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THE AEGERIAN HISTORY READER

Introduction:
They have gone by many names through history: the Samanaeans, the Itureans, the Sacchaeans, the Odysseans, the Corydonians, the Cathreans, the Viatores, the Zaophoreans and more. The name by which the larger part of history would come to know them best is the Aegerians: followers of the Aegerus on a Way that they claimed would lead to Telos, the cessation of suffering for all mankind. Whatever names they went by or had attributed to them, they were the bearers of a faith out of the East that wrought such far-reaching transformations in the West that the subsequent path of history – for good and for ill – is unimaginable without them. This weekly series highlights turning points in their saga through the very texts that revealed them, and offers clarifying commentary.

Note on dates:
The dates of the Scamandrian Calendar, counting the years Anno Ecclesiae since the Caetanus Aegerus’ foundation of his great monastic community, will of course be familiar to the reader. The secondary date given may be more obscure to some readers, but historians will recognize it: it is of course the Alexandrian Calendar counting to – and from – the birth of Christus Isa.

PART ONE:
THE EARLY SAMANAEANS

488 AE (57 BCE): The First Known Version of 1 Kathraeon (1 Cathreon):
The faith that gestated in India centuries before this time, known to the land of its birth as Buddhism, is widely believed to have established its first permanent outposts in the Near East through the agency of the Hellenistic rulers of Bactria sometime around 378 AE.

This was the height of the Euthydemian Empire that stretched at the time from northern India to Persia and the eastern margins of Mesopotamia. The figure traditionally credited with the missionary work is Sebastos Demetrius Hosea (not to be confused with his apostolic successor, Sebastso Demetrius Aniketos), the Sublime Cathegete and former emperor who’d abdicated the throne to his younger brother Euthydemus II Philopator in order to carry out religious work – generously funded from the Euthydemian coffers – in the western parts of their family’s vast dominions. A voluminous array of legends have since grown up around the sojourns of Sb. Demetrius in Mesopotamia, Syria, Parthia, Palestine, and even Anatolia and Egypt. The historical record, though, is scanty in recording his impact or even whether he personally ever ventured west of Parthia; and the truth is difficult to guess at without concrete data. Even at that time, the Near East was a vast fermentation of cults and new religious movements, and though the Demetrian missions may well have produced some private patrons and led to the establishment of modest monasteries here and there, the scale of their activities simply does not seem to have been large enough to draw attention from anyone whose commentary survived to the present day.

And yet, by whatever agency, the early Bactrian Buddhist missions obviously bore some fruit. For by some fifty years after the broader Euthydimian Empire had collapsed and given way to the rising power of the Parthians, there was clear evidence of thriving – or at least surviving – communities of the monks who became known as the Samanaeans across the Near East. These communities may even by this time have attracted some limited Roman patronage, which would explain their apparent flourishing starting around 482 AE. It’s perhaps no coincidence that only a few years after the triumphant march of Pompey Magnus into Jerusalem, we have the first surviving scriptures produced by these Early Samanaeans, in 488 AE. Tradition alleges that the Palestinian Koinonia (Ecclesia) of the region at this time had come south from Syria, which makes sense: existing Samanaean communities in Israel would have suffered under the Hasmonean dynasty, and renewal would logically have had to be external.

The scripture, though fragmentary, illustrates that we are already dealing even at this early date with a form of genuine Aegerianity. The communities in the West are clearly still in sporadic contact with the wellspring of the faith, for this scripture is a version of the “Infinite Life Sutra” which can only be dated to about fifty years prior in southern India. They are in tune with trends across the Buddhist world of the time toward regarding the Buddha as more of an heroic god-man than a sage, trends most probably influenced by the Hellenistic traditions of the Euthydemians themselves.

On the other hand, they are isolated enough to have produced by this point their own, thoroughly Hellenistic, vocabulary. The protagonist here is the Kaitanos Egeiron (Caetanus Aegerus), not the Gautama Buddha. His exalted associates are Kathegetes, not bodhisattvas, and bear largely Hellenized names – and some of them are, somewhat anachronistically, clearly figures from the Euthydemian tradition set alongside the Buddhist heroes of yore. The tradition evoked is the Megarheda or “great chariot,” not the Mahayana. The Egeiron himself holds the borrowed Neoplatonic title of Logos – which in later times indicated him as the link to the rational Way – and he is the champion of the Dogma, not the Dharma. When the celestial Egeiron, at first called Hagion Dogmakatos, appears in the latter part of the scripture to make his vows and proclaim salvation, his final honorific is a Hellenistic one, the Zaophorus or “endless light” Egeiron. The salvific paradigm he occupies is the Katharaeon or Kathraeon: the “Purified Power.”

Telling as all of this is, too little else survives of the scripture to tell conclusively what other deviations from the Mahayana philosophies of the East it might have contained. Later Aegerian tradition classified this scripture as 1 Kathraeon of the Poterioi (the “cups”), and we have followed this practice here with the important caveat that there is no way of knowing whether this classification scheme was really current at the time.

