Bahá’í World/Volume 5/Excerpts from Bahá’í Sacred Writings
EXCERPTS FROM
BAHÁ’Í SACRED WRITINGS
I. Bahá’u’lláh
O SON OF SPIRIT!
Burst thy cage asunder, and even as the phoenix of love soar into the firmament of holiness. Renounce thyself and, filled with the spirit of mercy, abide in the realm of celestial sanctity.
O MY SERVANT!
Abandon not for that which perisheth an everlasting dominion, and cast not away celestial sovereignty for a worldly desire. This is the river of everlasting life that hath flowed from the well-spring of the pen of the merciful; well is it with them that drink!
O MY SERVANT!
Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy Soul from the prison of self. Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more.
O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
Didst thou behold immortal sovereignty, thou wouldst strive to pass from this fleeting world. But to conceal the one from thee and to reveal the other is a mystery which none but the pure in heart can comprehend.
O COMPANION OF MY THRONE!
Hear no evil, and see no evil, abase not thyself, neither sigh and weep. Speak no evil, that thou mayest not hear it spoken unto thee, and magnify not the faults of others that thine own faults may not appear great; and wish not the abasement of anyone, that thine own abasement be not exposed. Live then the days of thy life, that are less than a fleeting moment, with thy mind stainless, thy heart unsullied, thy thoughts pure, and thy nature sanctified, so that, free and content, thou mayest put away this mortal frame, and repair unto the mystic paradise and abide in the eternal kingdom for evermore.
O CHILDREN OF NEGLIGENCE
AND PASSION!
Ye have suffered My enemy to enter My house and have cast out My friend, for ye have enshrined the love of another than Me in your hearts. Give ear to the sayings of the Friend and turn towards His paradise. Worldly friends, seeking their own good, appear to love one the other, whereas the true Friend hath loved and cloth love you for your own sakes; indeed He hath suffered for your guidance countless afflictions. Be not disloyal to such a Friend, nay rather hasten unto Him. Such is the day-star of the word of truth and faithfulness, that hath dawned above the horizon of the pen of the Lord of all names. Open your ears that ye may hearken unto the word of God, the help in peril, the self-existent.
O YE THAT PRIDE YOURSELVES
ON MORTAL RICHES!
Know ye in truth that wealth is a mighty barrier between the seeker and his desire, the lover and his beloved. The rich, but for a few, shall in no wise attain the court of His presence nor enter the city of content and resignation. Well is it then with him, who, being rich, is not hindered by his riches from the eternal kingdom, nor deprived by them of imperishable dominion. By the most great name! The splendour of such a wealthy man shall illuminate the dwellers of heaven, even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth!
O MY SON!
The company of the ungodly increaseth sorrow, whilst fellowship with the righteous cleaneth the rust from off the heart. He that
The House of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád.
[Page 137]
seeketh to commune with God,
let him betake himself to the companionship
of His loved ones; and he that desireth
to hearken unto the word of God, let him
give ear to
the words of His chosen ones.
O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
Wouldst thou seek the grace of the holy spirit, enter into fellowship with the righteous, for he hath drunk the cup of eternal life at the hands of the immortal Cup-bearer and even as the true morn doth quicken and illumine the hearts of the dead.
O YE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD!
Know verily that an unforeseen calamity is following you and that grievous retribution awaiteth you. Think not the deeds ye have committed have been blotted from My sight. By My beauty! all your doings hath My pen graven with open characters upon tablets of chrysolite.
O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH!
Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man's injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed it with My seal of glory.
O REBELLIOUS ONES!
My forbearance hath emboldened you and My long-suffering hath made you negligent, in such wise that ye have spurred on the fiery charger of passion into perilous ways that lead unto destruction. Have ye thought Me heedless or that I was unaware?
O SON OF WORLDLINESS!
Pleasant is the realm of being, wert thou to attain thereto; glorious is the domain of eternity, shouldst thou pass beyond the world of mortality; sweet is the holy ecstasy if thou drinkest of the mystic chalice from the hands of the celestial Youth. Shouldst thou attain this station, thou wouldst be freed from destruction and death, from toil and sin.
O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
Guidance hath ever been given by words, and now it is given by deeds. Every one must show forth deeds that are pure and holy, for words are the property of all alike, whereas such deeds as these belong only to Our loved ones. Strive then with heart and soul to distinguish yourselves by your deeds. In this wise We counsel you in this holy and resplendent tablet.
O MY SERVANT!
The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God, the Lord of all worlds.
O KAMAL! The heights which through the most gracious favor of God, mortal man can attain in this Day are as yet unrevealed to his sight. The world of being hath never had, nor doth it yet possess the capacity for, such a revelation. The day, however, is fast approaching when the potentialities of so great a favor will, by virtue of His behest, be manifested unto men. Though the forces of the nations be arrayed against Him, though the kings of the earth be leagued to undermine His Cause, the power of His might shall stand unshaken. He, verily, speaketh the truth, and summoneth all mankind to the way of Him who is the Incomparable, the All-Knowing.
All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Say: O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal stream that floweth through the heavenly grace of Him who is the Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men in every land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and the reason for which they themselves have been created.
The vitality of men’s belief in God is dying
out in every land; nothing short of His
wholesome medicine can ever restore it. The
corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the
vitals of human society; what else but
the[Page 138]
Elixir of His potent
Revelation can cleanse
and revive it? Is it within human power, O
Ḥakím, to effect in the constituent elements
of any of the minute and indivisible particles
of matter so complete a transformation as
to transmute it into purest gold? Perplexing
and difficult as this may appear, the still
greater task of converting satanic strength
into heavenly power is one that We have
been empowered to accomplish. The Force
capable of such a transformation
transcendeth the potency of the Elixir
itself. The
Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction
of being endowed with the capacity required
for so great and far-reaching a change.
