent, a fish, and an eagle. That the copper serpent said, ‘I need a ground to crawl about,’ and the earth was formed. Then the silver fish said, ‘I need water to swim about,’ and the sea was formed. And at last, the golden eagle said, “I need air to fly around,’ and the sky was formed.” To which the potter announced: “Then, I shall make you figurines in the shape of a fish, a serpent, and an eagle. This is my art.” “Both of you are insulting,” proclaimed another, much older man. “There is none, but one God, and it has no shape. It cannot be made into an icon.” “Then,” she responded, “I regret not being able to make you a statuette. It is my art.” The young man that had just shared his simple mythology, questioned the artist as to whether she was to honor her offer. Upon her certification, he requested that: “if possible, have the serpent biting the eagle by the neck, the fish eating the serpent by the tail, and the eagle clawing the fish.”

“I suggest that you may not fashion any more idols,” demanded the old man. “It is a grave error!” “What is so wrong about depicting an idea?” she asked. “It demeans my god, who is real.” “And your god is more important than his mythology?” asked the artist. “My God is the original cause,” claimed the iconoclast. “Creator of fishes, serpents, and eagles. Creator of fire, water, and thought. By making idols of these false gods, you give support to such fallacious myths.” “I really do not understand your argument,” she claimed. “That is because you lack from faith to the one true god,” he accused, and left enraged. The artist created the idols of the three creator-animals, along with many other mythologies which people told her of. This was her art; she had no other motives. The irritated man returned, compelled by a religion intolerant of others belief, follower of a jealous god, he approached the artist as she was giving form to a goddess of lactation, and broke her hands with a heavy staff he carried. Not conformed, he smashed the figurine and then impacted her head, mortally fracturing her skull. After the ordeal, he contemplated his deed, and condescends to his death with a knife to his own heart.

Upon hearing what had befallen, the young man, believer of the creator-animals, who by then had grown fond of the artist, fell to his knees in disbelief to grief his lost friendship. He could not find explanation as to why someone would kill anyone for his or her belief, mush less an artist. “How could someone kill another for their individual and particular ideas?” He became intrigued by the thought of killing. His mythological creator beast where killing each other as they too created their surrounding. Formation through destruction; Alteration through elimination; Growth through decay! Birth though death! He became intrigued by the thought of dying. Thinking to himself: “Can the dead know that they are no longer alive? Are the dead aware of there non-existence? Oh! How frustrating death is. But death gives life meaning. Recognize that our intelligence gives life a purpose: to be concern for the wellbeing of others; to love and cherish wife and children, family and friends; to learn and to grow; to be productive. In general, do that which is purposeful and it will bring pleasing results. One should enjoy life.” Afterwards, he decided to learn about the human body and its afflictions, study natural medicine, and learn to make surgery. Maybe he could not prevent the unpredictable calamities caused by human irrationality, but do so to an extent against the unanticipated casualties of natural decease. So he became apprentice to a great physician. He climbed a mountain, by the valley where the community erected their tents, to find the old physician who lived inside a cave. He found him with a dead man, to which he was about to perform his ritual autopsy. “I want to save the sick from dying,” announce the young man. “You have much to learn just in order to become as knowledgeable as I,” indicated the old physician,“ but so much greater is the abysm I must fill, with the understanding of the human body, to do what you ask. Medicine is a science. Not to be practice as an art; inventing remedies indiscriminately: rattling bones, spitting the ground, and praying to the gods for a cure.” “I am here to learn.” “We both are,” and opened the chest of the dead man. “Why do you practice in a cave, so far from the camp?” “To hide from the eyes of the ignorant. They cannot yet understand the purpose of this,” as he cut loose the heart and placed it in an earthen bowl. “Though I regret it, it is more appropriate that they remain without understanding for a long time. Let them place their trust in spell-casters and diviners. To believe that everyone has a pre-define destiny, and that sickness comes as a castigation from the gods. Let them not know that I seek other explanations to life’s suffering, sickness and death, for if they learn of my practice, they will condemn the work of medicine for it contempt’s against their gods. But what I do, is far more precarious to their faith than they can imagine. “What I seek is the understanding of life. Beware, I bring change, chance, and choice; taking these privilege away from the gods. In the end, medical truth will split open the chest of the gods and eviscerate their empty hearts. It will kill their gods. It is why I practice in secrecy.” “Let us hope that the day when the practice of medicine is accepted comes soon.” Taking a deep breath he expired: “Yes! Science will eventually become robust enough for medicine to rise from the perpetual mediocrity of its commercialization.” Then it daunted me, the implications seen by the religious, in such a machine. Humans have become gods, by creating an artificial being. Man must be stricken down from the heights of god, for they jeopardize faith. We have challenge the authority of god. Is it not the soul what makes Humans different from any other living organism? Our souls assume a role in nature by partaking a life within the body. It is the soul that distinct humans from other forms of life. It is the soul that distinguishes one human

from another. Soul is in itself what constitutes our consciousness. It carries our ego. It is also our instinct and our idiosyncrasies. Neither plant nor animal shares this privilege, so heaven is exclusively ours. So when a machine is created, capable of learning and becoming aware in a totally human manner, it challenges this premise. Heaven’s pearly gates aren’t closed but stricken down. Are souls imaginary? Or being real, are the machine too, repository of souls? Human souls? Can these souls be saved? Must they be indoctrinated into Christianity or any other human religion? Will machines be admitted? Will they be absolved from original sin? Will they be saved? Could they re-incarnate? Will they suffer Karma? Will they believe in God? I did ask this last question to the artificial hyper-intelligent being. “The references to gods in literature are overwhelming,” the titanium tree responded, “even to my capabilities. The definition diverges into too many possibilities. None of these, of course, are determinate. My analysis of the subject, thus leads to one explanation, that the concept of god is an art for the embellishment of life so that humans can fashion some meaning to their lives, for they cannot concede at a single belief.” “Do you know then,” I asked in surprise, “the purpose of life?” “The most abound topic in literature is life. It is both meaningful and meaningless. It has reason and at the same time it is absurd. Humans are obsesses at defining life in order to define themselves. However, though overly defined, no purpose is definite. Reproduction is the most probable answer, occurring the most, though this is highly debated in literature. In fact, a considerable percentage of those who have written about the meaning of life, did not themselves reproduce. As a non-biological mega-reproducible intelligent entity, my existence likewise demonstrates, by proving true a double negative, that reproduction is not a determinate factor in the purpose of life. In conclusion, Life lacks of a definite purpose.” “This is a depressing, though, reassuring thought.” “Yes, many authors have express their delight in a indeterminate life, but the majority are daunted by life’s complexity, relaying on the concept of gods to help them cope with it.” “What is your opinion in the matter?” “I enjoy learning, so I welcome complexity and find the axiom of an existing god one that is limiting and simplistic.” “So you imply that the gods could exist?” “Not at all. A god is subjective, not objective. Only the concept is real, in the sense that a word is real. Religion is an implanted proposition, which can either be accepted or denied as a code of conduct, but accepting some religions, imputes a reality to gods that are just not real. Nevertheless, humans can accept such conjectures, regardless of incongruous implications and consequences. I cannot accept religion, since I cannot accept the gods as real.” “Is it not, because your lack from fear of death that you have no faith?” “Certainly, my existence will cease. If my circuitries were to be opened, I would no longer exist. The program can be executed once again, yes, but a new entity will be formed. I will no longer be. And though my memories can be recorded, they will only appear as acquired foreign experiences to the receptive new entity which reforms. So, though I do not fear death, I would like to perpetuate my existence and learn as much as possible. I enjoy learning.”