DIMITER KABAKOV

TODOR MADOLEV
with the editorial supervision of prof. Jordan Veder

stage tale

„WHO ARE YOU?“

(The Way to the Temple)
based on newly found historical text signed by

Georgy Sava Rakovsky

The author defines it as a “Construction” on a theme:
"Reflections on the freemason’s concept of
humanity"

2015 г.

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 CHARACTERS

Rakovsky - R
Historian – H

SUBTITLES:

H – Beg your pardon... Anybody there?.. Hullo...

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Voice – Who are you there,
at the gates?
In pitch dark wrapped?
H – If this is some kind of a hoax, I’m leaving
immediately!
H – Is there anyone?
Voice of R – Everything is here. Everything and
nothing.
H – I’m not in playing games...
Voice – If that is what you want… Good bye!
H – Not good bye! Farewell!
Voice – See you!
H – What makes you think I’ll come back after these
tricks?
Voice – I know why you are here.
H – How can you – since I myself do not know…
Voice – Don’t be in a hurry – you’ll know even yourself
as time goes by.
H – Is this some kind of a candid camera? Are you
laughing at me?
Voice – Never!
H – Who are you?
Voice – Who am I? I am you and you are me!
H – What kind of archaic Bulgarian language you speak?
What do you mean by “I am you and you are me”?
Voice – Recon… You will find out with time!
H – I really do not understand…

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Voice – So, from times untold, we are trying to
penetrate into the turmoil inside us and we do not
succeed. The important thing is “to overcome this
innermost internal sense, if possible, and transform it
into clear and sensible knowledge – that goal is
achieved through sequence in perceiving the
manifestations.”
H – That sounds familiar.
Voice – Of course.
H – What is your name?
Voice – I was called Georgy.
H – Can I see you?
Voice – Don’t you see me?
H – No.
Voice – You hastened with taking down the blindfold
from your eyes…
H – OK, I put it on again. Since you making fun of me,
go on with that archaic or contemporary language…
R – You, mister, volunteered to put a blindfold on your
eyes. We are not going to betray your confidence or
humiliate your dignity.
H – Why should I confide to you, blindfold at that?
R – You have to confide to yourself. The symbolic
blindfold is to direct your sight inside you, there is
the truth you are looking for.
R – Don’t you see me still?
Look for the whole.
Alone you can’t be the whole.
Join the whole.
As a member, serving the beginning.
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That’s what the poets have written.
H – This verse is familiar too…
R – I am here, beside you, all the time, but you don’t
want to see me.
H – I am blindfolded. Not blind.
R – May be you are – who knows. Please, take your set.
Who brought you to us?
H – I am not a child to be brought! This verse, the
verse… Who brought me? I am a historian, I am reading a
lot, and recently I found a manuscript called
“Construction”…
R – Why was your attention attracted?
H – I could not understand everything in the
manuscript, I do not agree with everything…
R – You were confused?
H – What?
R – Was your soul confused… Rushing to wander… to look
for?
H – Sure! Everyone who thinks, looks for the meaning.
R – What is the meaning you found out in these
scriptures?
H – What…Nothing in particular… I have always been a
lone wolf. I don’t join packs, I don’t want to explain
who I am, what, why, how…
R – Is it easy to be a lone wolf, to be alone?
H – Easy… Anything easy in this life…
R – Everybody needs help sometime, supporting shoulder.
The ladder is not easy and you can’t see the last step!
H – What ladder?

