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profound modification of my nature； a new manner of my being。〃
Quoted from the MS。 of an old man by Wilfred Monod： II Vit：
six meditations sur le mystere chretien； pp。 280…283。
This overcoming of all the usual barriers between the individual
and the Absolute is the great mystic achievement。 In mystic
states we both become one with the Absolute and we become aware
of our oneness。 This is the everlasting and triumphant mystical
tradition； hardly altered by differences of clime or creed。 In
Hinduism； in Neoplatonism； in Sufism； in Christian mysticism； in
Whitmanism； we find the same recurring note； so that there is
about mystical utterances an eternal unanimity which ought to
make a critic stop and think； and which brings it about that the
mystical classics have； as has been said； neither birthday nor
native land。 Perpetually telling of the unity of man with God；
their speech antedates languages； and they do not grow old。＇271＇
＇271＇ Compare M。 Maeterlinck： L'Ornement des Noces spirituelles
de Ruysbroeck； Bruxelles； 1891； Introduction； p。 xix。
〃That art Thou！〃 say the Upanishads； and the Vedantists add：
〃Not a part； not a mode of That； but identically That； that
absolute Spirit of the World。〃 〃As pure water poured into pure
water remains the same； thus； O Gautama； is the Self of
a thinker who knows。 Water in water； fire in fire； ether in
ether； no one can distinguish them： likewise a man whose mind
has entered into the Self。〃＇272＇ 〃'Every man；' says the Sufi
Gulshan…Raz； whose heart is no longer shaken by any doubt； knows
with certainty that there is no being save only One。 。 。 。 In
his divine majesty the ME； and WE； the THOU； are not found； for
in the One there can be no distinction。 Every being who is
annulled and entirely separated from himself； hears resound
outside of him this voice and this echo： I AM GOD： he has an
eternal way of existing； and is no longer subject to
death。'〃＇273＇ In the vision of God； says Plotinus； 〃what sees is
not our reason； but something prior and superior to our reason。 。
。 。 He who thus sees does not properly see； does not distinguish
or imagine two things。 He changes； he ceases to be himself；
preserves nothing of himself。 Absorbed in God； he makes but one
with him； like a centre of a circle coinciding with another
centre。〃＇274＇ 〃Here；〃 writes Suso； 〃the spirit dies； and yet is
all alive in the marvels of the Godhead 。 。 。 and is lost in the
stillness of the glorious dazzling obscurity and of the naked
simple unity。 It is in this modeless WHERE that the highest bliss
is to be found。〃＇275＇ 〃Ich bin so gross als Gott；〃 sings Angelus
Silesius again； 〃Er ist als ich so klein； Er kann nicht uber
mich； ich unter ihm nicht sein。〃＇276＇
＇272＇ Upanishads； M。 Muller's translation； ii。 17； 334。
＇273＇ Schmolders： Op。 cit。； p。 210。
＇274＇ Enneads； Bouillier's translation。 Paris； 1861； iii。 561。
Compare pp。 473…477； and vol。 i。 p。 27。
＇275＇ Autobiography； pp。 309； 310。
＇276＇ Op。 cit。； Strophe 10。
In mystical literature such self…contradictory phrases as
〃dazzling obscurity；〃 〃whispering silence；〃 〃teeming desert；〃 are
continually met with。 They prove that not conceptual speech； but
music rather； is the element through which we are best spoken to
by mystical truth。 Many mystical scriptures are indeed little
more than musical compositions。
〃He who would hear the voice of Nada； 'the Soundless Sound；' and
comprehend it； he has to learn the nature of Dharana。 。 。 。 When
to himself his form appears unreal； as do on waking all the forms
he sees in dreams； when he has ceased to hear the many； he may
discern the ONEthe inner sound which kills the outer。 。 。 。
For then the soul will hear； and will remember。 And then to the
inner ear will speak THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE。 。 。 。 And now thy
SELF is lost in SELF； THYSELF unto THYSELF； merged in that SELF
from which thou first didst radiate。 。 。 。 Behold！ thou hast
become the Light； thou hast become the Sound； thou art thy Master
and thy God。 Thou art THYSELF the object of thy search： the
VOICE unbroken； that resounds throughout eternities； exempt from
change； from sin exempt； the seven sounds in one； the VOICE OF
THE SILENCE。 Om tat Sat。〃＇277＇
＇277＇ H。 P。 Blavatsky： The voice of the Silence。
These words； if they do not awaken laughter as you receive them；
probably stir chords within you which music and language touch in
common。 Music gives us ontological messages which non…musical
criticism is unable to contradict； though it may laugh at our
foolishness in minding them。 There is a verge of the mind which
these things haunt； and whispers therefrom mingle with the
operations of our understanding； even as the waters of the
infinite ocean send their waves to break among the pebbles that
lie upon our shores。
〃Here begins the sea that ends not till the world's end。 Where
we stand；
Could we know the next high sea…mark set beyond these waves
that gleam；
We should know what never man hath known； nor eye of man
hath scanned。 。 。 。
Ah； but here man's heart leaps； yearning towards the gloom
with venturous glee；
From the shore that hath no shore beyond it； set in all the
sea。〃＇278＇
＇278＇ Swinburne： On the Verge； in 〃A Midsummer vacation。〃
That doctrine； for example； that eternity is timeless； that our
〃immortality；〃 if we live in the eternal； is not so much future
as already now and here； which we find so often expressed to…day
in certain philosophic circles； finds its support in a 〃hear；
hear！〃 or an 〃amen；〃 which floats up from that mysteriously
deeper level。＇279＇ We recognize the passwords to the mystical
region as we hear them； but we cannot use them ourselves； it
alone has the keeping of 〃the password primeval。〃＇280＇
＇279＇ Compare the extracts from Dr。 Bucke； quoted on pp。 398；
399。
＇280＇ As serious an attempt as I know to mediate between the
mystical region and the discursive life is contained in an
article on Aristotle's Unmoved Mover； by F。 C。 S。 Schiller； in
Mind； vol。 ix。； 1900。
I have now sketched with extreme brevity and insufficiency； but
as fairly as I am able in the time allowed； the general traits of
the mystic range of consciousness。 It is on the whole
pantheistic and optimistic； or at least