"But why," the Dying Man said, "do the gods put all these challenges before us? Why the walls of iron and the gates of light, why the abominable demons guarding the path? Why must our heart be judged to be as light as the feather of Ma'at? Why is the road to Aaru so difficult?" The Scribe considered these words. "Some say that once the paths to Aaru were open, but too many sinners came, and the gods made the paths perilous to keep sin at bay. Others say that, being mortals (3), we cannot be worthy of Aaru unless we walk the path of Osiris, and so become Osiris ourselves. But I believe that Aaru could never be reached elsewise; for like the mountain path must be steep, the path to Aaru must be fraught with peril. As steepness and mountain are one, so are peril and paradise. They are inextricable. They create each other." (1) There is an interesting parallel to this phrase in the Penitential Psalms, wh)$%§&$§& (2) Here the Scribe appears to be speaking of Osiris /%&( $"%§& &"/// meaning the soul of the deceased, not the god himself. (3) %4141+§525//52055.504C4/(F4144