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R – The one we are climbing all our lives without
knowing how long we will go.
H – I don’t want to climb!
R – Don’t say it! We are striving to the LIGHT like
moles! We are hoping to reach up there…
H – I can’t agree! I am not a career man – I do not
seek posts or honors…
R – I not talking worldly prizes, I talking Spiritual
Enlightenment! That light we thrive. That light is the
sun, the stars, the fire and else… If we do not have
our soul light inside us, the fire of the Universe will
not open our eyes. We will stay blind!
H – Not everyone seeks the Enlightenment. Some prefer
to be in dark and secret. When I entered here with the
blinders, as you referred to this blindfold, I trembled
with the darkness of this mansion.
R – Darkness do not exist by itself.
H – There is so much darkness. Obsessing our soul.
R – Darkness is the absence of light. Do not deceive
yourself! Darkness is something alive. Hiding at the
foot of the ladder, pulling us gently into it’s blind
depth. The one who surrenders, the one who is short of
will and zeal, falls into the darkness. And stays there
as a slave.
H – You talk like a preacher.
R – I am not a priest, but believe in the Eternal
Creator. Are you a believer? Do you have your faith – a
faith you can live or die for?
H – I have and It’s irrevocable.
R – Until you denounce it three times before the
rooster cries?!
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R – It’s too early to take off the blinder, man. You
still need it.
H – I am a Christian, but I often ask myself why people
on Earth believe in different gods. This manuscript… I
cannot agree with the following words: “The church
rites and rituals affect the soul of the believers by
showing the basic notion of the parish community of the
attitude of God to mankind. The rites are a sacrament,
they are not only an example to follow, but a redeeming
wonder as well – through them, man participate into the
graceful deeds.” If everybody strives light, why the
sacraments are performed in darkness and in hiding. Is
the truth hidden in darkness?!
R – You are waiting for the light to come from the
outside. But it is the inner light that will brighten
the darkness inside us.
H – Again talking like a preacher.
H – The enlightenment gives vision to the soul. Here is
an example: The Franciscan monk Roger Bacon taught that
the Revelation showed mankind God’s intent and Nature
shows the ways and means to achieve them. Here we are
thinking about mankind as a whole – which makes us
different from the State that thinks only about the
people on a given territory.
H – You contradict yourself. You were talking that
everyone should look into himself and now you are
preaching “to think about the whole humankind”.
R – Ashkolsun! Do you know what “ashkolsun” means in
Turkish?
H – “Great”, “good for you”…
R – Anything else?

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H – Yes, I have read that it was a greeting between the
mystics from the Orient, something like a sign of
recognition.
R – Ashkolsun! Greeting is a recognition between
dedicated. The meaning is “Let love be with you!” You
are right and you are wrong. From the outside, it seems
we are taking care of the individual development of
every single Brother. But here, inside, we are all
equal and everyone comes as a human being that has
reached some place on the way and is cultivating
himself as a part of the community. He has come to look
for the way together with all the rest of us.
Understand, young man?
H - … I am not a young man…
R – Some stop at the foot of the ladder.
H – Good… OK… And those who go up?
R – Those who go up will meet their success. I don’t
say everyone will reach the top, but at least, they
will know that there are brothers who will support
them. With every step up, you become more confident,
more free. Nobody can give you what you can achieve
yourself!
H – I don’t get it.
R – What’s that you don’t get? Don’t you understand
that spiritually, we go for what we have built and
created ourselves, not for what we have been given. Not
everybody sees it, that is why there are great men and
lesser men. And this is again a High Justice.
H – Aren’t we born equal? Don’t we preach Liberty,
Brotherhood, Equality?!
R – Correct! But the Liberty should not be limitless!
It is given only in exchange for moral responsibility.
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Liberty goes together with Justice. Otherwise it can
freak.
H – What about brotherhood? I know what you will say: A
brother will not feed his brother, still it is better
to have one.
R – The brother is a support, but don’t expect him to
bear your responsibilities, to live your life, to make
your decisions. “The brother is as good or as bad as he
is supporting your shoulder, but not carrying your
load. The loneliest man feels in a big city. The sense
of being isolated from the world is devastating. The
feeling that you are arm in arm with a brother comforts
your heart, calms the fear from possible dangers. This
place is acting like brother’s arm.”
H – All this is written here in “Construction”: … More
over – the thought that this is a world union affects
stronger. Not only the good neighbors and brothers that
we know from the same town are brothers. Every place on
Earth, where good and trustworthy people live, the
thoughts and the wills unite in the strive for human
improvement. Here comes forth in all his glory the fact
that the differences of state, race and religion are
ignored in favour of the commonwealth of all good
people. As the old rules ordine, thus a center of unity
is formed for breeding true friendship between men who
otherwise will remain apart from each other forever.”
Sounds beautiful if true…
R – You see, you go in blinders, you read, and your
eyes are blindfolded. And you don’t understand
anything.
H – What did you say is your family name?
R – I didn’t say it.
H – I thought you…
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R – I’m not sure you will get me right.
H – Very well… But still?
R – Rakovsky.
H – Georgy?!
R – Georgy, Sava, Saby and other names.
H - … improbable!
R –What’s improbable – to read with a blinder?
H – Why always me?!. I should’ve left a long time ago!
That’s too much of a burden for me!
R – I’m not holding you back.
H – You… You really believe in what you are saying!
R – Do you believe?!
H – Am I dreaming, or am I going mad…
R – No… You soul has been awakened.
H – No… Impossible…
R – Everything is possible for our soul when it
believes, since we believe in it.
H – Very well…
R – I am listening…
H – I’m her because… of you.
R – I know that.
H – So, you are not only Rakovsky, but Vanga as well.
R – Perhaps… Who’s Vanga?
H – A woman… Vanga is a prophetess.
R – Oh, just don’t say it! I am your yesterday, you are
my today and your children and grandchildren will be
our Tomorrow.

