"For this triple vision, man was endowed with a triple eye, as explained by Hugh of St. Victor: the eye of flesh, of reason, and of contemplation; the eye of flesh, to see the world and what it contains; the eye of reason, to see the soul and what it contains; the eye of contemplation, to see God and that which is within Him."
— St. Bonaventure [born Giovanni di Fidanza] (1217-1274)
Work Title
Date
1257
Metaphor
"For this triple vision, man was endowed with a triple eye, as explained by Hugh of St. Victor: the eye of flesh, of reason, and of contemplation; the eye of flesh, to see the world and what it contains; the eye of reason, to see the soul and what it contains; the eye of contemplation, to see God and that which is within Him."
Metaphor in Context
5. For this triple vision, man was endowed with a triple eye, as explained by Hugh of St. Victor: the eye of flesh, of reason, and of contemplation; the eye of flesh, to see the world and what it contains; the eye of reason, to see the soul and what it contains; the eye of contemplation, to see God and that which is within Him. Through the eye of the flesh, man was to see the things outside him; with the eye of reason, the things within him; with the eye of contemplation, the things above him. Now, the eye of contemplation cannot see with perfect clearness, except through glory, which man may lose through sin, but restore through grace, faith, and the study of Scripture. By these means, the human soul is cleansed, enlightened, and perfected for the contemplation of heavenly things, unto which fallen man cannot reach unless he first admits his insufficiency and blindness; and this he cannot do unless he remembers the downfall of human nature.
(II.12.5)
(II.12.5)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
St. Bonaventure, The Breviloquium (Paterson, NJ) <Link to http://www.catholic.uz/>
Theme
Mind's Eye
Date of Entry
01/13/2011
