Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

MOUNTAIN OR MOUNT

A symbol of aspiration towards ideals, or the rise of the soul to higher planes of consciousness.

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth and taught them… And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.” — Matthew v. 1; viii. 1.

The going up a mountain corresponds to the ascent of the Divine nature in the soul. In that state the disciplined qualities (disciples) are instructed and brought into harmony with the Christ. The “sitting down” signifies suiting the instruction to the lower comprehension of the qualities.

“While the Lord taught on the mount, the disciples were with Him, for to them it was given to know the secret things of the heavenly doctrine; but now as He came down from the mount the crowds followed Him, who had been altogether unable to ascend into the mount. They that are bowed by the burden of sin cannot climb to the sublime mysteries. But when the Lord came down from the mount, that is, stooped to the infirmity and helplessness of the rest, in pity to their imperfections, great multitudes followed Him.” — Pseudo‑Origen, *Hom. in Liv.*, 5.

“Hence even in those (Pietistic) circles, now and again there is an insight that they must journey to the mountaintop in order to serve the Christian ideal in larger fashion, more boldly and more successfully.” — Pfleiderer, *Development of Christianity*, p. 317.

In the first division of the Tuat, according to the *Book of the Gates*, are to be found two groups of Gods:
“One group called ‘Gods of the Mountain,’ and the other ‘Gods of the Mountain of the Hidden Land.’ The Gods of the Mountain are the offspring of Ra himself, and they emerged from his eye, and to them has Amentet been given as an abode.” — Budge, *Egyptian Heaven and Hell*, Vol. III, p. 110.

The first division of the cycle of life (the Tuat) is on the higher buddhic plane. The Divine Ideals (Gods) have their realization on this plane, which is unapparent (hidden) to the lower self. The Ideals are the offspring of the Supreme; they emanated from the Higher Self (his eye), and they have their abode in buddhi (Amentet).

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.” — Ps. xlviii. 1.

Exalted is the Higher Self within, and regarded with appreciative love in the inmost heart of being, and in the soul’s highest aspirations after Wisdom, Truth, and Love.

“Above each man Christian morality sets the infinite life. The identity of nature between that life and his, while it enables him to emulate that life, compels him also to compare himself with it. The more zealously he aspires to imitate it, the more clearly he must encounter the comparison. The higher he climbs the mountain, the more he learns how the high mountain is past his climbing. It is the oneness of the soul’s life with God’s life that at once makes us try to be like Him and brings forth our unlikeness to Him. It is the source at once of aspiration and humility.” — Phillips Brooks, *Influence of Jesus*, p. 65.

“The ‘garden’ implies the condition of purity; the ‘vineyard,’ the culture of a pure spirit in man; the ‘cloud,’ the place from which the divine voice within man utters itself; the ‘mount,’ the hill of regeneration or ‘mount of the Lord’ within man; so‑called from its representing that process of ascent inwards and upwards towards his highest and best, by means of which he becomes regenerate or ‘twice born,’ and thereby divine.” — E. Maitland, *The Bible’s Own*, p. 64.

See Also

ALBORDJ
AMENTET
ARARAT
CAUCASUS
CROWN (upper)
DISCIPLES
GOAT (white)
HAIR OF HEAD
HILL COUNTRY
HIMAVAN
KAILASA
KAPILA
MULTITUDES
OLYMPUS
PEOPLE
QUALITIES
SITTING
TEN DAYS
TRANSFIGURATION
VAIRAMAUTI
VALLEY