Other Buddhist scriptures – like those adaptations of the Pali canons known to the West as the Canephoroe and the Paraclesia – must also have been current when this was written. It’s perhaps an indicator of the rising popularity of “Pure Power” doctrine that it’s this fragment of the Poterioi that survives.

”1 Cathreon” said:
At one time the Egeiron was staying on Raven’s Peak at Dynastopolis with a large company of sixteen thousand forty-score and seven eremites. They were all great sages who had attained supernatural powers.

Among them were the following: Sebastos Agathos, Sebastos Chara . . . Sebastos Eirenikos, Sebastos Demetrius Hosea, Sebastos Menander, Sebastos Alkaios, Sebastos Dem . . . Anike[tos] . . . Sebastos Kardinia, Sebastos Rivantis . . . Se[bastos] Mygdalon . . . N[eos?] . . . Psyc[hrus] . . . Sebastos Apollyton, Seb . . . Mithr[as] Aniketos . . . Sebastos Salos, Sebastos Oruomai, Seb . . . [illegible] . . . apis . . . [Imm]aculate Eirene, Immaculate Maya, Immaculate Enopia, Im[mac] . . . maculate Syzana, Immaculate Ko[rin]na . . . Immaculate Artemona . . . [illegible]

Megarheda Kathegetes also . . . [illegible] . . . the Kathegete of Profound . . . [illegible] . . . Emptiness, the . . . Kath[egete] . . . Blossom of Aeons, the Kathegete Hero of Light, the Kathegete Superior . . . Banner of . . . [illegible] Noble Horse, the Kathegete Hero-of-the-Thesauroi, the Medean Kathegete . . . the . . . [illegible] [Kath]egete Eleutheria . . .

[illegible]

. . . As he does so, an effulgence illuminates all the ten quarters and innumerable Pneumia shake in seven ways. Then he utters these words, "I will become the most honored one in the world." Mithras and Apollyton reverently attend him, and eudaimonia adore and worship him. He shows his ability in calculation, writing, archery and horsemanship. He is also conversant with the divine arts and well-read in many volumes. In the field outside the palace he trains himself in the martial arts, and at court shows that he also enjoys the pleasures of the senses.

When he first encounters old age, sick[ness] . . .

[illegible]

. . . upright under a tree and strives at ascetic practices for seven years in accord with the . . . [illegible] . . . divine bird follows him closely to the seat of Telos. A eudaimon takes the form of a youth and, perceiving a favorable sign, respectfully presents him with auspicious grass. The Logos lovingly accepts it, spreads it under the Kathar-tree and sits upon it with his legs crossed. He emits a great flood of light to inform Pikros of this. Pikros and his Echthroi come to attack and tempt him, but he brings them under control with the power of Sophia and makes them all surrender. Then he attains the supreme Dogma and realizes the highest, perfect Telos.

As Mithras and Apollyton request him to turn the Trochos of the Dogma, the Kaitanos Egeiron visits various places and preaches the Dogma in his thunderous voice. He beats the Dogma-drum, blows the Dogma-trump, brandishes the Dogma-spear, hoists the Dogma-banner, rolls the Dogma-thunder, hurls the Dogma-lightning, brings the Dogma-rain, and bestows the Dogma-gift. At all times, he awakens the world with the sound of the Dogma.

His light illuminates count[less] . . . the entire world to quake in seven directions. It encompasses Pikros’ realm, shaking his palace, so that he and his Echthroi become frightened and surrender. The Kathegete tears asunder the . . . [illegible] . . . unifies everything in the Egeiron Dogma, and thus proclaims the right teaching. He enters the town to beg alms; he accepts even rich food to enable the donors to accumulate merit and also to show that he is a field of virtue. Wishing to expound the Dogma, he smiles and so . . .

[illegible] . . . inconceivable works . . .

[illegible] . . . all the methods of Eleutheria and attained serene awareness of reality, can freely teach and transform beings.

He manifests himself everywhere in innumerable Pneumia, performing
acts of compassion for sentient beings tirelessly and with diligence. He has thus obtained complete mastery of such methods of Eleutheria. He is . . . already dwelt in all the Egeiron's abodes and performed all the deeds of the Great Sage . . . breaks all the bonds of passion . . . Kenosis, Aneidosis, and Anhedonia. He skillfully provides expedient means and thus reveals three distinct teachings. Then for those of the middle and lower stages, he demonstrates his passing into Telos. But, in reality, he is Anergotic and Azelotic, and, being aware that dogmas in themselves neither arise nor perish, he realizes that they are of absolute equality. He has . . . [illegible] in an instant visits every one of [the Kathegetes] . . .

[illegible]

. . . [his] mind, always serene, dwells on the path of Eleutheria; this gives him complete control over all dogmas.

