Masonic, Occult and Esoteric Online Library
The Egyptian Heaven and Hell
By E. A. Wallis Budge
The Gate of Sebi and Reri The Twelfth Division of the Tuat
HAVING passed through the Eleventh Division of the Tuat, the boat of the sun arrives at the gateway TESERT-BAIU, which is the last that he will have to pass through before emerging in heaven in the light of a new day. "This great god cometh forth to this gate, this great god entereth through it, and the gods who are therein acclaim the great god." The gateway is like that through which the god passed into the previous Division; at the entrance to the gate proper stands a bearded mummied form called PAI, and at its exit stands a similar form called AKHEKHI. The corridor is swept by flames of fire, which proceed from the mouths of uraei, as before. In the space which is usually guarded by a number of gods stand two staves, each of which is surmounted by a bearded head; on one head is the disk of TEM, and on the other a beetle, the symbol of Khepera. The text which refers to these reads:
(Left) The Gate Tesert-Baiu. (Right) The doors of Sebi and Reri.
The Sun-god under the form of Khepera with his Disk, in his Boat, supported by Nu and received by Nut.
"They stand up on their heads, and they come into being on their staves by the gate; the heads stand up by the gate."
The monster serpent which stands on its tail and guards the one door is called SEBI, and the two lines of text which refer to his admission of Ra read, He who is over this door openeth to Ra. SA saith unto Sebi, 'Open thy gate to Ra, unfold thy portal to Khuti, so that he may come forth from the hidden place, and may take up his position in the body of NUT.' Behold, there is wailing among the souls who dwell in Ament after this door hath closed," &c.
The monster serpent which stands on its tail and guards the other door is called RERI, and the two lines of text which refer to his admission of Ra read, "He who is over this door openeth to Ra. SA saith unto RERI, 'Open thy gate to Ra, unfold thy portal to KHUTI, so that he may come forth from the hidden place, and may take up his position in the body of Nut.' Behold, there is wailing among the souls who dwell in Ament after this door hath closed."
The text, being similar to that which refers to SEBI, is not repeated here.
On each side of the door is a uraeus, the one representing Isis and the other NEPHTHYS, and of them it is said, "They it is who guard this hidden gate of Ament, and they pass onwards in the following of this god."
Here we see that the end of the Tuat is reached, and the boat of the sun has reached that portion of it through which he is about to emerge in the waters of Nu, and thence in the form of a disk in the sky of this world. Having passed on to the water the boat is supported by the two arms of Nu himself, or, as the text says, "These two arms come forth from the waters, and they bear up this god." The god appears in the boat in the form of a beetle, which is rolling along a disk; on the left of the beetle is Isis, and on the right Nephthys. The three beings in the front of the boat are probably the personifications of doors, and the gods to the left are SEB, SHU, HEK, HU, and SA, In the hieroglyphics at the top of the open space above the boat is written, "This god taketh up his place in the MATETET Boat [with] the gods who are in it." Away in the waters above, or beyond the boat, is a kind of island, formed by the body of a god, which is bent round in such a way that the tips of his toes touch the back of his head. On his head stands the goddess Nut, with her arms and hands raised and stretched out to receive the disk of the sun, which the Beetle is rolling towards her; the text says, "Nut receiveth Ra." The island formed by the body of the god is said to be Osiris, whose circuit is the Tuat."
END OF VOL. II.
