  Of this first pure matter we learn at the very start of the Fons Vitae that it is “…per se existens, unius essentiae, sustinens diversitatem, dans omnibus essentiam suam et nomen” (“…existent in and of itself, of a single essence, sustaining diversity, and giving to everything its essence and name”; Fons Vitae 1.10, p. 13, lines 15–17). And, in similar manner we learn at the very close of the Fons Vitae that it is: “…substantia existens per se, sustentatrix diversitatis, una numero; et…est substantia receptibilis omnium formarum” (“…a substance existent in and of itself, the sustainer of diversity, one in number; …it is a substance receptive to all forms”; Fons Vitae 5.22, p. 298, lines 13–7; compare with facing Arabic text at Pines 1958/77, p. 53, section 9:2). Related to its status as the “sustainer of diversity,” pure matter is presented as the fundamental receiver that always seeks to receive its partner, viz. form. Pure universal matter is thus coupled—in a process overseen by Divine Will—with a pure universal form to yield the first fully existing substance, Universal Intellect. In their coupling, matter and form thus mark the permeating presence of Divine Will in the universe. Related to his vision of a matter-to-form coupling through Will, Ibn Gabirol envisions the Neoplatonic emanating chain of being as an ever-descending series of matter-to-form couplings, and so: