​An Esoteric Exegesis of the Apocalypse Extracted from Traditional Religions— Establishing True Faith in the End-Time Prophecies —Part 1: The Two Ways

​[1] The Aversion to End-Time Prophecies and Its True Causes: The “Illusion of Progress” and the Forgetting of “Impermanence”​

​On this site, I previously published a philosophical treatise titled “On Kopairos or Qi,” in which I discussed in detail the concept that the future already exists.However, if the future already exists, several conclusions and subjects for inquiry naturally emerge from this premise. One of them is “prophecy.” Since the future is already in existence, the possibility of prophecy is fully established.Therefore, by acknowledging the possibility that prophecy exists, it becomes necessary for us to seriously examine one of the most shocking teachings expounded by various religions: the terrifying prophecy of the “End of the World.” However, to correctly approach the teachings of end-time prophecies, it is simultaneously required to investigate a vast amount of religious and historical information.

First of all, I would like to confirm that the teaching of end-time prophecy is not exclusive to any specific religion but is an extremely universal, and in a sense “common,” doctrine found across all world religions. It is present in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism alike. And all these religions are in complete agreement in their prophecy that an exceedingly great figure will appear in the future to radically transform the state of humanity into something good. To be sure, the name of this figure varies—the returning Christ, the Mahdi (in Shia Islam), Raudra Chakrin (in the Kalachakra Tantra), or Kalki Vishnuyashas (in the Mahabharata). It can also be said that there is near-unanimous agreement among these religions that before his appearance, a dreadful calamity will befall the entirety of humanity—that is, the moral degeneration of mankind, massive natural disasters, and a final war between good and evil will take place.

These end-time prophecies have been exploited by all sorts of cults to deceive people, and in modern times, they could even be considered highly notorious. However, just because cults have abused the teachings of the end times and the final war, it absolutely does not follow that we should discard these doctrines. This is because eschatological teachings constitute an essential part of traditional religions and serve as an indispensable element of orthodox faith.

​It seems to me that there are two reasons why the teachings of end-time prophecies are perceived by modern people as excessively provocative.The first reason is our overconfidence in the modern civilization we ourselves have created. In other words, because we blindly believe the entirely baseless theory that modern civilization will progress indefinitely, we fail to understand that it, too, is impermanent. This is precisely why the assertion that all the achievements of modern civilization will be lost is received as something highly abnormal, utterly unexpected, and deeply astonishing. Yet, the very fact that end-time prophecies are met with such astonishment is proof of our overconfidence in modern civilization.

The second reason lies in the fact that we have forgotten our own impermanence. That is to say, we are, without exception, death row inmates condemned to die, yet we forget that the time of our execution is completely uncertain and could potentially be carried out today. Therefore, when we hear prophecies stating that an enormous number of people will perish in large-scale disasters or a final war, we are suddenly reminded of the existence of death and become inordinately afraid. In reality, however, we are all in the position of anxiously awaiting our execution, much like livestock waiting their turn to be slaughtered. That turn may come today. No one can say with certainty, “I will not die today.”

​If we truly understand this, how we die—whether by disease, accident, natural disaster, or war—becomes a matter of little significance. For sooner or later, we all absolutely must die from one cause or another. Thus, the more deeply one understands the teaching of impermanence, the more one’s excessive reaction to end-time prophecies will fade.And the original significance of end-time prophecies lies basically in this: by reminding us that neither we nor our civilization can ever escape death, they serve the role of instilling a “sense of impermanence” or act as a memento mori; moreover, by signaling the approach of a time of tribulation known as the “Day of the Lord,” they constantly remind us that we must make haste.

Thus, as a prerequisite for approaching eschatological teachings calmly, I would first like us to cultivate the mental attitude of impermanence. To that end, I wish to read the opening lines of the Tale of the Heike—a passage universally known among the Japanese—with heartfelt emotion, reinterpreting it as signifying the impermanence and collapse of modern civilization, or the “dynasty” of “The Kingdom of this World” (a term I will frequently employ hereafter). I urge those of you reading this blog to also read it while picturing in your mind your own symbolic image of modern civilization.