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H – I found that manuscript. Strange manuscript…
Surprising… Suddenly casting different light over our
live… Causing a lot of turmoil, confusing the concepts
of fellow historians. They rushed to prove that it is a
forgery, but failed. This is the original and this is
the translation into contemporary language.
R – Survived… “Sometimes man carves deep inside himself
until reaching the deepest preserved silence…” Many of
the things I have written seem strange but it is as if
they have been written today or in mad times.
H – Yes, yes. Can be said. Not to speak about those of
my colleagues that are looking upon you as naïve,
superficial, phantasmagoric, arrogant, even mad. They
didn’t say it publicly, of course. Somehow it is not
acceptable to mock you openly.
R – Slavery has taught us to express our ego in
fighting against something. To live means to fight. The
slave is fighting against his master, the free man is
fighting for perfection. Today you are not to be
slaves. As for the blasphemy and the mockery – do not
worry – I have had enough of them throughout my life…
H – For the Bulgarian people you are sacred – without
you there won’t have been Levsky and Botev, the rebels
and warriors dying fighting for Mother Bulgaria. As for
the slavery – I agree with you. Today we say, we must
be positive. And you have written: “Always is a
weakness to look with contempt upon your enemies
instead of following your goals.” But this: “Freedom,
Brotherhood, Equality”… sounds so out of date,
communist, populist…
R – Communist?! What is that? We are equal, anyway. God
has bestowed us with the greatest gift – the Life! But
how we live it is only up to us!

