View source for Appendix II: Paradise and the Master Universe

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==Author's Introductory Comments==

No study of the master universe can proceed very far without taking the Isle of Paradise into consideration. As the dwelling place of the eternal God (118,1), Paradise seems to be quite comprehensible; as one of the Seven Absolutes of Infinity (5,1-7) it is not. The eternal Isle is one of the most mysterious of these Seven Absolutes. Perhaps this is because it is one of the four not-personal Absolutes, one of the two non-deity Absolutes. (127,2).

The eternal Isle seems to be the Absolute Machine which God built for the same reasons that man builds a machine - to perform certain repetitive functions and operations.  (483,1-2) But the Paradise Machine is in some manner a knowing machine; it is a machine with awareness. (127,2)

The mystery of Paradise is heightened by its isolation. As the Urantia Papers put it (7,11), the central Isle "is unique, exclusive, and isolated." It "represents nothing" and there is nothing in the universes that is representative of Paradise. (ibid.) It is a unique reality that is not a force, neither is it a presence, "it is just Paradise." (ibid.) This complete isolation of Paradise seems to come about as a result of a deliberate choice on God's part. The three Absolutes of Potentiality are as one in the presence of the Universal Absolute (15,5), and the three Persons of Deity are one in the Paradise Trinity (112,5), but Paradise has no such association. The solution of the problem presented by the complete isolation of Paradise is a matter which God appears to have presented to the experiential deities for resolution. (See Appendix XXII, §2. Why Does Power-Personality Synthesis take place?)

The Paradise-Havona System. In the previous Appendix we took Paradise more or less for granted as the center of the eternal core of the master creation. This is a convenient concept and the Urantia Papers use it when speaking of "The Paradise-Havona System." (129,10) This is the existential, unbeginning, and perfect core of all creation. All subsequent creation is post-Havona, has an origin in time, and is experiential in nature. Only Paradise and Havona are past-eternal materializations, but there is a difference between the eternity status of Paradise and the eternity status of Havona. As is the case with the Eternal Son in relation to the Infinite Spirit, Paradise is "more eternal" than is Havona. The Spirit and Havona are equally eternal, but (in a certain source-sense) Paradise and the Son are eternaler." (See Appendix I, §2. Source Relationships in Eternity.)

Havona (like Paradise) differs from all the post-Havona creations in its relationship to time: it has no time-origin, all subsequent creations do. But Havona does not differ from the post-Havona creations in its relationship to space: the central, super, and outer universes are all in space. This is where Paradise is unique: the twelve physical circuits of Havona, and all extra-Havona universes, are in space (143,1), (152,3) but Paradise is not. (120,3)

The isolation of Paradise. Paradise is not actually a part of the master universe (126,7); it is pre-master universe. Paradise is conceptually in existence "before" Havona in a hypothetical Zero Age, and no part of the master universe is in existence when we think of such a Zero Age. (See Appendix I, §3; The Zero Age) The master universe has its beginnings in the dawn of the First Universe Age, and this is the age of Havona.

Paradise as a nucleus. Our study of the master universe introduces the idea of a nuclear universe, a universe that functions in a nuclear manner in relation to surrounding (cytoplasmic) creations. (To be covered in lesson 5) Havona seems to have this relationship to the seven superuniverses. Perhaps Paradise could be thought of as pre-nuclear, perhaps we could regard it as the nucleus of nucleuses. This is debatable, but in one sense the eternal Isle does appear to be a true nucleus. It does appear to be the actual nucleus of the midspace (not-space) zones, for they are described as "a relative extension of Paradise." Paradise is totally motionless, and these zones are relatively motionless. (124,4) These are the zones that eventually surround and finally encapsulate all space. (ibid.)

Paradise as a source. Paradise is not a part of the universes, it is the source of their non-spiritual and non-mindal realities. Paradise is the source of space within which all creation takes place, and the source of that potency in space from which all materialization is derived. Paradise is the source of time, by virtue of which motion is related to space and sequence becomes comprehensible to finite beings.