​The sound of the Gion Shōja bells echoes the impermanence of all things;The color of the sāla flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline.The proud do not endure, they are but like a dream on a spring night;The mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind.

Having heard in our hearts the sound of the bell announcing the arrival of the end times, let us now seek a correct understanding of the teachings of end-time prophecy. For if we do so, the teaching of end-time prophecy will prove to be an excellent material for cultivating an inner non-attachment to all the products generated by modern civilization.This inner non-attachment is the most vital secret to walking the “Right Way,” regardless of which traditional religion it is based upon. And those who truly believe in the teachings of end-time prophecy will strengthen their inner non-attachment and, internally, detach themselves from the vast majority of people who blindly believe in and love modern civilization. They will become, so to speak, inner “strangers.” Indeed, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad, we are meant to be like “strangers.”

​According to Abdullah ibn Umar, the Messenger of Allah took hold of my shoulder and said: “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Those who walk the “Right Way”—especially those who walk the “Way” while remaining in the secular world—must harmonize with their relatives and fulfill their social obligations on the outside, but on the inside, they must be “strangers” and “travelers.”

​[2] The “Two Ways” and the “Two Circles” Dividing Humanity: Esoteric and Exoteric Civilizations

Then, with what does the correct approach to the teachings of end-time prophecy begin? As I understand it, it begins with the most fundamental of traditional teachings: the doctrine of the “Two Ways.”The teaching of the “Two Ways” postulates that all of humanity belongs either to the “First Way,” which leads to death, or the “Second Way,” which leads to life, and that the vast majority of us unfortunately belong to the First Way leading to death.In the Old Testament, the Book of Jeremiah states:

​”And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.'” (Jeremiah 21:8)

Furthermore, the Book of Proverbs explains the way of life and the way of death as follows:

​”In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death [but the way of error leads to death].” (Proverbs 12:28)

Regarding these two ways, there is also the famous teaching of Christ:

​”Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

​Furthermore, in connection with these two ways, the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have taught the following:

According to Abu Huraira, the Prophet said: “On the Day of Resurrection, the first to be called will be Adam, and when his offspring appear, Allah will say, ‘This is your forefather Adam.’ Then, when Allah commands Adam, ‘Take out from among your offspring those destined for the Fire,’ Adam will ask, ‘O Lord, how many should I take out?’ Allah will answer, ‘Out of every hundred, take out ninety-nine.’ Hearing this, the believers said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, if ninety-nine out of every hundred of us are taken out, how many will remain?’ The Prophet replied, ‘My people among the other nations are like a single white hair on the hide of a black bull.'” (Hadith)

​The “Right Way,” then, is the method by which one transitions from the “Way of Death,” composed of these “black hairs,” to the “Way of Life,” composed of the “white hairs.”

​”We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” (1 John 3:14)

​Because the entirety of humanity is thus divided into these “Two Ways,” all the cultural artifacts produced by humanity—books, works of art, ways of life, social organizations, as well as ideas, philosophies, and arts—can be divided into two categories based on which path the people who created them belong to. Namely, there is the culture created by those belonging to the “Way leading to life,” and the culture created by those belonging to the “Way leading to death.” According to the teachings of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff—a man who left a monumental legacy from the 19th to the early 20th century and is usually introduced as a “Russian mystic”—the collection of the former culture is called “Esoteric Civilization,” and the collection of the latter culture is called “Exoteric Civilization.”

In modern times, however, the term “esoteric” suffers from the drawback that anyone can fantasize about its meaning as much as they like. For now, I would like to use it in only one sense: its original, etymological meaning of “inner.” This word originates from esoterikoi (“the inner ones”), a term used by Pythagoras, who taught mystical philosophy in ancient Greece, to refer to the spiritually advanced “people of the inner circle” who were permitted to partake in his direct teachings.

