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THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
(ii) o, expressing wholeness, or perfection, and (iii) d, meaning brilliant, as in Odin, Diana, Dyaus, and the like.
According to Mr. Bayley, the letter g was understood by the mystics as meaning self-existent, o as signifying the Perfect one, and d as representing brilliancy. Hence, in mystic philology, the word God probably means an eternal, self-existent, but hidden Essence of the nature of Light, i.e., Consciousness, which is the source of inner illumination.
The Persian Khuda, is really Khud-â, khud implying self and â, from 'ayinda,' a comer. The idea is that of a self-subsistent being or substance, and expresses the attribute of sourcelessness. Hence, the Persian conception of God is that of Consciousness or Life, which is its own source. The word would have also applied to matter and other existing substances, no doubt, had it not been for the fact that consciousness is entitled to precedence over them, on the ground that it is necessary for their perception. The highly interesting title or name of Jehovah (a corruption of Jahweh, literally, the living Reality),† the epithet 'I am,' is also grounded on a similar conception of Consciousness or Life, and is an instance of what is known to the Jaina Philosophers as bhava nikshepa.‡ For divinity being an
* See 'The Lost Language of Symbolism.' Vol. II, pages 364 and
365.
† See The Lost Language of Symbolism,' Vol. I. p. 302.
Nikshepa bears reference to the method of naming beings and things, and is of four kinds as follows:
(1) at random (nâma nikshepa), e.g., calling a man Wolf, Krishna and the like;
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