Gnostic's View of the Origination of the Many from the One
Abstract
In gnostics' view, the first emanated is the simple non-conditioned dividing existence - since it is limited by application - rather than the non-conditioned divided existence, which, through simplicity and nobility, contains all the perfections of lower than itself. They refer to it by means of various names such as the Universal Spirit, the Supreme Spirit, the Supreme Holy Spirit, the Highest Pen, the Holy Effusion, the Mohammedan Reality, etc. They have also provided some reasons for such denominations and demonstrated their views in this regard. In order to gain familiarity with gnostics' ideas concerning the order of effusion, it is best to start with the discussion of Five Divine Presences. They have expressed the hierarchy of manifestations of existence under this topic as follows: 1) holy effusion, 2) the world of Dominion and Divine spirits, 3) the world of Ideas, 4) the world of Kingdom, 5) the world of the perfect man.