Philosopher's stone

The philosopher's stone[a] is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold or silver;[b] it was also known as "the tincture" and "the powder".

Elias Ashmole and the anonymous author of Gloria Mundi (1620) claim that its history goes back to Adam, who acquired the knowledge of the stone directly from God.

Alchemists later used the classical elements, the concept of anima mundi, and Creation stories presented in texts like Plato's Timaeus as analogies for their process.

[8] The eighth-century Muslim alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan (Latinized as Geber) analysed each classical element in terms of the four basic qualities.

[citation needed] The Yoga Vasistha, originally written in the tenth century AD, contains a story about the philosopher's stone.

Sant Jnaneshwar (1275–1296) wrote a commentary with 17 references to the philosopher's stone that explicitly transmutes base metal into gold.

[citation needed] The seventh-century Siddhar Thirumoolar in his classic Tirumandhiram explains man's path to immortal divinity.

[citation needed] According to Hindu mythology, the Shyāmantaka Mani is a ruby, capable of preventing all natural calamities such as droughts, floods, etc.

[22] Numerous synonyms were used to make oblique reference to the stone, such as "white stone" (calculus albus, identified with the calculus candidus of Revelation 2:17 which was taken as a symbol of the glory of heaven[23]), vitriol (as expressed in the backronym Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem), also lapis noster, lapis occultus, in water at the box, and numerous oblique, mystical or mythological references such as Adam, Aer, Animal, Alkahest, Antidotus, Antimonium, Aqua benedicta, Aqua volans per aeram, Arcanum, Atramentum, Autumnus, Basilicus, Brutorum cor, Bufo, Capillus, Capistrum auri, Carbones, Cerberus, Chaos, Cinis cineris, Crocus, Dominus philosophorum, Divine quintessence, Draco elixir, Filius ignis, Fimus, Folium, Frater, Granum, Granum frumenti, Haematites, Hepar, Herba, Herbalis, Lac, Melancholia, Ovum philosophorum, Panacea salutifera, Pandora, Phoenix, Philosophic mercury, Pyrites, Radices arboris solares, Regina, Rex regum, Sal metallorum, Salvator terrenus, Talcum, Thesaurus, Ventus hermetis.

Thus is made the stone, which thou canst not discover, unless you, through diligence, learn to understand this geometrical teaching.He further describes in greater detail the metaphysical nature of the meaning of the emblem as a divine union of feminine and masculine principles:[34] In like manner the Philosophers would have the quadrangle reduced into a triangle, that is, into body, Spirit, and Soul, which three do appear in three previous colors before redness, for example, the body or earth in the blackness of Saturn, the Spirit in a lunar whiteness, as water, the Soul or air in a solar citrinity: then will the triangle be perfect, but this likewise must be changed into a circle, that is, into an invariable redness: By which operation the woman is converted into the man, and made one with him, and the senary the first number of the perfect completed by one, two, having returned again to a unit, in which is eternal rest and peace.Rupescissa uses the imagery of the Christian passion, saying that it ascends "from the sepulcher of the Most Excellent King, shining and glorious, resuscitated from the dead and wearing a red diadem...".

Exoteric candidates have been found in metals, plants, rocks, chemical compounds, and bodily products such as hair, urine, and eggs.

[37][38] Esoteric hermetic alchemists may reject work on exoteric substances, instead directing their search for the philosopher's stone inward.

Idries Shah devotes a chapter of his book, The Sufis, to provide a detailed analysis of the symbolic significance of alchemical work with the philosopher's stone.

His analysis is based in part on a linguistic interpretation through Arabic equivalents of one of the terms for the stone (Azoth) as well as for sulfur, salt, and mercury.

The philosopher's stone has been an inspiration, plot feature, or subject of innumerable artistic works: animations, comics, films, musical compositions, novels, and video games.

Examples include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, As Above, So Below, Fullmetal Alchemist, The Flash and The Mystery of Mamo.

The philosopher's stone is an important motif in Gothic fiction, and originated in William Godwin's 1799 novel St.

The Squared Circle: an alchemical symbol (17th century) illustrating the interplay of the four elements of matter symbolizing the philosopher's stone
Philosopher's stone as pictured in Atalanta Fugiens Emblem 21
The first key of Basil Valentine , emblem associated with the 'Great Work' of obtaining the Philosopher's stone ( Twelve Keys of Basil Valentine )