The Great Being saith: O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure. Our hope is that the world’s religious leaders and the rulers thereof will undoubtedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted world the remedy it requires. . . . It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth upon the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things as liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of understanding may favorably regard them, they will, if carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon men. . . . Please God, the peoples of the world may be led, as the result of the high endeavors exerted by their rulers and the wise and learned amongst men, to recognize their best interests. How long will humanity persist in its waywardness? How long will injustice continue? How long is chaos and confusion to reign amongst men? How long will discord agitate the face of society? The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He may graciously awaken the peoples of the earth, may grant that the end of their conduct may be profitable unto them, and aid them to accomplish that which beseemeth their station.
O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together and, for the sake of God, resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you. Then will the effulgence of the world’s great Luminary envelop the whole earth, and its inhabitants become the citizens of one city, and the occupants of one and the same throne. This wronged One hath, ever since the early days of His life, cherished none other desire but this, and will continue to entertain no wish except this wish. There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requisites and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you. This, verily, is the most exalted Word which the Mother Book hath sent down and revealed unto you. To this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur from His habitation of glory.
Behold the disturbances which, for many
a long year, have afflicted the earth,
and the perturbation that hath seized
its peoples. It[Page 139]
hath
either been ravaged by war, or
tormented by sudden and unforeseen
calamities. Though the world is
encompassed with
misery and distress, yet no man hath paused to
reflect what the cause or source of that may
be. Whenever the True Counsellor uttered
a word in admonishment, lo, they all
denounced Him as a mover of mischief
and rejected His claim. How bewildering, how
confusing is such behavior! No two men
can be found who may be said to be
outwardly and inwardly united. The evidences
of discord and malice are apparent
everywhere, though all were made for harmony
and union. The Great Being saith: O
well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath
been raised; regard ye not one another as
strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and
the leaves of one branch. We cherish the
hope that the light of justice may shine upon
the world and sanctify it from tyranny. If
the rulers and kings of the earth, the symbols
of the power of God, exalted be His glory,
arise and resolve to dedicate themselves to
whatever will promote the highest interests
of the whole of humanity, the reign of
justice will assuredly be established
amongst the children of men, and the
effulgence of its
light will envelop the whole earth. The
Great Being saith: The structure of world
stability and order hath been reared upon,
and will continue to be sustained by, the
twin pillars of reward and punishment. In
another passage He hath written: Take heed,
O concourse of the rulers of the world!
There is no force on earth that can equal in
its conquering power the force of justice
and wisdom. . . . Blessed is the king who
marcheth with the ensign of wisdom unfurled
before him, and the battalions of justice
massed in his rear. He verily is the
ornament that adorneth the brow of peace and
the countenance of security. There can be
no doubt whatever that if the day-star of
justice, which the clouds of tyranny have
obscured, were to shed its light upon men,
the face of the earth would be completely
transformed.
O ye the elected representatives of the people in every land! Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be only for that which profiteth mankind, and bettereth the condition thereof, if ye be of them that scan heedfully. Regard the world as the human body which, though at its creation whole and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes, with grave disorders and maladies. Not for one day did it gain ease, nay its sickness waxed more severe, as it fell under the treatment of ignorant physicians who gave full rein to their personal desires, and have erred grievously. An if, at one time, through the care of an able physician, a member of that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as before. Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
We behold it, in this day, at the mercy of rulers so drunk with pride that they cannot discern clearly their own best advantage, much less recognize a Revelation so bewildering and challenging as this. And whenever any one of them hath striven to improve its condition, his motive hath been his own gain, whether confessedly so or not; and the unworthiness of this motive hath limited his power to heal or cure.
That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.
The purpose underlying the revelation of
every heavenly Book, nay of every divinely
revealed verse, is to endue all men with
righteousness and understanding, so that
peace and tranquillity may be firmly
established amongst them. Whatsoever
instilleth assurance into the hearts
of men, whatsoever
exalteth their station or promoteth
their contentment, is acceptable in
the sight of God.
How lofty is the station which man, if he
but chooseth to fulfil his high destiny, can
attain! To what depths of degradation he
can sink, depths which the meanest of
creatures have never reached! Seize, O friends,
the Chance which this Day offereth you, and
deprive not yourselves of the liberal effusion
of His grace. I beseech God that He may
graciously enable every one of you to adorn
himself, in this blessed Day, with the
orna[Page 140]
ment of pure and holy deeds.
He, verily, doeth whatsoever He willeth.
Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one word more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures and enable mankind to benefit therefrom. If any man were to meditate on that which the Scriptures, sent down from the heaven of God’s holy Will, have revealed, he will readily recognize that their purpose is that all men shall be regarded as one soul, so that the seal bearing the words "The Kingdom shall be God’s” may be stamped on every heart, and the light of Divine bounty, of grace, and mercy may envelop all mankind. The one true God, exalted be His glory, hath wished nothing for Himself. The allegiance of mankind profiteth Him not, neither doth its perversity harm Him. The Bird of the Realm of Utterance voiceth continually this call: “All things have I willed for thee, and thee, too, for thine own sake.” If the learned and worldly-wise men of this age were to allow mankind to inhale the fragrance of fellowship and love every understanding heart would apprehend the meaning of true liberty, and discover the secret of undisturbed peace and absolute composure. Were the earth to attain this station and be illumined with its light it could then be truly said of it: “Thou shalt see in it no hollows or rising hills.”
The generations that have gone before you—whither are they fled? And those round whom in life circled the fairest and the loveliest of the land, where now are they? Profit by their example, O people, and be not of them that are gone astray.