==§1. SPACE BESTOWAL OF PARADISE==

Space certainly seems to be the most fundamental prerequisite to physical creation. We are informed all space comes from Paradise. Consider the following statements made concerning the origin and nature of space:
     
(120,3-4)  Paradise "has no location in space." Neither is space on Paradise; its areas are nonspatial -absolute.

(124,6)  Paradise bestows space.

(120,4)  It seems to take origin just below Nether Paradise.

(1297,7)  Many aspects of space are absolute, but space is not actually absolute.

(135,2)  It is not absolute because it is pervaded by the Unqualified Absolute.

(1297,7)  Space is not absolute, but it is nearly absolute. It is "absolutely ultimate."

(135,2)  Space is not infinite, but its outer limits are not known

(133,10)  Space "contains and conditions motion."

(125,2-3)  It is conducive to motion in contrast to notspace (midspace) which is relatively resistant to motion.


What can be logically deduced from these statements? We advance the idea that there was no space in fact before the times of Havona, back in the hypothetical Zero Age. The concept of space (and of time, too, for that matter) may have existed in the Zero Age in the minds of the Architects of the Master Universe. (See Appendix I, §3. The Zero Age) We advance the thought that space appears in the "dawn of eternity" along with the appearance of the central universe. Prior to this event, it seems reasonable to believe that the regions outside of Paradise were occupied by (not-space) midspace. The emergence of space could be likened to an invasion of midspace which was caused by an action of the Paradise Isle. We suggest that this emergence of space took place at the same moment as the appearance of the central universe.

(For further examination of the nature of space, see Appendix III, §1. Definition of Space. For a consideration of the problem presented by the concept of limited space and a potentially limitless creation, see Appendix XXI, §3. The Problem of Space and Infinity.)
     
==§2. THE PARADISE BESTOWAL OF SPACE POTENCY==

When Paradise bestows space it does not stop with this action, it puts something into space. At the moment of the dawn of the First Universe Age, at the moment of the appearance of Havona, Paradise gives expression to the full potential of that which has, is, and will become, the material substance of all universes. (123,3) This expression is an "eternity event." (637,3) By the term .. eternity event" we understand that it is not a continuing process; it happens just once. This means that this bestowal of the potential of the "stuff" of the universes of the past-present-future must be an unlimited bestowal.

What was the nature of this endowment? First of all, it must have been preceded by the appearance of space, and we know that space also is a bestowal of Paradise. (124,6)

Given the existence of space, then we may conceive of this endowment as consisting of a certain potency (a potential) with which the whole volume of space was charged - hence the term, 11 space potency." (469,3-6) This potency-in-space passed from the Paradise Source to the control and custody of the Unqualified Absolute, whose functional presence pervades all (universe) space. (126,4-5) The Unqualified Absolute receives this space-charge of the potential of all the then uncreated universes of the eternal future and evermore acts as its custodian in fact, its controller in space, and as its revealer in time.

The Unqualified Absolute is present in the Zero Age, but, if there is no space this Absolute could hardly have a space presence. Neither could this Absolute have had a function in relation to space potency prior to the Paradise bestowal of this "stuff' of the (then) uncreated universes. The transition from the Zero Age to the First Age could hardly have any effect on the nature of the Unqualified, but it certainly does modify the functions of this Absolute. We are informed that the Unqualified Absolute is "functionally limited to space." (133,5) This must refer to pervaded (universe) space and to the regulatory function in relation to space potency. (469,3-5) We are further informed that this unconditioned Absolute is the "all-efficient mechanizer" of all universes of the past, present, and future. (14,3) We deduce that this means some kind of overcontrol that utterly ignores time, that acts in terms of the unlimited past-future in relation to any present moment; this would suggest a pure-eternity reaction to any event of time.

Influence of the Deity Absolute. Much as the Unqualified Absolute is the mechanizer of the (past-present-future) universes, so is the Deity Absolute described as the "all-powerful activator" of these creations. (ibid.) It is difficult to imagine just how this is done because the Deity Absolute does not have a space presence, just a universal presence. (137,3) Possibly this relationship takes place through the connective presence of the Universal Absolute. In any event, we seem to have two actions that are tension producing: mechanization and activation, and we are informed (14,9) that the Universal Absolute is concerned in the resolution of all such tensions.
Influence of the Conjoint Actor. The Infinite Spirit may have activated the bestowal of space potency. We advance the concept that the bestowal of space and of space potency may be a repercussion in the Paradise Isle to the eternity appearance of the Infinite Spirit. We are instructed that the Infinite Spirit does activate the Isle of Paradise (101,8), and the Conjoint Actor pervades all space. (98,5) We are further informed he probably initiates motion in space. (133,6) These statements suggest the bestowal of both space and space potency by Paradise could be related to the eternity appearance of the Infinite Spirit at the beginning of the First Universe Age.