Without being asked to do so, he becomes a good friend to each of the multitude of beings and carries their heavy Baroi on his back. He upholds the Tetralethia’s profound Dogma-treasury and protects the seeds of Pneuma, so that they may continue to multiply. Having awakened great compassion for sentient beings, he kindly expounds the teaching, and endows them with the Dogma-eye. He blocks the paths to the three evil realms, opens the gate of virtue and, without waiting for their request, provides beings with the Dogma. He does this for the multitude of beings just as a dutiful son loves and respects his parents. He indeed looks upon sentient beings as his own self.

With such roots of virtue, all the Kathegetes in the assembly had reached
the verge of Eleutheria. They had acquired the Egeiron's immeasurable
merit and attained the sacred, pure and inconceivable Sophia. Innumerable
[Kath]egetes . . . such as these assembled there all [at once] . . .

[large gap in the text]

. . . appeared an Egeiron named Dynastos Leukos, the Tetralethian, Hagion, Teleos, Possessed of Sophia and Doxa, Perfected One, Knower of the Oikoumene, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Master of Gods and Men, Egeiron and World-Honored One.

At that time there was a king, who, having heard the Egeiron's exposition of the Dogma, rejoiced in his heart and awakened aspiration for the highest Telos. He renounced his kingdom and the throne, and became a monk named Dogmakatos. Having superior intelligence, courage and wisdom, he distinguished himself in the world. He went to see the Tetralethian Dynastos Leukos, knelt down at his feet, walked round him three times keeping him always on his right, prostrated himself on the ground, and putting his palms together in worship, praised the Egeiron with these verses:

The shining face of the Egeiron is glorious. Boundless is his magnificence. Radiant splendor such as his Is beyond all comparison. The sun, the moon and the Entimos, though shining with dazzling brightness, are completely dimmed and [obscured] . . .

. . . of the Teleos resounds throughout the ten regions. His morality, learning, endeavor, absorption in Threskeia, Sophia, and magnificent virtues have . . . [illegible]

[large gap in the text]

The Ege[iron] replied, "The length of life of that Egeiron was forty-nine ages." He continued, "After that Dogmakatos Kathegete adopted the pure practices which had led to the establishment of the excellent Kathraeon of two hundred and ten legions of Egeiroi. When he had finished this task, he went to the Egeiron, knelt down at his feet, walked round him three times, joined his palms in worship and sat down. He then said to the Egeiron, 'I have adopted the true Dogmas for the establishment of a glorious Kathraeon.' The Egeiron said to him, 'You should proclaim this. Know that now is the right time. Encourage and delight the entire assembly. Hearing this, other Kathegetes will practice this Dogma and so fulfill their innumerable great vows.' The Hagion replied, 'I beg you to grant me your attention. Now I will fully proclaim my vows.'

If, when I attain Pneuma, there should be in my land a hell, a realm of hungry spirits or a realm of animals, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, humans and daimonia in my land should after death fall again into the three evil realms, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, humans and daimonia in my land should not all be the color of pure gold, may I not . . .

[illegible]

. . . virtue, and sincerely transfer their merits towards the Kathraeon with a desire to be born therein, should not eventually fulfill their aspiration, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, humans and daimonia in my realm should not
all be endowed with the thirty-two physical characteristics of a Great Man,
may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, Kathegetes in the . . .

[illegible]

. . . lands of the other quarters who hear my Name should, at any time before becoming Egeiroi, have impaired, inferior or incomplete sense organs, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, Kathegetes in the lands of the other quarters who hear my Name should not all attain the state called 'pure Eleutheria' and, while dwelling therein, without losing concentration, should not be able to make offerings in one instant to immeasurable and inconceivable Egeiroi, World-Honored Ones, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, Kathegetes in the lands of the other quarters who hear my Name should not be reborn into noble families after their death, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, Kathegetes in the lands of the other quarters who hear my Name should not rejoice so greatly as to dance and perform the Kathegete Dogmas and should not acquire stores of merit, may I not attain Telos.

If, when I attain Pneuma, Kathegetes in the lands of the . . .

. . . have the means to defeat Sepphoris, and overthrow Varunus, and outdare the Echthros through joyful attainment, may I [not] . . .

[large gap in the text]

. . . other Egeiron's light can match his. The light of some Egeiroi illuminates a hundred Pneumia, and that of others, a thousand Pneumia. Briefly, that of Zaophorus illuminates the eastern Pneumia, as numerous as the sands of the River Ganges. In the same way, it illuminates the Pneumia in the south, west and north, in each of the four intermediate quarters, above and below. Further, the light of some Egeiroi extends seven feet; that of others . . . [illegible] . . . sentient beings encounter his light, their three defilements are removed; they feel tenderness, joy and pleasure; and good thoughts arise. If sentient beings in the three realms of Agony see his light, they will all be relieved and freed from Pathos. At the end of their lives, they all reach Eleutheria.

The light of Zaophorus shines brilliantly, illuminating all the Pneumia of the ten quarters. There is no place where it is not . . . [illegible]

[remainder of text missing]
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