Others ere long will lay hands on what ye possess, and enter into your habitations. Incline your ears to My words, and be not numbered among the foolish.
For every one of you his paramount duty is to choose for himself that on which no other may infringe and none usurp from him. Such a thing—and to this the Almighty is My witness—is the love of God, could ye but perceive it.
Build ye for yourselves such houses as the rain and floods can never destroy, which shall protect you from the changes and chances of this life. This is the instruction of Him Whom the world hath wronged and forsaken.
Consider the pettiness of men's minds. They ask for that which injureth them, and cast away the thing that profiteth them. They are, indeed, of those that are far astray. We find some men desiring liberty, and priding themselves therein. Such men are in the depths of ignorance.
Liberty must, in the end, lead to sedition, whose flames none can quench. Thus warneth you He Who is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. Know ye that the embodiment of liberty and its symbol, is the animal. That which beseemeth man is submission unto such restraints as will protect him from his own ignorance, and guard him against the harm of the mischief-maker. Liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity of his station. It debaseth him to the level of extreme depravity and wickedness.
Regard men as a flock of sheep that need a shepherd for their protection. This, verily, is the truth, the certain truth. We approve of liberty in certain circumstances, and refuse to sanction it in others. We, verily, are the All-Knowing.
Say: True liberty consisteth in man’s submission unto My commandments, little as ye know it. Were men to observe that which We have sent down unto them from the Heaven of Revelation, they would, of a certainty, attain unto perfect liberty. Happy is the man that hath apprehended the Purpose of God in whatever He hath revealed from the Heaven of His Will, that pervadeth all created things. Say: The liberty that profiteth you is to be found nowhere except in complete servitude unto God, the Eternal Truth. Whoso hath tasted of its sweetness will refuse to barter it for all the dominion of earth and heaven.
[Page 141]
All-praise to the unity of
God, and all-honor to Him, the sovereign
Lord, the incomparable and all-glorious
Ruler of the
universe, Who, out of utter nothingness,
hath created the reality of all things, Who,
from naught, hath brought into being the
most refined and subtle elements of His
creation, and Who, rescuing His creatures
from the abasements of remoteness and the
perils of ultimate extinction, hath received
them into the Kingdom of incorruptible
glory. Nothing short of His all-encompassing
grace, His all-pervading mercy, could
have possibly achieved it. How could it,
otherwise, have been possible for sheer
nothingness to have acquired by itself
the worthiness and capacity to emerge
from its state of
non-existence into the realm of being?
Having created the world and all that liveth and moveth therein, He, through the direct operation of His unconstrained and sovereign Will, chose to confer upon man the unique distinction and capacity to know Him and to love Him—a capacity that must needs be regarded as the generating impulse and the primary purpose underlying the whole of creation. . . . on the inmost reality of each and every created thing He hath shed the light of one of His names, and made it a recipient of the glory of one of His attributes. Upon the reality of man, however, He hath focussed the radiance of all His names and attributes, and made it a mirror of His own Self. Alone of all created things man hath been singled out for so great a favor, so enduring a bounty.
These energies with which the Day-Star of Divine bounty and Source of heavenly guidance hath endowed the reality of man lie, however, latent within him, even as the flame is hidden within the candle and the rays of light are potentially present in the lamp. The radiance of these energies may be obscured by worldly desires even as the light of the sun can be concealed beneath the dust and dross which cover the mirror. Neither the candle nor the lamp can be lighted through their own unaided efforts, nor can it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until a fire is kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the dross is blotted out from the face of the mirror it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory.
And since there can be no tie of direct intercourse to bind the one true God with His creation, and no resemblance whatever can exist between the transcient and the Eternal, the contingent and the Absolute, He hath ordained that in every age and dispensation a pure and stainless Soul be made manifest in the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Unto this subtle, this mysterious and ethereal Being He hath assigned a twofold nature; the physical, pertaining to the world of matter, and the spiritual, which is born of the substance of God Himself. He hath, moreover, conferred upon Him a double station. The first station, which is related to His innermost reality, representeth Him as One Whose voice is the voice of God Himself. To this testifieth the tradition: “Manifold and mysterious is My relationship with God.” . . . The second station is the human station, exemplified by the following verses: “I am but a man like you.” “Say, praise be to my Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?” These Essences of Detachment, these resplendent Realities are the channels of God’s all-pervasive grace. Led by the light of unfailing guidance, and invested with supreme sovereignty, they are commissioned to use the inspiration of their words, the effusions of their infallible grace and the sanctifying breeze of their revelation for the cleansing of every longing heart and receptive spirit from the dross and dust of earthly cares and limitations. Then, and only then, will the Trust of God, latent in the reality of man, emerge as resplendent as the rising Orb of Divine Revelation from behind the veil of concealment, and implant the ensign of its revealed glory upon the summit of men’s hearts.
From the foregoing passages and allusions
it hath been made indubitably clear that in
the kingdoms of earth and heaven there must
needs be manifested a Being, an Essence Who
shall act as a Manifestation and Vehicle for
the transmission of the grace of the Divinity
Itself, the Sovereign Lord of all. Through
the Teachings of this Day-Star of Truth
every man will advance and develop until he
attaineth the station at which he can
manifest all the potential forces with
which his[Page 142]
inmost true
self hath been endowed. It is for
this very purpose that in every age
and dispensation the Prophets of God and His
chosen Ones have appeared amongst men, and
have evinced such power as is born of God
and such might as only the eternal can
reveal.