(For a discussion of the manner in which space potency is dislodged from the grasp of the Unqualified Absolute in connection with the evolution of local universes, see Appendix IX, The Chronology of Local Universes, §1-3)

The materialization of Havona. Did triata, which constitutes the physical structure of the billion worlds of Havona (470,7),   (154,5-6), emerge into actuality as a direct Paradise bestowal? or did it pass through some potential stage which involved the Unqualified Absolute? This same question could be asked concerning the 21 satellites of Paradise, since each group of seven worlds is "differently eternalized." (143,2) The question could be repeated with regard to the dark gravity bodies that encircle Havona. (153,6-7) But we do not have the answers to these questions.

==§3. TIME BESTOWALS OF PARADISE==

The master universe is a creation of time and space (and of transcended time and space). We are not informed concerning the origin of transcended time (super-time) but we are instructed that time proper is something that is derived from Paradise. Time is another quality of reality that relates Paradise to the master creation. Concerning time, and its bestowal by Paradise, the Urantia Papers inform us as follows:
     
(120,3-4)  "Paradise exists without time," but the minds of the citizens of Paradise ". . . are fully conscious of non-time sequence of events."

(134,6)  Paradise bestows time, but not the same way as space; it bestows it indirectly.

(120,4)  Time seems to take origin just above Upper Paradise.

(ibid.) Motion is optional on Paradise; it is not inherent, but is voluntary.

(133,4)  Outside of Paradise, everything is in motion; motion is inherent and is involuntary. From an atom to the spheres of Havona - everything moves.

(134,6)  Time is perceived because mind is inherently aware of sequence and because of motion in space.

(153,3)  Time is not computed on Paradise but it is computed on the Havona circuits. Many beings -- both created and ascendant -- reckon with time in Havona. Each of the billion worlds has its own individual time.

We do not know whether this statement concerning the reckoning of time in Havona applies to the original (eternal and existential) universe in the First Age, or whether it is a feature of Havona life that characterizes the central universe in the Second Age. It could have applied to the First Age, because the spheres of Havona are moving in space around Paradise. It could also have applied to life in Havona, because even in First-Age Havona finite beings were present. (157,3),  (1158,8),  (1159,4)

(135,2)  Eternity is the absolute of time.

(1295,1)  In the time-space universes, "...eternity is temporal everlastingness -- the everlasting now."

(1303,2)  Time and space are associated as a mechanism of the master universe.

We may deduce from these statements that sequence may be independent of time, that temporal sequence is a derivative of the (indirect) bestowal of time by Paradise. Like space, time comes from Paradise without conditioning its Source. We know that the Paradise Citizens are conscious of 11 non-time sequence" (120,4), but the consciousness of temporal sequence is (and has been?) a normal part of the consciousness of certain beings native to Havona. We may be sure that Havona, in the present age, is a "temporal universe;" at least this is true on all finite levels of functional reality in the central creation.

But, after all this discussion and analysis it is still not too clear as to how the Isle of Paradise "bestows time."

==§4. PARADISE MAGNITUDES==

Just how big is Paradise? We do not know. The Urantia Papers give us its relative dimensions (119,4), but not its actual dimensions. It is spoken of as ". . . the most gigantic ... body ... in all the master universe." (118,1) Is there any way that we can develop a feeling for the general magnitude of the central Isle? Fortunately, the Urantia Papers do provide us with the necessary data.

