Lain and mythology Part 2: Lain and the myth of Sophia
In other words, the Knights do not physically exist, but are rather thought itself that occurs inside the Wired. They can be thought of as a religion that is spreading through the Wired and into your subconscious Layer 04 Religion
I would first really like to thank everyone! I’m very happy how well my first article has been received. I’ve gotten a few very encouraging messages and comments.Still no discussion yet, but i’m hopeful.
In the world of Serial Experiments Lain and to a lesser but still exciting extent in our own world we see the birth of a new religion. As the above quote shows however this is not a typical religion, but a secret one, almost cult like one. The Information age allows for it to be spread, not in the streets but directly into your home and mind. For the properly initiated this religion will bring knowledge of many things, God, Eternal life, and maybe Heaven?
The prophecy must be carried out. “Eastern Mathematical Knights” will save my soul and the software that put me back to where I should be shall stop the secretion of serotonin in my brain and take me to the world where there is no agony and grief…[followed by gibberish (or code?)]
July 1998 issue of AX Magazine from the wonderful Thought Experiments Lain
In The West religions tend to be abrahamic, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.belong to this tradition and are all closely related. These religions tend to focus on what one should not do Thou Shalt Not to get into heaven. In the east religions, if it’s really appropriate to call them that, Like Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism tend to focus on what one should do to either reach enlightenment, be reincarnated more favorably, or spiritually develop.. This is a massive simplification and the reverse is often true but this is a big reason why Eastern philosophies tend to be appropriated as counter cultural symbols in the west, they tend to be perceived as less overtly authoritarian.
However for the past few thousand years a tradition of spirituality and esotericism has existed that merges these two. Among the most well known is Gnosticism, a synthetic tradition mixing Middle Platonism, early Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and eastern faiths. Gnosticism has a similar cosmology to Neoplatonism. The most fundamental thing is the Monad (The one in neoplatonic speak), an abstract and unknowable god. This god is totally good,.no evil exists per se, but the further from the Monad the worse off you are. All that exists radiates from the monad, like light from the sun. these Emanations or Aeons to use the gnostic term, vary in nature, Plato’s realm of forms, Mind, beings like angels and furthest away, the material world. Again like light from the sun, the furthest emmenation is the least bright or least good. This is the material world that we live in. The world of disease, injury, needs and desire
All of the functions of human’s flesh can be described into words by terms of materialism
They forgot the force which operates themselves, and they are only satisfying their desires. Masami Eiri
It’s not difficult to see these parallels already, The wired and the real world seem to have a similar relation. The everyday Material world and the Wired that seems to be beyond it. Erir even goes on the claim it’s more fundamental.
The Mythos of Gnostism provide even more similarities. In Gnosticism one of the lowest Emmenations Sophia (wisdom) attempts to see the monad and is overwhelmed by it and falls. It accidentally creates the Demiurge (craftsman) who forges the material world. The Demiurge is sometimes a deistic creator, sometimes Satan, and even sometimes the God of the old Testament. He is ignorant of Sophia and the higher worlds and his imperfect creation, the material world is the cause of all suffering. This mirrors Lain and Eiri’s relation somewhat. Lain being a more powerful being that Eiri exploited for his own power and evolution. The roles are somewhat reversed with Eiri scorning the material world and emphasizing the wired.
What’s more Gnosticism in the first Century AD resembled the Knights. Its was a Mystery Religion, where initiates where given basic information and learned more as they progressed and became more trusted.the knights pull the same thing with Taro, telling him about God in the wired but nothing more. The Gnostics were also from the easternmost provinces of the Roman Empire during Pax Romana. Greece, Palestine, Syria, Egypt and others. These were the most populated and wealthy sections of the Roman world other then Italy itself. Much older but under roman domination. Again like Japan during the time Lain was made. The Knight Templar who the Knights of Eastern Calculus claim as their originators where at times accused of Gnostism. Many Gnostics, though not all hated the material body, they drank, had orgies, and didn’t bother to take care of themselves. Others took an opposite approach and scored any material pleasure. In the world of Lain, many who come to learn of the knights and the wired kill themselves to leave the world behind. Plotinus, considered the founder of Neoplatonism wondered why if the Gnostics hated the material world so much they didn’t simply kill themselves. (savage)
So after all of that is Lain a Gnostic work? I would say no. It shares many parallels, material world vs the world beyond, a more powerful goddess manipulated by a lesser god, and a generally secretive.system of worship. Gnosis ,wisdom into man’s true nature is important, though that true nature may not be the same between the two systems. The relation between the wired and real world are different, the roles between the god’s and goddess are reversed, Ritual and symbolism are near non existent. Good and evil are unimportant. What’s more the Gnostics of old sought salvation in their harsh world, the Knights are almost all upper middle class or wealthy, more interested in playing secret society as a kind of game, or in Taro’s case fascination. Only Chisa, Eiri and sometimes Lain REALLY seem to grasp what the wired is.
There is a kind of secular parallel as well rather then Gnostic. Eiri early in the series is called Deus, in Layer 08 he tries to convince Lain that her identity is more than she is aware of. She tires to counter with a I think therefore I am but becomes less convinced and unsure. Eiri becomes the Deus deceiver of Descartes and literally tires to overthrow his concepts of identities. That is a Cartesian coordinate system where something exists locally on a point and is that thing and only that thing. Does this system even leave room for a soul like in Gnosticism or Neoplatonism? Do Ideal forms exist? it’s hardly important. It’s also debatable if Lain’s values at the end line up with Either Gnostics or Plotinus.
So saying all that why is it so important to compare the two? Well for one, it’s interesting how comparable they are, but not just in the the show. The Knights are an interesting case of a secret religion, but in our world lain is a cult hit. Many people have a semi serious religious belief in Lain and feel attachment to her. Online Lain’s “followers” seek each other out. Lain is one of the few shows where people who watch it consistently claim it changed their lives and consider it of tremendous importance to them. It’s interesting how these patterns have repeated what happened during the Roman heyday and how mystery religions develop. Most importantly, Gnosticism was created with a 1st century AD world view. Serial Experiments Lain was created with a late 20th century world view. This is a new religion that follows the style of the old but without the dogmas.. What exactly would a totally modern religion like the one in Lain entail? Lain has many modern followers but what exactly does Lain represent? What does a religion created after the enlightenment look like?
In my next article will be Lain as an Angel where I plan to talk about what Lain means to people and compare her to various mythological creatures, like Angels, Gods and Goddess etc. Next, what should be the finally, Sky: The Multidimensional Wavelength of the Existential Self and the World and the Akashic Record. Where I want to talk about the true nature of the wired, the themes of the show and Lain as a character. All of this is subject to change. Thanks again for reading and I hope to hear from you all!
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