The Secret Doctrine Volume 3.pdf

According to King and other numismatists and archaeologists, the cross was
placed there as the symbol of eternal life.
The Cross and Crucifix
(Page 151) Such a Tau, or Egyptian cross, was used in the Bacchic and
Eleusinian Mysteries. Symbol of the dual generative power, it was laid upon
the breast of the Initiate, after his “new birth” was accomplished, and the
Mystae had returned from their baptism in the sea. It was a mystic sign that
his spiritual birth had regenerated and united his astral soul with his divine
spirit, and that he was ready to ascend in spirit to the blessed abodes of light
and glory - the Eleusinia. The Tau was a magic talisman at the same time as a
religious emblem. It was adopted by the Christians through the Gnostics and
Kabalists, who used it largely, as their numerous gems testify. These in turn
had the Tau (or handled cross) from the Egyptians, and the Latin Cross from
the Buddhist missionaries, who brought it from India (where it can be found
even now) two or three centuries B.C. The Assyrians, Egyptians, ancient
Americans, Hindus and Romans had it in various, but very slight modifications
of shape. Till very late in the middle ages, it was considered a potent spell
against epilepsy and demoniacal possession, and the “signet of the living
God” brought down in St. John’s vision by the angel ascending from the east
to “seal the servants of our God in the foreheads,” was but the same mystic
Tau - the Egyptian Cross. In the painted glass of St. Denis (France) this angel
is represented as stamping this sign on the forehead of the elect; the legend
reads, SIGNUM TAY. In King’s Gnostics, the author reminds us that “this mark
is commonly borne by St. Anthony, an Egyptian recluse.” [ Gems of the
Orthodox Christians. Vol. 1., p.135.] What the real meaning of the Tau was, is
explained to us by the Christian St. John, the Egyptian Hermes, and the Hindu
Brahmans. It is but too evident that, with the Apostle at least, it meant the
“Ineffable Name,” as he calls this “signet of the living God” a few chapters
further on [ Revelation, XIV, 1 ] “Father’s name written in their foreheads.”
The Brahmâtmâ the chief of the Hindu Initiates, had on his headgear two
keys, symbol of the revealed mystery of life and death, placed cross-like; and
in some Buddhist pagodas of Tartary and Mongolia, the entrance of a
chamber within the temple, generally containing the staircase which leads to
the inner dagoba. [ A Dagoba is a small temple of globular form, in which are
preserved the relics of Gautama.] and the porticos of some Prachidas [
Prachidas are buildings of all sizes and forms, like our mausoleums, and are
sacred to votive offerings to the dead.] are ornamented with a cross formed of
two fishes, as found on some of the zodiacs of the Buddhists. We should not
wonder at all at learning that the sacred device in the tombs in the catacombs
at Rome, the “Vesica Piscis,” was derived from the said Buddhist zodiacal
sign. How general must have been that geometrical figure in the worldsymbols,
may be inferred from the fact that there is a Masonic tradition that
Solomon’s temple was built on three foundations, forming the “triple Tau” or
three crosses.
In its mystical sense, the Egyptian cross owes its origin, as an emblem, to the
realisation by the earliest philosophy of an androgynous dualism of every
manifestation in nature, which proceeds from the abstract ideal of a likewise
androgynous deity, while the Christian emblem is simply due to chance. Had
the Mosaic law (Page 152) prevailed, Jesus should have been lapidated. [ The
Talmudistic records claim that, after having been hanged, he was lapidated
and buried under the water at the junction of two streams. Mishna Sanhedrin,
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