​Now the candidates (Note: aspiring disciples of Pythagoras), if they were judged to be qualified to share in his teachings based on their lifestyle and behavior, became esoterikoi (inner disciples) after five years of silence (Note: a vow of silence imposed on candidates). They then listened to his lectures inside the curtain, seeing Pythagoras face to face. Prior to that, they remained outside the curtain, partaking in his teachings only by hearing his voice without ever seeing him. In this manner, their respective characters were examined over a long period. (Iamblichus, On the Pythagorean Way of Life)

​In the same way, we can conceptually divide humanity into two concentric circles. Those who have entered the “Way leading to life” belong to the “Inner Circle” of humanity, and the collection of various cultures emanating from them is called “Esoteric Civilization” in the sense that it originates from the inner circle. On the other hand, those who belong to the “Way leading to death” belong to the “Outer Circle,” which lies outside the inner circle, and the collection of cultures produced within this outer circle is called “Exoteric Civilization” to signify that it is external.

The “Right Way” is precisely the “Gate” for entering the inner circle from the outer circle—that is, the Dharma-gate. In the traditions of Brahmanism and Hinduism, these concepts of “Esoteric Civilization” and “Exoteric Civilization” directly correspond to what are termed Dharma (the Law/Truth) and Adharma (Non-Law/Untruth).In esoteric thought, it is said that the people in the inner circle form a certain organization unknown to us. At the innermost core, the center of this inner circle, resides the greatest saint of that particular age—known in the traditional terminology of Sufism as the Qutb (meaning the Axis or Pole). Let us quote the words of Jalaluddin Rumi, the great Sufi saint and Islamic mystic:

Whatever this hand of mine does now, it actually does through the shadow-work of the Intellect. This is because the shadow of Wisdom covers the hand. Of course, the Intellect casts no sensory shadow. Yet, there is a shadow that is not a shadow, just as flavor possesses an existence that is not a sensory existence. If the shadow of the Intellect were not cast upon a person, all their limbs would fall into a state of paralysis… It is only because they are within the shadow of the Intellect that all the limbs perform their respective functions accurately, excellently, and appropriately. In truth, all these actions originate from the Intellect, and the limbs are merely its tools.Similarly, in this world, there is one great man. That is to say, the Vicegerent of God of that age (a spiritual giant of such magnitude that he forms the axis of the whole world). This man is situated like the Universal Intellect, and the wisdom of individuals is like the limbs of this man. Whatever they do, it is all the shadow-work of this man. If something distorted emerges from someone, it is because that Universal Intellect has ceased to cast its shadow upon them. (Rumi, Fihi Ma Fihi / Discourses)

​It is the people belonging to the inner circle of humanity whom this “Vicegerent of God” influences, and those attempting to enter the inner circle are also presumably under his influence to some degree, so long as they do not commit distortions.Based on such esoteric teachings, we can understand that what the Gospels call the “Kingdom of God,” and what the Revelation of John—which we will be examining—calls the “Kingdom of Christ,” refers precisely to this organization of the inner circle of humanity. It is said that in this organization or “Kingdom,” knowledge entirely different from the knowledge we possess—hidden knowledge passed down uninterruptedly from the remote antiquity—is still preserved.

And from time to time, as the occasion demands, individuals belonging to the inner circle appear before us in the outer circle to bring us “Esoteric Civilizations”—such as new religions or sects—in order to benefit humanity.For example, Ammonius Saccas, the founder of Neoplatonism, a school of Greek philosophy with profoundly mystical tendencies; Bodhidharma, considered the founder of Chinese Zen; Tilopa, the founder of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and master of Naropa; and Shams of Tabriz, the master of Rumi (the founder of the Mevlevi Sufi order)—all possessed mysterious origins. They can be understood as having emerged from the inner circle of humanity into the outer circle to establish great sects or schools of thought for the benefit of the people. According to Gurdjieff, such esoteric civilizations appear when the time and favorable political conditions align.Here, as a vivid historical example of such esoteric thought, I would like to quote the words spoken by an Egyptian priest to Solon, the wise man of Athens, from Plato’s Timaeus.

