Re: The Face Of God

--- Rhespondent ar Vorgan:

> Mike Ellis wrote, quoting myself:
>
> > >I imagine that this should serve as a good
> translation exercise.
> >
> > It does. It's a bit (read: a lot) more pious
> > than the stuff I usually
> > translate. The Rheans are, as a rule
> > (complete with exceptions!), not a
> > very religious people. But here's how they'd
> > say those twelve things:
I agree to an extent - Telerani religion is not
really all that "religious". It's more a system
of right living (in all times and places) than of
piety to the Gods.

> Incidentally, in my experience the word 'pious'
> is almost extinct as a
> synonym for 'devoted to religion'. Instead,
> 'piety' has come to mean 'false piety'
How did it get that way for you? It's never been
anything other than "devoted to religion" or
"devoted to (the) God(s)" for me.

> and 'pious' to be linked to the
> image of someone whose
> devotion is entirely a matter of appearance.
That's false piety or lipservice.

> > I can see something like this
> > twelve-attribute "wheel" appearing in a
> > temple in Rhea: not in a temple of Rhetakaf*,
> > but perhaps in a temple of
> > Yadsevno**.
The Path already has two half wheels (one for the
eight Virtues and one for the eight
Aginvirtues*); a four spoked wheel for the
Principals and two arcs of seven stars for the
chief Powers (though only one arc of seven is
ever depicted - the other seven are usually
represented by rocks amongst the roots of the
Tree that grows under the arc of Stars). What's
another wheel in the works? ;) So, there will now
be a Twelvefold Wheel as well.

[*These are not "vices" or even just the mere
opposite of virtues. They _are_ Virtues, just the
Virtues that are set _against_ the Virtues.]

> Oh, I think they would look much better in a
> language where each
> attribute is a single word!
They are that, in Talarian. It's nice to be able
to cram roots together and radically alter
meanings with a simple affix! :)

> I can also imagine the wheel being the
> basis for a variety of devices, such as a
> candle stand with twelve
> holes and each attribute engraved in gold on
> the wood.
I like that. Now, to find a place for it in the
temple! :)

> As for 'alternate words', here are some
> comments that may have a
> bearing upon the best translation of the twelve
> attributes:
>
> * * *
>
> Most people probably noticed that the twelve
> attributes are not
> arbitrarily scattered around the clock face.
Well, for a Telerani, they are to an extent.
Also, several make absolutely no sense. So rather
than simply translate something that would be
culturally meaningless (but accurate) I took more
meaningful attrributes to fill in the few empty
spaces. Also, there are four overwhelmingly
important attributes - attributes that fit the
Path so very well - that they must be shifted to
the cardinal points.

> For example, attributes
> on opposing sides are always complementary in
> some way. 'Most intimate'
> and 'most vast' are complementary on account of
> being opposites;
Indeed. I like this arrangement. It is also how
the Virtues and the Powers are aligned.

> Sometimes the English words did not really
> capture the attributes that
> I had in mind.
Mind you, the English words given below often are
inadequate to capturing the Talarian idea.
Comments or questions would be welcome!

> With all this in mind, there is considerable
> potential for another
> language to do a better and more poetic job
> than I was able to do in English.
Well, let's see what you think! Consider point
[1] to be at the top, [7] at the bottom, etc.
Also note that all attributes can be modified by
MAXA-, which simply means "most":

1.  haxarttan   "birth contractions" of the
spirit
2.  alohacnatar    Who tends to all that need
3.  paltamâspurncanar  wide-open goodness
4.  sahamtaramtom  the Seeker Sought
5.  xacamata     needs to be loved
6.  elenânti     beyond the stars
7.  nexawolnetan welling up from within
8.  telcohacnatar  Who tends to each that needs
9.  manstar      wise
10. weytimtôs    Truly Known
11. xacamtar     Truly Loving
12. filtahan     within the living spirit

Some notes on particular pairs:
1/7. In Telerani thought, God is that which draws
us like a lodestone and pushes like a birthing
ewe; he is also that which wells up from within
our spirits.

4/10. God is not some unknowable entity that
resides Outside. He is as intimate as ones own
skin and imbues the whole person and the entirety
of Creation. We should not seek him externally
through mediums or priests, but should first look
within, because that's where the answer has been
all along.

5/11. The Catholics say (or _would_ say, if there
were any in The World) that God made us to love
and serve him and love with him in heaven; and
the followers of the Path would concur in part.
We came to be out of God's need and desire to
love and be loved. It makes no sense to embody
love if the need to love is lacking. If we love
God, we will seek him, and in the seeking, would
"obey" any commandments. [There are none in
scriptures - it's a given that the obedience
demanded explicitly by other religions is
inherent in the hearts of Man and that it will
shine through on its own once Man in on the right
path. That's also why the obey/forgive pair was
eliminated.]

Of course, none of these attributes are ascribed
to any particular God or saint; they can equally
be ascribed to any Power that is considered by
the follower to be paramount or to any saint that
has attained Rest (i.e., nirvana or whatever). It
should also be noted that there really isn't a
"God"; there is a nonanthropomorphised
personality or entity of some sort, however.

Padraic.


=====
beuyont alch geont la ciay la cina
mangeiont alch geont y faues la lima;
     pe' ne m' molestyont
     que faciont
doazque y facyont in rima.

.