In the last paragraph of page 120, [11:3.3] and the first paragraph of page 121, [11:3.4] the Urantia Papers give a description of the numerical organization of a very small portion of the area that is set aside for residential use on Upper Paradise. If we explore the statements that are made in this connection, and if we reduce them to mathematics, the results will be somewhat shocking. Let us accordingly examine these statements:

We are informed that the Holy Area of Upper Paradise is partly subdivided into seven concentric residential zones. The innermost of these is for the use of the Paradise Citizens and the Havona natives. It is the second zone that is of particular interest to us because this is the zone that is reserved for the use of the ascendant beings from the seven superuniverses. This zone is, in part, subdivided into seven sectors - one for each superuniverse.

Each residential unit in the second zone is suitable for the use of one billion working groups. We do not know how many persons make up such a group but we would guess that there might be one thousand - this is standard for a finaliter company. Now, a billion is a large number, and we will soon be working with much larger ones, so it will be helpful to express these large numbers in terms of exponents of ten. It will be recalled that 103 means 10 x 10 x 10 which is equal to 1,000. In the same manner, 106 (ten multiplied by itself six times) equals 1 million, and we can write 109 for 1 billion. We can now express the basic residential unit as:

1 residential unit = 1 billion groups = 109 groups.

We are next told that 1,000 (103) units are grouped together to make up a division. We can express the composition of such a division as follows:

1 division = 1,000 x 1 billion groups = 1 trillion groups, or

1 division = 103 X 109 groups = 10 3+9 groups = 1012 groups.

We are then informed that 100,000 - 105 - divisions constitute the next higher grouping, which is called a congregation. This relationship can be expressed in the following ways:

1 congregation 100,000 x 1 trillion groups = 100 quadrillion groups, or

1 congregation 105 X 10 groups = 105 +12 groups = 1017 groups.

==SUMMARY: THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON UPPER PARADISE==

The tabulation below traces the increase in the residential units of Upper Paradise through the last six of the ascending series that are presented in the Urantia Papers. The first listing of numbers under the caption "Master Units" is an abbreviation of the following mathematical operation: 1023 X 10129 groups = 10152 groups. All numbers appearing below are exponents of ten.
     
Master Units
	
Superior Units
	
Supersuperior Units
23 + 129 = 152 	37 + 332 = 369 	51 + 633 = 684
25 + 152 = 177 	39 + 369 = 408 	53 + 684 = 737
27 + 177 = 204 	41 + 408 = 449 	55 + 737 = 792
29 + 204 = 233 	43 + 449 = 492 	57 + 792 = 849
31 + 233 = 264 	45 + 492 = 537 	59 + 849 = 908
33 + 264 = 297 	47 + 537 = 584 	61 + 908 = 969
35 + 297 = 332 	49 + 584 = 633 	63 + 696 = 1032

Celestial Units
	
Supercelestial Units
	
Supreme Units

65 + 1032 = 1097 	79 + 1529 = 1608 	93 + 2124 = 2217
67 + 1097 = 1164 	81 + 1608 = 1689 	95 + 2217 = 2312
69 + 1164 = 1233 	83 + 1689 = 1772 	97 + 2312 = 2409
71 + 1233 = 1304 	85 + 1772 = 1857 	99 + 2409 = 2508
73 + 1304 = 1377 	87 + 1857 = 1944 	101 + 2508 = 2609
75 + 1377 = 1452 	89 + 1944 = 2033 	103 + 2609 = 2712
77 + 1452 = 1529 	91 + 2033 = 2124 	105 + 2712 = 2817

The last number appearing at the bottom of the column captioned "Supreme Units" is the number "2817."  This means 102817 which means ten followed by 2,816 zeros.

Then we are informed that 10 million - 107 - congregations make up an assembly and that one billion - 109 - of these assemblies constitute a grand unit. We can express these two relationships as follows:

1 assembly = 107 X 1017 groups = 107+17 groups = 1024 groups,

and

1 grand unit = 109 X 1024groups = 109+24 groups = 1033 groups.

If we go back to review these operations it will be observed that we are dealing with a uniform rate of accelerating increase, an increase that augments by a factor of one hundred - 102 - for each step. This increase can be tabulated:

First increase: 1 thousand = 1,000 = 103

Second increase: 100 thousand = 100,000 = 105

Third increase: 10 million = 10,000,000 = 10 7

Fourth increase: 1 billion = 1,000,000,000 = 109

Because the numbers that we are beginning to deal with are becoming so very large it will be convenient, from here on, to write them as exponents of ten.