​”O Solon, Solon, you Greeks are always children: there is not an old man among you.” And when Solon heard this, he asked, “What do you mean?” And the priest replied, “You are young in soul, every one of you. For therein you possess not a single belief that is ancient and derived from old tradition, nor yet one science that is hoary with age.” (Plato, Timaeus)

​According to this Egyptian priest, the destruction of civilizations has occurred many times in various forms, the greatest of which are brought about by fire and water. However, due to its geographical characteristics, Egypt has never been destroyed by the disasters of fire and water, and therefore, it has been able to preserve its knowledge. He continues:

“And whatever happened either in your country or in ours, or in any other region of which we are informed—if there were any actions noble or great or in any other way remarkable, they have all been written down by us of old, and are preserved in our temples. Whereas just when you and other nations are beginning to be provided with letters and the other requisites of civilized life, after the usual interval, the stream from heaven, like a pestilence, comes pouring down, and leaves only those of you who are destitute of letters and education; and so you have to begin all over again like children, and know nothing of what happened in ancient times, either among us or among yourselves.” (Plato, Timaeus)

This dialogue from Plato’s Timaeus is also the original source of the famous legend of Atlantis. Incidentally, highly advanced ruins have recently been discovered on the Mediterranean island of Santorini, which experienced a massive volcanic eruption in the 16th or 17th century BCE. (I once saw an American television documentary showing that the residential areas had two-story houses and complete sewage systems, displaying a level of sophistication hard to believe for ruins from the 16th century BCE). It has been suggested that this might be the “Island of Atlantis” described in the Timaeus. If so, the historical knowledge the Egyptian priest imparted to Solon had been lost in Greece itself, yet had been preserved by the priests in Egypt.

However, esoteric thought also teaches us that approaching such esotericism is extremely difficult. In esoteric traditions, those who have received the esoteric teachings—the genuine “Initiates”—are exceptionally great individuals. Not only are they unapproachable to ordinary people like us, but they are said to be unapproachable even to those considered highly virtuous. I would like to introduce the words of Rumi on this matter:

In this world, there are several saints whose spiritual eyes have been opened and who have reached the state of enlightenment. Yet, transcending even these saints, there are other saints who have attained an even higher state. These second saints are called the Hidden Ones of God. Even the first saints continually raise their voices in lamentation, pleading, “O Lord God, please show us but one of Your Hidden Ones.” But unless they themselves are willing, and unless it is meant to be seen, one can never see them, no matter how keen one’s sight may be. No matter how much a debauchee wandering around shady taverns (a metaphor for ordinary Sufis of low spiritual perfection) searches for a woman, as long as the woman is unwilling, no one can catch her. No one can behold her figure. In other words, unless the Hidden Ones of God are willing, no one can ever see their figures or draw near to them. (Rumi, Fihi Ma Fihi / Discourses)

​However, we must note one crucial point: the cultural artifacts of “Esoteric Civilization” have their origins in the inner circle, but once they are cast into the outer circle—that is, once they mix with our ordinary lives—they gradually become contaminated by various concepts and habits generated by everyday life. As a result, they undergo a transformation, effectively rotting, until they ultimately degrade into a quality equivalent to the culture of the “Exoteric Civilization” that we ourselves have created.This process is clearly visible in the secularization of various religions and the Westernization of traditional Eastern arts. In other words, the vitality of a traditional religion depends on the extent to which it retains its original nature as an “Esoteric Civilization” and the degree to which it avoids mixing with the “Exoteric Civilization.”Regarding this point, Rumi speaks boldly concerning the Islamic Law (Sharia) adopted by Islamic dynasties:

​The Islamic Law you all know, its source too was revelation. But as it mingled with human thought and sensation, and as it was twisted by human hands in various ways, its original purity was lost. The Islamic Law as it is practiced today bears no resemblance whatsoever to the profound mystery the revelation originally possessed.It is like this river flowing toward the city here in the land of Troot (a region of Konya). Look at it at its source, the spring; how pure and perfectly clear the water is! But as this water flows on and enters the city, passing through gardens, towns, and the houses of the townspeople, people wash their hands, faces, feet, and bodies in it. They wash their clothes and their carpets. People urinate in it. The urine and dung of horses and camels flow into it. All these things mix into the water. Look at this river where it flows out the other side of the city. It still moistens the parched earth, quenches the thirst of the thirsty, and turns the desert green. Yet, it takes a person with an exceptionally keen eye for discernment to realize that this water is now mixed with all sorts of filth and no longer possesses its original purity. (Rumi, Fihi Ma Fihi / Discourses)

