what is the meaning of "pandora's box"

Pandora's box is Greek myth, I believe, and was a box of troubles that was thrust upon a peaceful, blissful era preceding ego development accompaning human consciousness. It's analagous to the first tree in Eden with the snake and the eating of the forbidden apple. This resulted in the expulsion from Eden.

In both cases the myth involved a period of time or, more accurately, a period before time when everything was in peace. You might equate it with the very young child before it develops an ego. With the gradual maturity of the intellect the ego forms along with its troubles, thus, Pandora's box of troubles.

More myths arose with how to deal with this consciousness in a world full of troubles. The Greeks had many myths on this subject, and the Christians had Jesus and the second tree--the cross--to resolve the problems associated with human consciousness.

Let's add a bit to the topic..

Opening the Pandora's box means triggering events that are unexpected and usually bad..

"No sooner had Pandora opened the box, that she realized her mistake. A foul smell filled the air and she heard swarming and rustling inside. In horror she slammed the lid shut, but alas it was too late! The evil had been unleashed!

You see, the vindictive gods had each put something harmful inside the box. All the plagues and sorrows known to humanity were released once Pandora opened the jar. Old Age, Sickness, Insanity, Pestilence, Vice, Passion, Greed, Crime, Death, Theft, Lies, Jealousy, Famine, the list went on and on...every evil, that until then had been trapped inside the gift from the gods, was now loosed upon the earth."

Take a look here and pay attention to what was left in the box: The myth of Pandora

I hope I never get near Pandora's box.

I see you're stuck inside it :wink:

Was Bush hidden in that box as well?
A good link btw Francis. I learned the same with one minor addition. Prometheus was punished for his theft of fire by being chained against that mountain and having an eagle eat his liver, while humanity was punished by the creation of Pandora.

Well, Pandora's box may have had a bush, but I doubt it was stuck in it...

Unless Pandora was really shaggy.

Naj, in my opinion, Pandora was a minor addition to the myth of Prometheus..

Well, I will refrain from commenting on Pandora's bush.
As for which is an addition to which? I think they were seperate myths linked together in one of the Greek mysteries.

yes ,it comes from the Greek myth,Pandora's box means evil and something bad .in a word,it is a bad thing,you should aviod it.