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extraneous； but inseparable unity with itself； the immediately universal。 It is the pure notion； pure
thought； or self…existence； （being…for…self）； which is immediately being； and； therewith；
being…for…another； and； qua this being…for…another； is immediately turned back into itself and is at
home with itself （bei sich）。 It is thus the truly and solely revealed。 The Good； the Righteous； the
Holy； Creator of Heaven and Earth； etc。 — all these are predicates of a subject； universal
moments； which have their support on this central point； and only are when consciousness goes
back into thought。
As long as it is they that are known； their ground and essential being； the Subject itself； is not yet
revealed； and in the same way the specific determinations of the universal are not this universal
itself。 The Subject itself； and consequently this pure universal too； is； however； revealed as self； for
this self is just this inner being reflected into itself； the inner being which is immediately given and is
the proper certainty of that self； for which it is given。 To be in its notion that which reveals and is
revealed — this is； then； the true shape of spirit； and moreover； this shape； its notion； is alone its
very essence and its substance。 Spirit is known as self…consciousness； and to this
self…consciousness it is directly revealed； for it is this self…consciousness itself。 The divine nature is
the same as the human； and it is this unity which is intuitively apprehended （angeschaut）。
Here； then； we find as a fact consciousness； or the general form in which Being is aware of Being
— the shape which Being adopts — to be identical with its self…consciousness。 This shape is itself a
self…consciousness； it is thus at the same time an existent object； and this existence possesses
equally directly the significance of pure thought； of Absolute Being。
The absolute Being existing as a concrete actual self…consciousness； seems to have descended
from its eternal pure simplicity； but in fact it has； in so doing； attained for the first time its highest
nature； its supreme reach of being。 For only when the notion of Being has reached its simple purity
of nature； is it both the absolute abstraction； which is pure thought and hence the pure singleness
of self； and immediacy or objective being； on account of its simplicity。
What is called sense…consciousness is just this pure abstraction； it is this kind of thought for which
being is the immediate。 The lowest is thus at the same time the highest： the revealed which has
come forth entirely to the surface is just therein the deepest reality。 That the Supreme Being is
seen； heard； etc。； as an existent self…consciousness this is； in very truth； the culmination and
consummation of its notion。 And through this consummation； the Divine Being is given and exists
immediately in its character as Divine Being。
This immediate existence is at the same time not solely and simply immediate consciousness； it is
religious consciousness。 This immediacy means not only an existent self…consciousness； but also
the purely thought…constituted or Absolute Being； and these meanings are inseparable。 What we
＇the philosophers＇ are conscious of in our conception； — that objective being is ultimate essence；
— is the same as what the religious consciousness is aware of。 This unity of being and essence； of
thought which is immediately existence； is immediate knowledge on the part of this religious
consciousness just as it is the inner thought or the mediated reflective knowledge of this
consciousness。 For this unity of being and thought is self…consciousness and actually exists； in other
words； the thought…constituted unity has at the same time this concrete shape and form of what it
is。 God； then； is here revealed； as He is； He actually exists as He is in Himself； He is real as Spirit。
God is attainable in pure speculative knowledge alone； and only is in that knowledge； and is
merely that knowledge itself； for He is spirit； and this speculative knowledge is the knowledge
furnished by revealed religion。 That knowledge knows God to be thought； or pure Essence； and
knows this thought as actual being and as a real existence； and existence as the negativity of itself；
hence as Self； an individual 〃this〃 and a universal self。 It is just this that revealed religion knows。
The hopes and expectations of preceding ages pressed forward to； and were solely directed
towards this revelation； the vision of what Absolute Being is； and the discovery of themselves
therein。 This joy； the joy of seeing itself in Absolute Being； becomes realized in self…consciousness；
and seizes the whole world。 For the Absolute is Spirit； it is the simple movement of those pure
abstract moments； which expresses just this…that Ultimate Reality is then； and not till then； known
as Spirit when it is seen and beheld as immediate self…consciousness。
This conception of spirit knowing itself to be spirit； is still the immediate notion； it is not yet
developed。 The ultimate Being is spirit； in other words； it has appeared； it is revealed。 This first
revelation is itself immediate； but the immediacy is likewise thought； or pure mediation； and must
therefore exhibit and set forth this moment in the sphere of immediacy as such。
Looking at this more precisely； spirit； when self…consciousness is immediate； is 〃this〃 individual
self…consciousness set up in contrast to the universal self…consciousness。 It is a one； an excluding
unit； which appears to that consciousness； for which it exists； in the as yet impervious form of a
sensuous other； an unresolved entity in the sphere of sense。 This other does not yet know spirit to
be its own； in other words spirit； in its form as an individual self； does not yet exist as equally
universal self； as all self。 Or again； the shape it assumes has not as yet the form of the notion； i。e。
of the universal self； of the self which in its immediate actual reality is at once transcended； is
thought； universality； without losing its reality in this universality。
The preliminary and similarly immediate form of this universality is； however； not at once the form
of thought itself； of the notion as notion； it is the universality of actual reality； it is the 〃allness〃； the
collective totality； of the selves； and is the elevation of existence into the sphere of figurative
thought （Vorstellung）； just as in general； to take a concrete example； the 〃this〃 of sense； when
transcended； is first of all the 〃thing〃 of 〃perception〃； and is not yet the 〃universal〃 of
〃understanding〃。
（b）。 in a Religious Communion
This individual human being； then； which Absolute Being is revealed to be； goes through in its own
case as an individual the process found in sense existence。 He is the immediately present God； in
consequence； His being passes over into His having been。 Consciousness； for which God is thus
sensuously present； ceases to see Him； to hear Him： it has seen Him； it has heard Him。 And it is
because it only has seen and heard Him； that it first becomes itself spiritual consciousness；（7） or； in
other words； He has now arisen in Spirit； as He form