Plane: Means “error,” to denote the same concept and can be used for both the
cosmic mistake, and a personal, or earthly lack of understanding. (Hoeller p.
88) May also be a synonym for level, as cosmic level or plane of attainment.

Plato: (429-348 BCE) Athenian philosopher, student of Socrates, associated with
the mysticism of Pythagoras. Known for his philosophy on the concept of forms,
which may have influenced Gnostic thought in regard to the concept of forms, and
the nature of the soul. A partial copy of ”Plato’s Republic,” is contained in
the Nag Hammadi Library.

Pleroma: The word means “fullness,” and the ‘All.’ It refers to ”all existence
beyond matter. Refers to the world of the Aeons, the heavens or spiritual
universe, which represents being out of the state of matter. According to the
“Gospel of Truth” “….all the emanations from the Father are Pleromas.” see
Tractates 3, 2, Codices, I, and XII, Nag Hammadi Lib. Pleroma can have other
connotations according to the Gnostic school of thought, some differences in
Sethian and Valentinian (other) schools can be noted. Pleroma, is different than
Logos. (See; Logos, See aslo; Gaffney, p. 246.)

Pneumatic: One who identifies with the spirit (pneuma), beyond that of the
physical (hylic) world and the intellect alone (psychic). The pneuma, described
in the ”Gospel of Phillip,” as ‘breath,’ refers to bonding with the internal
spark (spinther) that came from and is drawn to reunite with the Father in some
Gnostic schema. One who awakens it (the spinther) within the self does it
through the process of gnosis. (See; Gregory of Nicea (Basil), who used the term
in his mystical teachings, and is a later term which connotes Gnostic. See;
”Early Christian Mystics,” McGinn, Crossroads, 2003.)

Pneumatophoroi: One who has united his soul with the ‘light’ (Sophia, Wisdom)
achieving Gnosis which is thought in Christian Gnosticism to be a union with the
Holy Spirit. A common name for those who have reached this state are ‘spirit
bearers.’ Those having reached this state are mentioned in “Acts” and Pauline
works. Thought to wear the Holy spirit like a garment. (See; ”1,000 Things You
Always Wanted to Know About the Holy Spirit, by Lang, Thomas Nelson Pub. 1999.)

Poimandres: “Shepherd of Men” This is a reference to the first androgynous
emanation which guides us back to the light in the process of Gnosis. A Hermetic
(rather than Gnostic) term that is basically an allegory of transcendence
through a Sophia and a Logos.



Polycarp: (69-155 A.D.) Thought to have been appointed Bishop of Smyrna by
Peter. He wrote the “Epistle of St. Polycarp,” or “Epistle to the Philippians,”
and was known to be in contact with Ignatius, and other noted early Christians.
Is thought to have rejected the teachings of Marcion, but stated that, “For
every one who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is
antichrist; and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross, is a
devil, and whosoever perverteth the oracles of the Lord (to serve) his own
lusts, and saith there is neither resurrection nor judgment, this man is a
first-born of Satan.” (New Advent, Catholic Encyclopedia. See also; Irenaeus.
See also; ”Epistle of St. Polycarp,” “The Lost Books of the Bible,” Eden, LB
Press. 1926-01.)


Praxis: Practice. Can mean an act; by extension, a function: also can mean
deed, office, work.

Preterest: A person who believes that the prophecies of the Apocalypse have
already been fulfilled.

Procatarctic: Word to describe a type of thought process used by Clement of
Alexandria. “Procatarctic causes being removed, the effect remains. But a
Synectic cause is that, which being present, the effect remains, and being
removed, the effect is removed….The Synectic is also called by the synonymous
expression “perfect in itself.” Since it is of itself sufficient to produce the
effect.” ( See; Synectic.)

Protennoia: (pronoia), “Providence.” Defined as the female voice found in the
Gnostic light. (See the Trimorphic Protennoia, Nag Hammadi Library, also the
long version of the ”Apocryphon of John) ”Now, first among all those passions
[…] nor […] him, since, after all, Pronoia caused the correction to project
shadows and images of those who exist from the first and those who are and those
who shall be. This, then, is the dispensation of believing in Jesus for the sake
of him who inscribed the All with likenesses and images and shadows.” (” A
Valentinian Exposition.”)

Protophanes: The perfect male mind, as defined in the Nag Hammadi text,
”Zostrianos.” ”The great male invisible Mind, the perfect Protophanes has his
own water as you [will see] when you arrive at his place.”

Prunikus: “Whore” Sophia is sometimes referred to as “Pistis Sophia Prunikus”.
The fallen Sophia. In some Gnostic works Sophia is considered fallen because
outside her perfect self in the pleroma, she has ‘fallen’ to the earthly, hylic
state as an entity.

Ptolemaeus: {Ptolemy} (160 A.D.) A student of Valentinus. He admitted there was a psychic nature to the body. See his “Letter to Flora,” (”The Other Bible,” Barnstone, Harper, 1984, p. 621.) (Hoeller, p. 90.)He was the most important of Valentinus’ early disciples at Rome. He was the one who developed Valentinus’ ideas into a consistent theological system. Ptolemy may be identical with the martyr of the same name. After Ptolemy converted a wealthy Roman woman to Christianity, her husband denounced him to the authorities. He was imprisoned about 160 AD and eventually executed. A description of his systematic theology is preserved by Irenaeus.  http://essenes.net/valen10.html

Psalms: Part of the Hebrew Bible known in the first century. ”Pistis Sophia,”
using the numbering system of the Hebrew Bible, compares Psalms with the
teaching of Jesus. The ‘Pistis’ text, contains, ”Psalms,” 68, 70, 69, 101,
87, 129, 81, 24., 30., 34., 51., 108., 50, and 84, appear or are mentioned in
the text. There are corresponding, Repentence passages to the mentioned Psalms.
The ”Manaecheaen Psalms of Thomas,” correspond in literary style and context
to the accompanying passages that are presented with the Psalms, and
”Repentance” verses in ”Pistis Sophia.”

Psychic: This level of thinking is the one right above “hylic,” and below
‘Pneumatophoroi’ It’s drive is the intellect, or normal understanding of the
mind. While alive in the earthly state, the psychic remains as a hylic. (See
also Hoeller, p. 110) ”Mankind came to be in three essential types, the
spiritual, the psychic, and the material, conforming to the triple disposition
of the Logos, from which were brought forth the material ones and the psychic
ones and the spiritual ones.” (“Tripartite Tractate”) ”…even Valentine
{Valentinus} teaches that Christ’s body was Psychic.” (”Stromata,” Book 3.)