[738W-{5/68}BB, p. 148]
[P. 148] [* Paraphrase of Editor’s Footnote: he suggests that nirvana is roughly equivalent to eternity, brahman is roughly equivalent to soul, samsara roughly equivalent to life, and dhyana roughly equivalent to paradise.]
“Truth=nirvana=night
Music=Brahman=twilight
Poetry = Samsara=day
{FEUER} New world structure: out of dhyana and into the world again descend beings who, for former virtuous service, have received their reward in proper and full measure, in order now to re-enter the cycle of births for the achievement of still greater perfection. From the earth gushes sweet juice; with this, longing refreshes itself until it has imbibed fresh love of life: then the juice runs dry; rice sprouts forth unsown, satiety to abundance; then it comes to an end. Now one has to do one’s own planting, ploughing and sowing. Life’s torment begins: Paradise is lost. The music of the brahman world recalls it to the memory: it leads to truth. Who understands it? The milk that has flowed from no cow? –
Brahman becomes desire, as music; the music which is turned towards samsara, poetry; which is the other, the side which is turned away from samsara? Nirvana – untroubled, pure harmony?” [738W-{5/68}BB, p. 148]
[739W-{10/14/68}Letter to King Ludwig II of Bavaria: SLRW, p. 732-733]
[P. 732] [* Translators’ Footnote concerning the repercussions of Wagner’s affair with Hans Von Buelow’s wife Cosima: “Wagner supervised the rehearsals of Die Meistersinger, though the performance itself was conducted by Buelow. The Annals for the rehearsal period record ‘Great confusion of feelings: all the time fresh difficulties. Unspeakably love-sick. Inclined to run away & disappear. (…) Piano rehearsals: oppressive feeling of Hans’s deep hostility and alienation’ “ (BB 198; English trans. 166-7).] {FEUER} “How very deceptive are appearances here, concealing things from our sight with all the greater obscurity in that the noblest hopes and desires inspire us to maintain delusions and errors without which, it seems, the world cannot exist. Who can bear the truth? – Enough: even in the face of a performance which finally turned out such an exemplary success, I knew I was utterly alone, unbefriended, and not understood; all I could do was to smile at the deceptive effects of an illusion which I myself had conjured up with convulsive efforts and which shone forth on every side, but which left my soul untouched. – Never again shall I attend a performance of one of my works! (…) [P. 733] {FEUER} It is fate that speaks here: a semblance of happiness spares us until the semblance itself must fade.” [739W-{10/14/68}Letter to King Ludwig II of Bavaria: SLRW, p. 732-733]
[740W-{1/1/69}Appendix to ‘Judaism in Music’: PW Vol. III, p. 78]
[P. 78] [Explaining why he feels he cannot participate in the anti-Semitic movement, Wagner says:] “Even I myself cannot engage in the task without misgivings: they spring, however, not from terror of my enemies (since, as I have here no residue of hope, so also have I naught to fear!) but rather