Only by fully grasping these various teachings regarding the “Inner Circle” and “Outer Circle” of humanity as a preliminary preparation, I believe, will we be able to seek a correct understanding and tackle the mysterious verses in the Revelation of John.

​[3] Esoteric Exegesis of the Apocalypse — The True Meaning of “Those Who Wash Their Robes” and “The Dogs”

​Only by having fully grasped these various teachings regarding the “Inner Circle” and “Outer Circle” of humanity as preliminary preparation, I believe, will we be able to seek a correct understanding and tackle the following mysterious verses in the Revelation of John.

So, as a starting point for our reading of the Revelation of John, let us tackle this verse. As our first task this time, let us look at the passage in Revelation 22:14-15.

​”Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (Revelation 22:14-15)

Here, the “tree of life” is similar to the sacred Bodhi tree (the Ashvattha tree) expounded in Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita, which spreads its roots in heaven and its branches on earth, symbolizing a celestial or higher form of life.

The “gates” refers to the “Right Way,” that is, the Dharma-gate. And I specifically say the “Right Way” because there is also a “Wrong Way.” For example, according to Gurdjieff, if one undergoes ascetic practices based on wrong teachings—such as the demonic doctrines of the inquisitors of the medieval Catholic Church or extremely repressive asceticism—one risks “crystallizing” within oneself as a result. That is, one transforms a certain psychological tendency based on erroneous teachings into something rigid within, becoming an entity capable of resisting even physical death. This is the “Wrong Way.” The Gospels speak of this “Right Way,” and of those who have achieved immortality by “crystallizing” internally without passing through the “Right Way,” as follows:

​”Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1)

​Here, the “Inner Circle” of humanity is likened to a “sheepfold.” And those who have crystallized within themselves through practices not based on the correct Dharma-gate, and who have consequently acquired peculiar abilities, are those who deceive people who should rightfully be advancing on the path of crystallization through the correct Dharma-gate, leading them instead to erroneous methodologies. If such a person pretends to be within the framework of a traditional religion, they are a “thief” who stealthily steals the “sheep of God.” If they are the founder of a new cult outside the framework of traditional religions, they are understood to be a “robber.”

​Next, “the city” refers to the “Inner Circle” of humanity, particularly its central core. And the “Inner Circle” is the “Kingdom of God,” and the center of that kingdom is the Holy City, the true “Jerusalem.” Based on this understanding, Christ’s following words of proclamation can be understood as profoundly significant:

​”The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

​This proclamation can be interpreted as a declaration to the people belonging to the “Outer Circle” of humanity that the time has come for the gospel to be preached, providing a way to approach the “Inner Circle,” which is otherwise extremely unapproachable.

​Next, “robes” point to the external manifestation of the human spirit, namely external, physical actions. As it says elsewhere in the Revelation of John:

​”Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8)

​Therefore, “to wash one’s robes” means to purify one’s actions; that is, to avoid evil deeds and become pure. In Buddhist terms, this means to “eradicate evil karmic hindrances.”

​And just as with the phrase “those who wash their robes,” we must consider that words like “the dogs” and “the sexually immoral” have a much more important, alternative meaning, even if we cannot say that their literal interpretation is entirely wrong.

​For instance, in his later teachings, Gurdjieff refers to various fixed ideas (idées fixes) that have crystallized within the human psyche due to our abnormal lives—that is, due to the various harmful influences of “Exoteric Civilization”—and which impede the natural development of the human spirit, as “dogs.” In Buddhist terminology, these are kleshas (worldly desires or defilements). Thus, “the dogs” in Revelation can be understood as referring to people who remain at the mercy of their kleshas.

