The Pantheon of Stoicism, Answer to previous question

[bupanishad2012]

The Stoics had (have) no "pantheon" per se. I think Zeno used Zeus and Seneca used Jupiter in their writings, but they mostly used the word (divine) Providence for their reference point. They were spiritual men (and women) in spite of their closeness to Epicureanism (which group were true atheists). Stoics such as Seneca were all time writing against the atheism of the Epicureans and the Cynics, often very vehemently. The way the Bible in the Book of Acts lumps the Stoics and Epicureans on Mar's Hill together confuses most people. It is true that Stoics, for one, did know about Christians, but they were not in sympathy with them---in fact Marcus Aurelius persecuted them briefly. The later Catholic Church were well-disposed to the Stoics, and included them in the "fringes" of Heaven as being good pagans. The Stoic cosmology was somewhat complicated, and I do not claim to understand it. Mostly, their cosmology is useless today except for those fascinated with ancient Greek/Roman cosmologies. Stoic moral purpose was everything to them, and the "art of living" was their daily bread-and-butter.

[Jim B]

Thank you for bringing up the Stoics. Coming up to 63 years old in January, their way of living is very valuable.

Cleanthes' line, 'Lead me,Zeus, lead me, Destiny.'

I thought I would have a hard time dismissing the word 'god', however I do not believe they had an anamorphic idea of Zeus/Jupiter/logos, Cosmic Fire.
From what I have read, Zeus is Rationality upon which the Universe operates; compared to Wise, which is a concept usually reserved as an attribute of a thinking being such as ourselves.

I believe A.A. Long said of God, a Causal Nexus

This seems comparable to Pratiyasamutpada/Dependent arising/co-arising.
A mutually interdependent web of cause and effect (Indra's Net).

I am so glad I was introduced to Buddhism, and the time spent sunyata and svabhava.

BTW,Nick, what did you say about 'Mirrors', again?

Jim

[bupanishad2012]

Thanks, Jim. Being now 64 myself I am just beginning to understand the Stoic way of life. Of course it accords well with Buddhism! Try reading Seneca's "On Old Age" for some great reading---at any age. I actually feel better now than I have for many years now that I have some wisdom under my belt. Thanks to HPB, Buddha, and the ancient Greeks and Romans, among others, we have much to draw on as the years pass.

[Nick the Pilot]

Jim,

Did I say something about mirrors? I don't remember -- please refresh my memory.

[Jim B]

Nick, I believe it was some thing to do with us being 'refractions' or 'reflections'.

Jim