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religious cult of this simple unembodied ultimate Being gives back； therefore； to its votaries in the
main merely this： that they are the nation of their god。 It secures for them merely their stable
subsistence； and their simple substance as a whole； it does not secure for them their actual self； this
is indeed rejected。 For they revere their god as the empty profound； not as spirit。 The cult；
however； of the religion of art； on the other hand； is without that abstract simplicity of the absolute
Being； and therefore without its 〃profundity〃。 But that Being； which is directly at one with the self；
is inherently spirit and comprehending truth； although not yet truth known explicitly； in other words
not knowing the 〃depths〃 of its nature。 Because this Absolute； then； implies self； consciousness
finds itself at home with it when it appears； and； in the cult； this consciousness receives not merely
the general title to its own subsistence； but also its self…conscious existence within it： just as；
conversely； the Absolute has no being in a despised and outcast nation whose mere substance is
acknowledged； whose reality is selfless； but in the nation whose self is acknowledged as living in
its substance。
From the ceremonial cult； then； self…consciousness that is at peace and satisfied in its ultimate
Being turns away； as also does the god that has entered into self…consciousness as into its place of
habitation。 This place is； by itself； the night of mere 〃substance〃； or its pure individuality； but no
longer the strained and striving individuality of the artist； which has not yet reconciled itself with its
essential Being that is striving to become objective； it is the night ＇substance＇ satisfied； having its
〃pathos〃 within it and in want of nothing； because it comes back from intuition； from objectivity
which is overcome and superseded。
This 〃pathos〃 is； by itself； the Being of the Rising Sun；（1） a Being； however； which has now 〃set〃
and disappeared within itself； and has its own 〃setting〃； self…consciousness； within it； and so
contains existence and reality。
It has here traversed the process of its actualization。 Descending from its pure essentiality and
becoming an objective force of nature and the expressions of this force； it is an existence relative
to an other； an objective existence for the self by which it is consumed。 The silent inner being of
selfless nature attains in its fruits the stage where nature； duly self…prepared and digested； offers
itself as material for the life which has a self。 In its being useful for food and drink it reaches its
highest perfection。 For therein it is the possibility of a higher existence； and comes in touch with
spiritual existence。 In its metamorphosis the spirit of the earth has developed and become partly a
silently energizing substance； partly spiritual ferment； in the first case it is the feminine principle； the
nursing mother； in the other the masculine principle； the self…driving force of self…conscious
existence。
In this enjoyment； then； that orient 〃Light〃 of the world is discovered for what it really is：
Enjoyment is the Mystery of its being。 For mysticism is not concealment of a secret； or ignorance；
it consists in the self knowing itself to be one with absolute Being； and in this latter； therefore；
becoming revealed。 Only the self is revealed to itself ； or what is manifest is so merely in the
immediate certainty of itself。 But it is just in such certainty that simple absolute Being has been
placed by the cult。 As a thing that can be used； it has not only existence which is seen； felt； smelt；
tasted； it is also object of desire； and； by actually being enjoyed； it becomes one with the self； and
thereby disclosed completely to this self； and made manifest。
When we say of anything； 〃it is manifest to reason； to the heart〃； it is in point of fact still secret； for
it still lacks the actual certainty of immediate existence； both the certainty regarding what is
objective； and the certainty of enjoyment； a certainty which in religion； however； is not only
immediate and unreflecting； but at the same time purely cognitive certainty of self。
What has thus been； through the cult； revealed to self…conscious spirit within itself； is simple
absolute Being； and this has been revealed partly as the process of passing out of its dark night of
concealment up to the level of consciousness； to be there its silently nurturing substance； partly；
however； as the process of losing itself again in nether darkness； in the self； and of waiting above
merely with the silent yearning of motherhood。 The more conspicuous moving impulse； however； is
the variously named 〃Light〃 of the Rising Sun and its tumult of heaving life； which； having likewise
desisted from its abstract state of being； has first embodied itself in objective existence in the fruits
of the earth；（2） and then； surrendering itself to self…consciousness；（3） attained there to its proper
realization； and now it curvets and careers about in the guise of a crowd of excited； fervid women；
the unrestrained revel of nature in self…conscious form。（4）
Still； however； it is only Absolute Spirit in the sense of this simple abstract Being； not as spirit per
se； that is discovered to consciousness： i。e。 it is merely immediate spirit； the spirit of nature。 Its
self…conscious life is therefore merely the mystery of the Bread and the Wine； of Ceres and
Bacchus； not of the other； the strictly higher； gods ＇of Olympus＇； whose individuality includes； as
an essential moment； self…consciousness as such。 Spirit has not yet qua self…conscious spirit
offered itself up to it； and the mystery of bread and wine is not yet the mystery of flesh and blood。
This unstable divine revel must come to rest as an object； and the enthusiasm； which did not reach
consciousness； must produce a work which confronts it as the statue stands over against the
enthusiasm of the artist in the previous case； — a work indeed that is equally complete and
finished； yet not as an inherently lifeless but as a living self。 Such a cult is the Festival which man
makes in his own honour； though not yet imparting to a cult of that kind the significance of the
Absolute Being； for it is the ultimate Being that is first revealed to him； not yet Spirit — not such a
Being as essentially takes on human form。 But this cult provides the basis for this revelation； and
lays out its moments individually and separately。 Thus we here get the abstract moment of the
living embodiment of ultimate Being； just as formerly we had the unity of both in the state of
unconstrained emotional fervency。 In the place of the statue man thus puts himself as the figure
elaborated and moulded for perfectly free movement； just as the statue is the perfectly free state of
quiescence。 If every individual knows how to play the part at least of a torchbearer； one of them
comes prominently forward who is the very embodiment of the movement； the smooth
elaboration； the fluent energy and force of all the members。 He is a lively and living work of art；
which matches strength with its beauty； and to him is given； as a reward for his force and energy；
the ado