​Furthermore, a literal interpretation of “idolaters” might seem to criticize Buddhism or Hinduism. However, since its most fundamental meaning is to place undue trust in things made by one’s own hands, the most appropriate interpretation would be that it refers to the people of the “Outer Circle” placing their trust in what they “worship the works of their hands” (Revelation 9:20), which is to say, placing their faith in “Exoteric Civilization.” On the other hand, in an “Esoteric Civilization,” its teachings and culture flow from the center of the “Inner Circle,” and since that center is connected to “God” or the “Absolute,” the various cultural products belonging to that “Esoteric Civilization” are not created by “human hands” and are therefore not “idols.” Consequently, as long as Buddhism or Hinduism is an “Esoteric Civilization”—that is, as long as it is the Dharma—it is not created by “human hands” and is therefore not an “idol.”

​Next, regarding the term “the sexually immoral,” to understand this, one must understand the teaching regarding the true purpose of human existence. On this point, Rumi preaches the following:

​”There is one thing in this world which must never be forgotten. If you were to forget everything else, but did not forget that, then there would be no cause for worry; whereas if you performed and remembered and did not forget every single thing, but forgot that one thing, then you would have done nothing whatsoever.It is just as if a king had sent you to a country to carry out a specified task. You go and perform a hundred other tasks; but if you have not performed that particular task on account of which you had been sent to the country, it is as if you have performed nothing at all.So man has come into this world for a particular task, and that is his true purpose; if he neglects it, then he will have done nothing.” (Rumi, Fihi Ma Fihi / Discourses)

​On the other hand, those who do not aim to fulfill this noble destiny inherent in human nature—which is to achieve “marriage with God”—but instead seek union with wealth, worldly status, or sensual pleasures, are called “the sexually immoral” (fornicators/adulterers), because they betray “God,” the “Bridegroom” to whom we are “betrothed.”

​And the phrase that “the dogs,” “idolaters,” and “the sexually immoral” are “outside” can be interpreted to mean that these individuals are unable to enter the “Inner Circle” of humanity and belong to the “Outer Circle.”

​What do you think? When viewed in this light, the seemingly incomprehensible and mysterious verses of Revelation 22 can indeed be said to contain profoundly meaningful thoughts and teachings.

​[4] Conclusion: The End of “The Kingdom of this World” and the Victory of Christ — What is the Conquest of “Death”?

​Based on all these considerations, I will now be able to explain the core of the eschatological teachings as I understand them. That is to say, in my view, the end-time prophecies expounded by traditional religions are, ultimately, a prophecy that as the final outcome of the struggle between the two groups of humanity, the “Kingdom of God”—which is the “Inner Circle” of humanity—will triumph over “The Kingdom of this World,” which is the “Outer Circle.”

​Jesus Christ taught his disciples how “The Kingdom of this World” (the “Outer Circle”) would resist and attempt to reject the “Gospel,” acting as an “Esoteric Civilization” that is the product of the “Kingdom of God” (the “Inner Circle”), in the following manner:

​”If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19)

​And the core of the prophecy of Revelation is that “The Kingdom of this World”—that is, the “Outer Circle”—will be entirely destroyed, and humanity will come to belong exclusively to the “Kingdom of Christ,” the “Inner Circle.” In the Gospels, Jesus Christ powerfully declares to his disciples:

​”In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

​I interpret the meaning of the words “Christ has overcome the world” to indicate the end of the current state of affairs wherein humanity is divided into the “Two Ways.” In other words, all of humanity will come to belong to the “Inner Circle,” and the “Outer Circle,” which is the “Way leading to death,” will be destroyed. This is precisely the main theme of the Revelation of John—indeed, of the entire salvific work of Jesus Christ: the conquest of “Death.”

​That is to say, “Death” here primarily signifies the “Outer Circle.” And the Bible occasionally refers to the people belonging to the “Outer Circle”—namely, ourselves—as “those who are dying,” or more bluntly, as “the dead.”I would like to examine the meaning of these shocking words in detail in the next installment.