Just learned of the philosopher king of Texcoco (
Nezahualcoyotl). He had a mystical experience in which he described encountering the unknowable creator. He seemed to be kind of like Akhenaten in that he claimed to experience the God of Life and rejected the paganism of his people. He never abolished the religion of the Texcoco, but he would not take part in human sacrifices. He prayed to God in his empty temple.
He wrote this poem:
With flowers You paint,
O Giver of Life!
With songs You give color,
with songs You shade
those who will live on the earth.
Later You will destroy eagles and tigers:
we live only in Your painting
here, on the earth.
With black ink You will blot out
all that was friendship,
brotherhood, nobility.
You give shading
to those who will live on the earth.
We live only in Your book of paintings,
here on the earth
Interesting man.
I wonder if anybody has connected his visions with what happened later..