Can one of sane mind ever seriously imagine that, in view of certain words the meaning of which he cannot comprehend, the portal of God's infinite guidance can ever be closed in the face of men? Can he ever conceive for these Divine Luminaries, these resplendent Lights either a beginning or an end? What outpouring flood can compare with the stream of His all-embracing grace, and what blessing can excel the evidences of so great and pervasive a mercy? There can be no doubt whatever that if for one moment the tide of His mercy and grace were to be withheld from the world, it would completely perish. For this reason, from the beginning that hath no beginning the portals of Divine mercy have been flung open to the face of all created things, and the clouds of Truth will continue to the end that hath no end to rain on the soil of human capacity, reality and personality their favors and bounties. Such hath been God’s method continued from everlasting to everlasting.
The purpose of the one true God, exalted be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare these gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves. That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion.
I testify before God to the greatness, the inconceivable greatness of this Revelation. Again and again have We in most of Our Tablets borne witness to this truth, that mankind may be roused from its heedlessness. In this most mighty Revelation, all the Dispensations of the past have attained their highest, their final consummation. That which hath been made manifest in this preeminent, this most exalted Revelation, stands unparalleled in the annals of the past, nor will future ages witness its like.
Followers of the Gospel, behold the gates of heaven are flung open. He that had ascended unto it is now come. Give ear to His voice calling aloud over land and sea, announcing to all mankind the advent of this Revelation—a Revelation through the agency of which the Tongue of Grandeur is now proclaiming: "lo, the sacred Pledge hath been fulfilled, for He, the Promised One, is come!”
The voice of the Son of Man is calling aloud from the sacred vale: “Here am I, here am I, O God my God!” . . . whilst from the Burning Bush breaketh forth the cry: "lo, the Desire of the world is made manifest in His transcendent glory!” The Father hath come. That which ye were promised in the Kingdom of God is fulfilled. This is the Word which the Son veiled when He said to those around Him that at that time they could not bear it . . . Verily the Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth . . . He is the One Who glorified the Son and exalted His Cause.
The Comforter Whose advent all the scriptures have promised is now come that He may reveal unto you all knowledge and wisdom. Seek Him over the entire surface of the earth, haply ye may find Him.
By the righteousness of God, should a man, all alone, arise in the name of Bahá and put on the armor of His love, him will the Almighty cause to be victorious, though the forces of earth and heaven be arrayed against him. . . . By God besides Whom is none other God! Should any one arise for the triumph of our Cause, him will God render victorious though tens of thousands of enemies be leagued against him. And if his love for Me wax stronger, God will establish his ascendency over all the powers of earth and heaven. Thus have We breathed the spirit of power into all regions.
This is the King of Days, the Day that
hath seen the coming of the Best-beloved,
Him Who through all eternity hath
been[Page 143]
acclaimed the Desire
of the World. . . .
The world of being shineth in this Day with
the resplendency of this Divine Revelation.
All created things extol its saving grace
and sing its praises. The universe is wrapt in
an ecstasy of joy and gladness. The
scriptures of past Dispensations celebrate
the great jubilee that must needs greet
this most great Day of God. Well is it
with him that hath
lived to see this Day and hath recognized its
station. . . . Were mankind to give heed in
a befitting manner to no more than one word
of such a praise it would be so filled with
delight as to be overpowered and lost in
wonder. Entranced, it would then shine forth
resplendent above the horizon of true
understanding.
Know of a certainty, that in every Dispensation the light of Divine Revelation has been vouchsafed to men in direct proportion to their spiritual capacity. Consider the sun. How feeble its rays the moment it appeareth above the horizon. How gradually its warmth and potency increase as it approacheth its zenith, enabling meanwhile all created things to adapt themselves to the growing intensity of its light. How steadily it declines until it reacheth its setting point. Were it all of a sudden to manifest the energies latent within it, it would no doubt cause injury to all created things. . . . In like manner, if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its manifestation, the full measure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath bestowed upon it, the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed; for men's hearts would neither sustain the intensity of its revelation, nor be able to mirror forth the radiance of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they would cease to exist.
Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God for the wondrous revelations of Thy inscrutable decree and the manifold woes and trials Thou hast destined for myself. At one time Thou didst deliver me into the hands of Nimrod; at another Thou hast delivered Pharaoh's rod to persecute me. Thou alone canst estimate, through Thy all-encompassing knowledge and the operation of Thy Will, the incalculable afflictions I have suffered at their hands. Again Thou didst cast me into the prison-cell of the ungodly for no reason except that I was moved to whisper into the ears of the well-favored denizens of Thy kingdom an intimation of the vision with which Thou hadst, through Thy knowledge, inspired me and revealed to me its meaning through the potency of Thy might. And again Thou didst decree that I be beheaded by the sword of the infidel. Again I was crucified for having unveiled to men’s eyes the hidden gems of Thy glorious unity, for having revealed to them the wondrous signs of Thy sovereign and everlasting power. How bitter the humiliations heaped upon me, in a subsequent age, on the plain of Karbilá! How lonely did I feel amidst Thy people; to what state of helplessness I was reduced in that land! Unsatisfied with such indignities, my persecutors decapitated me and carrying aloft my head from land to land paraded it before the gaze of the unbelieving multitude and deposited it on the seats of the perverse and faithless. In a later age I was suspended and my breast was made a target to the darts of the malicious cruelty of my foes. My limbs were riddled with bullets and my body was torn asunder. Finally, behold how in this day my treacherous enemies have leagued themselves against me, and are continually plotting to instil the venom of hate and malice into the souls of Thy servants. With all their might they are scheming to accomplish their purpose. . . . Grievous as is my plight, O God, my Well—beloved, I render thanks unto Thee, and my spirit is grateful for whatsoever hath befallen me in the path of Thy good-pleasure. I am well pleased with that which Thou didst ordain for me, and welcome, however calamitous, the pains and sorrows I am made to suffer.