The last residential grouping that we computed was a "grand unit." We will repeat the calculation of the First Grand Unit and then go on to develop each of the succeeding Grand Units, from the first to the seventh, by applying the standard rate of accelerating increase:

The First Grand Unit: 109 X 1024 groups = 1033 groups

The Second Grand Unit: 1011 1033 groups = 1044 groups

The Third Grand Unit: 1013 X 1044groups = 1057 groups

The Fourth Grand Unit: 1015 X 1057 groups = 1072 groups

The Fifth Grand Unit: 1017 x 1072 groups = 1089 groups

The Sixth Grand Unit: 1019 X 1089 groups = 10108 groups

The Seventh Grand Unit: 1021 X 10108 groups = 10129 groups

This tabulation gives a picture of the construction of one of the sevenfold residential groupings - the Grand Units. This is the first such sevenfold grouping of residential units. There are six more such groupings. master units, superior units, supersuperior units, celestial units, supercelestial units, and supreme units. Each of these groupings of residential units similarly unfolds through seven steps.

This seven-step expansion is set forth in the tables above. The numbers tabulated on this summary are all exponents of ten. The last number that appears in this summary is 102817 which is the shortest way of writing a number that would be otherwise written as ten, followed by 2,816 zeros.

This is the number of working groups -- 102817-- that can be accommodated in the largest single unit provided for residential purposes in the second concentric residential zone in the Holy Area on Upper Paradise. This is the residential space provided by one "seventh-order supreme unit." We are not told how many such units have been provided in this second concentric zone, but we are informed that the present residential provisions, in total, make use of considerably less than one percent of the area available in the second concentric zone.

There are seven concentric residential zones in the Holy Area of Upper Paradise. We are informed as to the present utilization of the two innermost zones and we can speculate concerning the possible assignment of the remaining five. The first and second zones are concerned with the Paradise residents from the present grand universe. It would appear logical to assume that the next four zones would be held in reserve for the future natives of the four outer space levels. If this is the case, then we have accounted for six of the seven concentric residential zones. It is likely that the seventh zone is for citizens of the Cosmos Infinite.

If these conjectures have any validity, then it is possible to apply our estimates concerning the size of the space levels of the master universe to give a clue as to the relative sizes of the seven concentric residential zones. It is not unreasonable to assume that each of these zones might have a magnitude of size that would be proportional to the space magnitude of the related space level. In Appendix XVI, §6; A Summary of Space Magnitudes, we worked out the proportions of the master-universe space levels as follows:
     

:The grand universe 1

:The Primary Space Level 100

:The Secondary Space Level 10,000

:The Tertiary Space Level 1,000,000

:The Quartan Space Level 100,000,000


If we were to apply these relationships to the residential zones then we would assign the size-value of "one" to the first two zones, taken together; the sixth zone would be 100 million times this size. In our calculation of the relative dimensions of the grand universe in comparison to the Quartan Space Level this worked out as the relationship of "one inch" to "sixteen hundred miles." This would be symbolic of the comparative relationship of the total width of the first and second zones together, in comparison with the width of the sixth zone. This "one inch" is the total width of the first and the second residential zones, and the largest single residential unit in the second zone alone will accommodate 102817 working groups. We do not know how many more such units there may be, but we do know that less than one percent of this zone is being used!

We can make something of a comparison of the combined first and second zones with the sixth, but we have no basis whatsoever for making any comparisons with the seventh zone.

We must face the possibility that there may be a basic error in making such comparisons of Paradise residential zones with master-universe space levels. The space levels are properly measured in terms of distance - space distance - miles, light years, and parsecs. But Paradise is not in space. (120,3) Paradise areas, being absolute, are useful in many ways beyond our understanding. We are informed that the concept of distance has real meaning when applied to different locations on the central Isle. But this is "absolute distance," and absolute distance must be nonspatial distance. (120,4)
Nevertheless, these labored calculations should give us a deeper feeling for the statement with which this section was introduced: Paradise is " . . . the most gigantic ... body ... in all the master universe." (118,1)  

[[Category: Study of the Master Universe]]