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The collective
tradition of mankind is endowed with a relative infallibil- ity, and when
rightly interpreted, must represent the largest truth, the most perfect
beauty and the purest goodness known on earth. This transcen- dental truth
and goodness and beauty represents the divine substratum of human nature,
the ideal humanity which lies above and behind the aberra- tions of
individuals, races and periods. It is not subjected, as are the latter, to
Time and Circumstance or to the limitations from which the appearance of
error, evil and deformity seem to spring.
The Legend of
Parzival is not subject to Time or Circumstance; it repre- sents a glimpse
of the Eternal Reality, the Everpresent Here and Now. The circumstances of
its enactment and the place wherein the festival is beheld, need not be
sought outside the Human Heart that has learned to beat in time and tune
with the Soul of the World. All who are born of “Heart's Affliction” must
eventually find their way to that spot where they “Scarcely move, yet
swiftly seem to run” and having become one with “The Way, The Truth and
The Life” they will discover that the shifting scenes of the world they
had thought to be so real, will pass by them as a pageant until the Vision
of the Grail Itself is presented to their pure Understanding.
It is in the hope
of awakening some spark of the smouldering fire of this inner
consciousness in the hearts of those who may read these lines—not having
previously understood the Legend—and from that spark enkindling a great
fire that will burn up the veils which hide man from Himself—from God—that
I have dared to add these fragments to the great mass of Grail Literature
already given to the world.
And to those who
are slumbering contentedly, wrapped round with the delusion and dreams of
this illusory like, I cry with Gurnemanz:
Hey!
Ho! Wood-keepers twain!
Sleep-keepers I deem ye!
At least be moving with the morning!
Hear ye the call? Now thank the Lord
That ye are called in time to hear it.
Point I. THE COMING OF PARZIVAL |