There hath branched from the Sadratu’l-Muntahá
this sacred and glorious Being, this
Branch of Holiness; well is it with him that
hath sought His shelter and abideth beneath
His shadow. Verily the Limb of the Law of
God hath sprung forth from this Root which
God hath firmly implanted in the Ground of
His Will, and Whose Branch hath been so
uplifted as to encompass the whole of
creation. Magnified be He, therefore,
for this[Page 144]
sublime, this
blessed, this mighty, this exalted
Handiwork! . . . A Word hath, as a
token of Our grace, gone forth from the
Most Great Tablet—-a Word which God hath
adorned with the ornament of His own Self,
and made it sovereign over the earth and all
that is therein, and a sign of His greatness
and power among its people. . . . Render
thanks unto God, O people, for His
appearance; for verily He is the most great
Favor unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you;
and through Him every mouldering bone is
quickened. Whoso turneth towards Him*
hath turned towards God, and whose turneth
away from Him hath turned away from My
Beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and
transgressed against Me. He is the Trust of God
amongst you, His charge within you, His
manifestation unto you and His appearance
among His favored servants. . . . We have
sent Him down in the form of a human
temple. Blest and sanctified be God Who
createth whatsoever He willeth through His
inviolable, His infallible decree. They who
deprive themselves of the shadow of the
Branch, are lost in the wilderness of error, are
consumed by the heat of worldly desires, and
are of those who will assuredly perish.
Consider: He† hath declared knowledge to consist of twenty and seven letters, and regarded all the prophets, from Adam even unto Muḥammad, the “seal,” as expounders of only two letters thereof. He also saith that the Qa’im will reveal all the remaining twenty and five letters. Behold from this utterance how great and lofty is His station! His rank excelleth that of all the prophets, and His revelation transcendeth the comprehension and understanding of all their chosen ones. A revelation, of which the prophets of God, His saints and chosen ones have either not been informed or which, in pursuance of God’s inscrutable decree, they have not disclosed—such a revelation, these vile and villainous people have sought to measure with their own deficient minds, their own deficient learning and understanding.
Is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole charac ————— * 'Abdu'l-Bahi. † The Báb.
ter of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions? For if the character of mankind be not changed, the futility of God’s universal Manifestation would be apparent.
In the East the light of His Revelation hath broken; in the West have appeared the signs of His dominion. Ponder this in your hearts, O people, and be not of those who have turned a deaf ear to the admonitions of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Praised. . . . Should they attempt to conceal its light on the continent, it will assuredly rear its head in the midmost heart of the ocean, and, raising its voice, proclaim: “I am the life-giver of the world!”.
To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the Divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is and hath ever been veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men. “No vision taketh Him in, but He taketh in all vision; He is the Subtile, the All-Perceiving.” . . .
The door of the knowledge of the Ancient
of Days being thus closed in the face of all
beings, the Source of infinite grace,
according to His saying: “His grace hath
transcended all things; My grace hath
encompassed them all” hath caused those
luminous Gems of holiness to appear out of the
realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the
human temple, and be made manifest unto
all men, that they may impart unto the world
the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and
tell of the subtleties of His imperishable
Essence. These sanctified Mirrors, these
Daysprings of ancient glory are one and all the
Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central
Orb of the universe, its Essence and Ultimate
Purpose. From Him proceed their
knowledge and power; from Him is
derived[Page 145]
their sovereignty. The
beauty of their countenance is but a
reflection of His image, and
their revelation a sign of His deathless glory.
They are the Treasuries of Divine knowledge,
and the Repositories of celestial wisdom.
Through them is transmitted a grace
that is infinite, and by them is revealed the
light that can never fade. . . .
These attributes of God are not and have never been vouchsafed specially unto certain Prophets, and withheld from others. Nay, all the Prophets of God, His well-favored, His holy and chosen Messengers, are, without exception, the bearers of His names and the embodiments of His attributes. They only differ in the intensity of their revelation, and the relative potency of their light. Even as He hath revealed: “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others.” It hath become therefore manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of them, been endowed with all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion and the like, even though, to outward seeming, they be shorn of all earthly majesty. . . .
Furthermore, it is evident to thee that the Bearers of the trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Bearers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the Celestial Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit of the same tree of oneness. These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: "No difference do We make between any of His Messengers.” For all of them summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of Prophethood, and honored with the mantle of glory. Thus hath Muḥammad, the Point of the Qur’án, revealed: “I am all the Prophets.” Likewise, He saith: “I am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.” A similar statement hath been made by Ali. Sayings such as this, which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents of Oneness, have also emanated from the Channels of God’s immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of the gems of Divine knowledge, and been recorded in the scriptures. These Countenances are the recipients of the Divine Command, and the Daysprings of His Revelation. This Revelation is exalted above the veils of plurality and the exigencies of number. Thus He saith: “Our Cause is but one.” Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the same, the Exponents thereof also must needs be one and the same. Likewise, the Imáms of the Muḥammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: “Muḥammad is our first, Muḥammad our last, Muḥammad our all.”
It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of these Essences of being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendor. Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of holiness proclaim, saying “I am the return of all the Prophets,” He verily speaketh the truth. In like manner, in every subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact, the truth of which is firmly established. . . .
We have already in the foregoing pages assigned two stations unto each of the Luminaries arising from the Daysprings of eternal holiness. One of these stations, the station of
[Page 146]
The Garden of Riḍván, Baghdád.
[Page 147]
essential unity, We have
already explained.