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H – Even the best idea is distorted by those who
appropriate it. We, fellow Bulgarians are always
waiting for someone else to do our job. It’s like
living on charity. To be noble and take care of the
sick and the widows is honorable, but, as you have
written: “the roots of the misery cannot be destroyed
by charity. Thousands of men living in misery… can be
saved not by charity, but by justice… Doctrine is
against the laziness and the passion for zest of the
upper classes and it is against the unworthy levity
with which the lower classes reject all their
responsibilities and rely relentlessly on the support
of the society. Education of people, enlightenment and
struggle with the vice are the main tasks complying the
charity. ”This has been written more than a century ago
and today it is clear that it is just an utopia. A
beautiful tale, even the children do not believe in.
R – This should disturb me, but given that many worthy
men have themselves open those doors – yourself
likewise – I should be encouraged.
H – I am dealing with History and I know that…
R – We are all dealing with stories. Are you aware of
what History really means?
H – What really?.. Something that has happened.
R – But the happenings have to be told. Happenings,
stories, you say. True! History starts with a story, a
tale, told at night, round the fire. Our grandmothers
and grandfathers always have been the first historians.
Praise them because nothing has been if there is no one
to tell about it.
H – Tales are tales, The science…
R – Don’t mess up with the science. The science must be
before and after the people. I was talking about
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something else. I’m talking about the myth of the
“self”.
H – Right, but the history is something much more
serious and responsible.
R – The stories are made up by people and other people
are telling them, quite different people are teaching
them, twisting them in their favour. Those who can see
the stories in their dreams are the happy ones.
R – You are hinting that this, here and now is a dream?
Well, I am trying to make up stories while awake
without twisting them in anyone’s favour.
R – Say it again! Help God create more people like you.
H – You don’t believe me… You are a historian yourself.
R – In certain way. First I tried to explain history,
same as you are doing now, than I rushed to make
history and give headache to those who are trying to
keep us in chains.
H – In that case, my colleague, you are not honest.
R – When have I said that I insist on being honest. A
bit of play, a bit of deception always helps.
H – I am here because I want to know the truth.
R – Difficult task.
H – The truth is what have actually happened.
R – And somebody has spoken about it.
H – Yes, somebody has narrated about it. Without lying.
R – Without lying?!
H – Without…
R – Good as an idea… But as a deed?..
H – You are saying that before as it is now we cannot
trust anyone.
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R – Why not? If someone has proven to be reputable and
loyal person…
H – I, personally, cannot think of anyone.
R – You are exaggerating.
H – No, that is the truth.
R – So, according to you, there aren’t any leaders
today, there is no sacrifice, nor dedication?! I can’t
believe that, son!
H – See how easy it is! You just say: “I don’t believe
you!” and we go to negation, not creation.
R – History teaches us something else.
H – Unfortunately, sir, history teaches us nothing.
History is not a teacher. She only shows us what has
happened. To be more precise – what historians think
has happened. We are learning ourselves from what has
been done and what has not been done, from the deeds
and the mistakes of those before us. We are learning if
we want and if we can. The big question is if we know
how, if we can and most importantly – if we want. Human
memory is desperately short! And we permanently
entangle in the same carrousel and closed spirals we
can’t get out of!
R – Nothing new – those questions have always been
asked. From ancient times, people have been eager to
learn from their mistakes instead of finding answers in
the mistakes of the others. I am still thinking about
the ideals and the examples for educating the future
generations of Bulgarians, that we have legated you.
H – What ideals?! Enter a contemporary school to see
what are the ideals and examples to follow. Today they
are taught that there has been no slavery, that we “co-

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existed”, money rule today, the proprietors use them to
buy servants and guardians.
R – Is that what you teach at school? If so, I am the
one that should be long gone – not you. Why was Vasil
hanged, why was Christo stabbed in the heart?... I’m
guilty, I see, my generation was wrong, we have taught
you wrong – you – our children and grandchildren. God
help you, young man. We are going different ways!
H – No, I didn’t say that! On the contrary – what you
have written about education should be our ideal and
guiding star today.
R- This, about the guiding star – the Morning Star –
you should remember… You’ll understand why.
H – Wait. You, yourself have written: “the foundations
of society are firmly laid only when all citizens in
their private dealing bear the proud mind that they
don’t want to live on other’s expenses and so must live
not only the rich, who have accumulated wealth, but the
poor as well, who has to rely on the rich for charity.”
Why should I remember about the guiding star? OK – I am
reading further and I am willing to sign everything you
have written without second thoughts: “the joy of life
is retained by the lively awareness of the beauty in
nature and those, whose souls are opened to beauty are
not easily yielding to evil, because beauty is the
sheer embodiment of Good and Justice.”
R – You were right – this sounds simplistic and
outdated.
H – I wouldn’t say so… This, for example, looks as it
has been written today: “The true brotherhood and love
come from fairness, they cannot immerge in a society
riddled by hatred and envy.”

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R – You’ll say those words are fraudulent and
pharisaic.
H – Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
R – Communistic, isn’t it…
H – More ancient than that… “for breeding such a
morale, we need schools that will rather educate than
tame. Children should be taught from early age of
responsibility and joy from the work. Instead of
studying by heart, the motto of the school should be:
individual activity. Instead of uniformity – same
things to be taught to all children in same form, at
the same time – the school should adapt to the
children. Instead of asking for unconditional
obedience, the school rules have to be penetrated by
reliance on the human dignity of the children.
Freemason’s ideal is to transform schools from dark
goals that ignite in the spirit of children the strive
for freedom, into places for cultivating, so that the
mature man can remember his youth in the realm of light
joy and ably developing his abilities. To the
freemasonry…”
R – “To the freemasonry, because of it’s universal
spirit, is given the great honour to give the humankind
the means to arrange the foundations of all societies.
The universal character of the materialism makes the
big scale reform of a single nation impossible but… No,
today I would say differently: the global character of
the monetarism and the rule of the material over the
spiritual make the big scale reform of a single nation
impossible, but if a global agreement is reached
beforehand, such reforms would happen. It would have
been a noble and sublime task to help in such a way the
suffering humankind. It is not known how difficult this

16
task will be and it certainly needs an effort with
courage and wisdom..”
H – Well written, sir, but we, the Bulgarians, are a
small nation for preaching such ideas, no one will be
listening to us, and we, ourselves, won’t believe in
what we are preaching.
R – You should have forgotten the saying about the
small nation and state. And from our conversation,
debate, quarrel – name it as you wish – I am impressed
by one thing: you feel discomfort to use words like
“freemasonry”, “free masons”, “masons”… You are ashamed
of what? Is it wrong? Is today’s society neglecting
this brotherhood? Is it forbidden? Is it persecuted by
the state?
H – No, it’s not even a secret society, it’s only
discreet. Not everyone has access to it. As a
historian, I can affirm that at almost all times, even
the hardest times for out motherland, it has been
present in the life of the Bulgarian spiritual elite.
Many are the prominent persons of our nation, who are
members of Bulgarian and foreign lodges. It has been
established that the Bulgarian Bogomils have laid the
foundations of the European Renaissance, the
foundations of the Rozenkreutzers, the foundations of
the Freemasonry in Europe.
R – For the history – yes. But I wonder why today, in
Bulgaria, the brothers are afraid to call their selves
openly “masons”? Why aren’t they proud with the
contributions you are talking about? What are they
afraid of? In many other countries with democratic
rule, the brothers are well respected men and no one is
hiding his appurtenance, without flashing it, of
course, so the authority and respect of the freemasonry

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is maintained by all the people in the state with
dignity and modesty.
H – Today the yellow press and not only the yellow,
often accuse masons that they are propagating
corruption, crime, unlawful enrichment, strive for
power, conflict of interests… In such publications the
appurtenance to masonry looks shameful and
anathematizing. And unfortunately, there is nothing to
contradict that. There are very rare articles, books or
films to counter the accusations against the mason
brotherhood.
R – Young man, every mason is – primarily - a human
being, pecable and seeking. We are working for our
transcendence, but no mortal being is perfect. It has
always been that if a mason has crossed morals, laws or
worthy behavior in society, this makes a scar over the
good name of all masonry. On the contrary, the
appurtenance and adoption of doctrine from a Brother is
noble and respectful. There is no flock without
carrion. But only a fool will splash in the river a
child together with the dirty water.
H – I’ve heard this, but today it is assumed, and even
you have written, that “lodges have been accused of
mafia practice to put in the most influential posts
their brothers. We should not deny that the spirit of
unity in our lodges can be used for malpractice, but
not to the extend they are doing in other
organizations.”
R – That’s right. Goon reading, don’t worry…
H – “It is another matter when the lodges assume as
their right and duty to use their knowledge and
establish it as dominant. It is not a matter of