"No difference do We make between any of
them.” The other is the station of
distinction, and pertaineth to the
world of creation
and to the changes and chances thereof. In
this respect, each Manifestation of God hath
a distinct individuality, a definitely
prescribed mission, a predestined Revelation,
and specially designated limitations. Each
one of them is known by a different name,
is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils
a definite Mission, and is entrusted with a
particular Revelation. Even as He said:
"Some of the Apostles We have caused to
excel the others. To some God hath spoken,
some He hath raised and exalted. And to
Jesus, the Son of Mary, We gave manifest
signs, and We strengthened Him with the
Holy Spirit.”
It is because of this difference in their station and mission that the words and utterances flowing from these Well-springs of Divine knowledge appear to diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into the mysteries of divine wisdom, all their utterances are in reality but the expressions of one truth. As most of the people have failed to appreciate those stations to which We have referred, they therefore feel perplexed and dismayed at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations that are essentially one and the same.
It hath ever been evident that all these divergencies of utterance are attributable to differences in station. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been and are applicable to those Essences of being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of Divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat of Divine Concealment. Through their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the Divine Being.
Viewed in the light of their second station—the station of distinction, differentiation, temporal limitations, characteristics and standards—they manifest absolute servitude, utter destitution and complete self-effacement. Even as He saith: "I am the servant of God. I am but a man like you.”
From these incontrovertible and fully demonstrated statements strive thou to apprehend the meaning of the questions thou hast asked, that thou mayest become steadfast in the Faith of God, and not be dismayed by the divergencies in the utterances of His Prophets and Chosen Ones.
In this day the breeze of God is wafted, and His Spirit hath pervaded all things. Such is the outpouring of His grace that the pen is stilled and the tongue is speechless.
By virtue of this station, they have claimed for themselves to be the Voice of Divinity and the like; and by virtue of their station of Messengership, they have declared themselves the Messengers of God. In every instance they have voiced an utterance that would conform to the requirements of the occasion, and have ascribed all these declarations to themselves, declarations ranging from the realm of Divine Revelation to the realm of creation, and from the domain of Divinity even unto the domain of earthly existence. Thus it is that whatsoever be their utterance, whether it pertain to the realm of Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship, Apostleship or Servitude, all is true, beyond a shadow of doubt. Therefore, these sayings which We have quoted in support of our argument must be attentively considered, that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations of the Unseen and Daysprings of holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex the mind. . . .
Consider the past. How many, whether high or low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy may blow, and the promised Beauty may step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest unto all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace would open, and the clouds of divine bounty would rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen would shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him and turned away from His face—the face of God Himself. . . .
It is evident that the changes effected
in[Page 148]
every Dispensation
constitute the dark clouds
that intervene between the eye of man’s
understanding and the Divine Luminary
which shineth forth from the dayspring of
the Divine Essence. Consider how men have
for generations been blindly imitating their
forefathers, and been trained according to
such ways and manners as have been laid
down by the dictates of their Faith. Were
these men, therefore, suddenly to discover
that a Man Who hath been living in their
midst, Who with respect to every human
limitation hath been their equal, had risen
to abolish every established principle imposed
by their Faith—principles by which for
centuries they have been disciplined, and every
opposer and denier of which they have come
to regard as infidel, profligate, and
wicked they would of a certainty be veiled
and hindered from acknowledging His truth. Such
things are as clouds that veil the eyes of
those whose inner being hath not tasted the
Salsabíl of Detachment, nor drunk from the
Kawthar of the knowledge of God. Such
men, when acquainted with these circumstances,
become so veiled that without the
least question they pronounce the
Manifestation of God an infidel, and
sentence Him
to death. Such things you must have
witnessed and heard since the
earliest days, and
are observing them at this time.
It behoves us, therefore, to exert the utmost endeavor, that by God’s invisible assistance these dark veils, these clouds of Heaven-sent trials, may not hinder us from beholding the beauty of His shining Countenance, and that we may recognize Him only by His own Self.
————————
II. ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
The Origin, Powers and Conditions of Man
MODIFICATION OF SPECIES
WE HAVE now come to the question of the modification of species and of organic development: that is to say, to the point of inquiring whether man’s descent is from the animal.
This theory has found credence in the minds of some European philosophers, and it is now very difficult to make its falseness understood, but in the future it will become evident and clear, and the European philosophers will themselves realise its untruth. For verily it is an evident error. When man looks at the beings with a penetrating regard, and attentively examines the condition of existences, and when he sees the state, the organization, and the perfection of the world, he will be convinced that in the possible world there is nothing more wonderful than that which already exists. For all existing beings, terrestrial and celestial, as well as this limitless space and all that is in it, have been created and organized, composed, arranged, and perfected as they ought to be; the universe has no imperfection; so that if all beings became pure intelligence and reflected for ever and ever, it is impossible that they could imagine anything better than that which exists.
If, however, the creation in the past had
not been adorned with utmost perfection,
then existence would have been imperfect
and meaningless, and in this case creation
would have been incomplete. This question
needs to be considered with the greatest
attention and thought. For example, imagine
that the world of possibility—that is, the
world of existence—resembles in a general
way the body of man. If this composition,
organisation, perfection, beauty, and
completeness which now exist in the
human body were different, it would be
absolute imperfection. Now, if we imagine
a time when man belonged to the animal
world, or when
he was merely an animal, we shall find that
existence would have been imperfect; that
is to say, there would have been no man, and
this chief member, which in the body of the
world is like the brain and mind in
man,[Page 149]
would have been missing.
The world would
then have been quite imperfect. It is thus
proved that if there had been a time when
man was in the animal kingdom, the perfection
of existence would have been destroyed;
for man is the greatest member of this world,
and if the body was without this chief member,
surely it would be imperfect. We consider man
as the greatest member because,
among the creatures, he is the sum of all
existing perfections. When we speak of man,
we mean the perfect one, the foremost
individual in the world, who is the sum of
spiritual and apparent perfections, and who is
like the sun among the beings. Then imagine
that at one time the sun did not exist, but
that it was a planet—surely at such a time
the relations of existence would be disordered.
How can such a thing be imagined? To a man
who examines the world of existence,
what we have said is sufficient.
There is another more subtle proof: all these endless beings which inhabit the world, whether man, animal, vegetable, mineral—whatever they may be—are surely, each one of them, composed of elements. There is no doubt that this perfection which is in all beings, is caused by the creation of God from the composing elements, by their appropriate mingling and proportionate quantities, the mode of their composition, and the influence of other beings. For all being are connected together like a chain, and reciprocal help, assistance, and influence belonging to the properties of things, are the causes of the existence, development, and growth of created beings. It is confirmed through evidences and proofs that every being universally acts upon other beings, either absolutely or through association. Finally, the perfection of each individual being, that is to say the perfection which you now see in man or apart from him, with regard to their atoms, members, or powers, is due to the composition of the elements, to their measure, to their balance, to the mode of their combination, and to mutual influence. When all these are gathered together, then man exists.
As the perfection of man is entirely due to the composition of the atoms of the elements, to their measure, to the method of their combination, and to the mutual influence and action of the different beings—then, since man was produced ten or a hundred thousand years ago from these earthly elements with the same measure and balance, the same method of combination and mingling, and the same influence of the other beings, exactly the same man existed then as now. This is evident and not worth debating. A thousand million years hence, if these elements of man are gathered together and arranged in this special proportion, and if the elements are combined according to the same method, and if they are affected by the same influence of other beings, exactly the same man will exist. For example, if after a hundred thousand years there is oil, fire, a wick, a lamp, and the lighter of the lamp—briefly, if there are all the necessaries which now exist, exactly the same lamp will be obtained.
These are conclusive and evident facts. But the arguments which these European philosophers have used raise doubtful proofs and are not conclusive.
————————
THE UNIVERSE IS WITHOUT BEGINNING
The Origin of Man
KNOW that it is one of the most abstruse spiritual truths that the world of existence, that is to say this endless universe, has no beginning.
We have already explained that the names
and attributes of the Divinity themselves
require the existence of beings. Although
this subject has been explained in detail, we
will speak of it again briefly. Know that an
educator without pupils cannot be imagined,
a monarch without subjects could not exist, a
master without scholars cannot be appointed,
a creator without a creature is impossible, a
provider without those provided for cannot
be conceived; for all the divine names and
attributes demand the existence of beings.
If we could imagine a time when no beings
existed, this imagination would be the denial
of the Divinity of God. Moreover, absolute
non-existence cannot become existence.
If[Page 150]
the beings were
absolutely non-existent, existence
would not have come into being.
Therefore, as the Essence of Unity,
that is the existence of God, is
everlasting and eternal—that is to say,
it has neither beginning
nor end—it is certain that this world of
existence, this endless universe, has
neither beginning nor end. Yes, it
may be that one of the parts of the
universe, one of the globes,
for example, may come into existence, or
may be disintegrated, but the other endless
globes are still existing; the universe would
not be disordered nor destroyed; on the
contrary, existence is eternal and perpetual. As
each globe has a beginning, necessarily it has
an end, because every composition, collective
or particular, must of necessity be
decomposed; the only difference is that some are
quickly decomposed, and others more slowly,
but it is impossible that a composed thing
should not eventually be decomposed.
It is necessary, therefore, that we should know what each of the important existences was in the beginning—for there is no doubt that in the beginning the origin was one: the origin of all numbers is one and not two. Then it is evident that in the beginning matter was one, and that one matter appeared in different aspects in each element; thus various forms were produced, and these various aspects as they were produced became permanent, and each element was specialized. But this permanence was not definite, and did not attain realisation and perfect existence until after a very long time. Then these elements became composed, and organised and combined in infinite forms; or rather from the composition and combination of these elements innumerable beings appeared.
This composition and arrangement through the wisdom of God and His pre-existent might, were produced from one natural organisation, which was composed and combined with the greatest strength, conformably to wisdom, and according to a universal law. From this it is evident that it is the creation of God, and is not a fortuitous composition and arrangement. This is why from every natural composition a being can come into existence, but from an accidental composition no being can come into existence. For example, if a man of his own mind and intelligence collects some elements and combines them, a living being will not be brought into existence, since the system is unnatural. This is the answer to the implied question, that, since beings are made by the composition and the combination of elements, why is it not possible for us to gather elements and mingle them together, and so create a living being. This is a false supposition, for the origin of this composition is from God; it is God who makes the combination, and as it is done according to the natural system, from each composition one being is produced, and an existence is realised. A composition made by man produces nothing, because man cannot create.
Briefly, we have said that from
the composition and combination
of elements, from their decomposition, from their
measure, and from the effect of other beings
upon them, resulted forms, endless realities,
and innumerable beings. But it is
clear that this terrestrial globe
in its present form did not come into existence all at
once; but that this universal existence gradually
passed through different phases until it
became adorned with its present perfection. Universal
beings resemble and can be compared to particular
beings, for both are subjected to one natural
system, one universal law and
divine organisation. So you will
find the smallest atoms in the universal system are
similar to the greatest beings of the universe.
It is clear that they come into existence
from one laboratory of might under one
natural system, and one universal law;
therefore they may be compared to one another.