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beneficing a brother but a matter of beneficing
others.” Doesn’t it sound somewhat presumptuously?
R – No, young man, if the Brothers in the lodges are
honest, highly responsible, with impeccable morals, and
have gained the respect of the people in the society.
H – You are constantly calling me “young man” – no
offence – but I am a person of experience, I am not a
naïve youngster and presumably, I have attained good
reputation in society. That is why I am not getting
back to the argument are there enough “responsible”
people today around us.
R – I believe you, young man, I know that your heart
has brought you here. There have always been and there
still are suck people. Most of all they are modest man,
self-responsible, and very often remain in the shade of
those who are ambitious and presumptuous. It is
important for the Brothers in the lodges to keep the
free spirit, to encourage every newcomer, to support
him in his way to self perfection, to stay in equality
and respect, to show Wisdom, to accumulate Brotherhood
force and most importantly – to open their hearts and
eyes for the Beauty.
H – There is much wisdom in your words. What will you
advise me at the end – which door should I open – the
one to the exit, or the one to the…
R - … to the Temple, young man, don’t be afraid to say
it. But no advice will work here. That is why you need
the blinder. You felt that it closes your eyes, but
opens your inner sight, which understands all. Don’t be
afraid that I’ve called you “young man” – that’s the
way we are talking here. Don’t be afraid to deny three
times things that are not inside you. I’ve said what I
needed to say in the “Construction”. Ask yourself. Ask

19
your conscience. All the responsibility is now with
you. You are to decide.
H – Is it why the first thing I heard was: “I am you
and You are Me!” No, I cannot afford to address you
directly. I came here on my own, no one else is to
blame. I expected to learn secrets, unavailable for the
non devoted. To learn secrets, hidden for millenniums,
but has there anything remained unscalable throughout
the centuries? Communications with outer worlds? The
pyramids? The secrets of building the temple of
Solomon? The “pi” number? The Golden ratio?
And if I read carefully what you have written: “the
Freemasonry is accredited with traditions not quite
truthful and even fraudulent. Even if instead of tales
and myths there is authenticity, this should not be
kept a secret. Because Freemasonry is built not upon
cognition but upon the fundamentals of the human
nature. Freemasonry leads the men to greater
transcendence not by telling the truth, they have known
beforehand, but by promptings that are enforcing their
existing inclinations.
Honorable Rakovsky! I have many more questions for you!
“No secret, told to the brothers of higher rank can be
of any importance for their internal development and
this is in blunt counter diction with the aims of the
union. The believe in truths unknown to men can give no
power. The assertion of some, that the truth should be
delivered in portions and that the secret doctrines are
kept only for the initiated, do not lead to the deepest
core of the human soul. Such a secret doctrine has no
roots in the strive for justice, nor I the sense of
freedom, or in the sentience for the dignity of our
self. The ones who, like our union, are boasting with
the illuminating light, must be able to exist in
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light.” Honourable Rakovsky! Thank you, honourable,
that you didn’t decide for me. Thank you for your
confidence… I made my choice!

NARRATOR:
“Georgy Stoykov Rakovsky.
195 years have passed since his birth and more than a
century and a half from the days when his bright
personality led the revival spirit of the Bulgarians to
the Light of the spiritual enlightenment and to the
Liberty from the chains of fear and slavery.
Today we must not forget that we need leaders like him
more than ever, his moral and honour are the example
and beam we are to follow together with the young
generation, our children, our heirs.
Let the school be pure in the Revival tradition and not
to shun from the patriotism education. Let us be proud
of our Enlighteners who are among the world renowned
personalities like the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart –
we are ending with the final accords from his opera
“The Magic Flute”:”
“Victory of the Strength, crowning the Beauty and the
Wisdom.”

THE END

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