Thus the embryo of man in the womb of the
mother gradually grows and develops, and appears
in different forms and conditions, until
in the degree of perfect beauty it reaches
maturity, and appears in a perfect form
with the utmost grace. And in the same way,
the seed of this flower which you see was
in the beginning an insignificant thing, and
very small; and it grew and developed in the womb
of the earth, and after appearing in various
forms, came forth in this condition with
perfect freshness and grace. In the same
manner it is evident that this terrestrial
globe having once
found existence, grew and developed
in the matrix of the universe,
and came forth in different forms and conditions,
until grad[Page 151]
ually it
attained this present perfection, and
became adorned with innumerable beings, and
appeared as a finished organization.
Then it is clear that original matter, which is in the embryonic state, and the mingled and composed elements which were its earliest forms, gradually grew and developed during many ages and cycles, passing from one shape and form to another, until they appeared in this perfection, this system, this organisation and this establishment, through the supreme wisdom of God.
Let us return to our subject that man, in the beginning of his existence and in the womb of the earth, like the embryo in the womb of the mother, gradually grew and developed, and passed from one form to another, from one shape to another, until he appeared with this beauty and perfection, this force and this power. It is certain that in the beginning he had not this loveliness and grace and elegance, and that he only by degrees attained this shape, this form, this beauty, and this grace. There is no doubt that the human embryo did not at once appear in this form, neither did it then become the manifestation of the words “Praise be unto God, the best of Creators.” Gradually it passed through various conditions and different shapes, until it attained this form and beauty, this perfection, grace, and loveliness. Thus it is evident and confirmed that the development and growth of man on this earth, until he reached his present perfection, resembled the growth and development of the embryo in the womb of the mother: by degrees it passed from condition to condition, from form to form, from one shape to another, for this is according to the requirement of the universal system and Divine Law.
That is to say, the embryo passes through different states and traverses numerous degrees, until it reaches the form in which it manifests the words “Praise be to God, the best of Creators,” and until the signs of reason and maturity appear. And in the same way, man’s existence on this earth, from the beginning until it reaches this state, form, and condition, necessarily lasts a long time, and goes through many degrees until it reaches this condition. But from the beginning of man’s existence he is a distinct species. In the same way, the embryo of man in the womb of the mother was at first in a strange form; then this body passes from shape to shape, from state to state, from form to form, until it appears in utmost beauty and perfection. But even when in the womb of the mother and in this strange form, entirely different from his present form and figure, he is the embryo of the superior species, and not of the animal; his species and essence undergo no change. Now, admitting that the traces of organs which have disappeared actually exist, this is not a proof of the impermanence and the non-originality of the species. At the most it proves that the form, and fashion, and the organs of man have progressed. Man was always a distinct species, a man, not an animal. So, if the embryo of man in the womb of the mother passes from one form to another, so that the second form in no way resembles the first, is this a proof that the species has changed? that it was at first an animal, and that its organs progressed and developed until it became a man? No, indeed! How puerile and unfounded is this idea and this thought! For the proof of the originality of the human species, and of the permanency of the nature of man, is clear and evident.
————————
THE DIFFERENCE WHICH EXISTS BETWEEN MAN AND
THE ANIMAL
ALREADY we have talked once or twice on the subject of the spirit, but our words have not been written down.
Know that people belong to two categories,
that is to say, they constitute two
parties. One party deny the spirit, and say
that man also is a species of animal; for they
say, do we not see that animals and men share
the same powers and senses? These simple,
single elements which fill space are endlessly
combined, and from each of these combinations
one of the beings is produced.
Among[Page 152]
these beings
is the possessor of spirit, of the
powers and of the senses. The more perfect
the combination, the nobler is the being. The
combination of the elements in the body of
man is more perfect than the composition of
any other being; it is mingled in absolute
equilibrium, therefore it is more noble and
more perfect. “It is not,” they say, “that
he has a special power and spirit which the
other animals lack: animals possess sensitive
bodies, but man in some powers has more
sensation—although, in what concerns the
outer senses, such as hearing, sight, taste,
smell, touch, and even in some interior
powers like memory, the animal is more richly
endowed than man.” “The animal, too,”
they say, “has intelligence and perception”:
all that they concede is that man’s
intelligence is greater.
This is what the philosophers of the present state; this is their saying, this is their supposition, and thus their imagination decrees. So with powerful arguments and proofs, they make the descent of man go back to the animal, and say that there was once a time when man was an animal; that then the species changed, and progressed little by little until it reached the present status of man.
But the theologians say: No, this is not so. Though man has powers and outer senses in common with the animal, yet an extraordinary power exists in him of which the animal is bereft. The sciences, arts, inventions, trades, and discoveries of realities, are the results of this spiritual power. This is a power which encompasses all things, comprehends their realities, discovers all the hidden mysteries of beings, and through this knowledge controls them: it even perceives things which do not exist outwardly; that is to say, intellectual realities which are not sensible, and which have no outward existence, because they are invisible; so it comprehends the mind, the spirit, the qualities, the characters, the love and sorrow of man, which are intellectual realities. Moreover, these existing sciences, arts, laws, and endless inventions of man at one time were invisible, mysterious, and hidden secrets; it is only the all—encompassig human power which has discovered and brought them out from the plane of the invisible to the plane of the visible. So telegraphy, photography, phonography, and all such inventions and wonderful arts, were at one time hidden mysteries: the human reality discovered and brought them out from the plane of the invisible to the plane of the visible. There was even a time when the qualities of this iron which you see—indeed of all the metals—were hidden mysteries; men discovered this metal, and wrought it in this industrial form. It is the same with all the other discoveries and inventions of man, which are innumerable.
This we cannot deny. If we say that these are effects of powers which animals also have, and of the powers of the bodily senses, we see clearly and evidently that the animals are, in regard to these powers, superior to man. For example, the sight of animals is much more keen than the sight of man; so also is their power of smell and taste. Briefly, in the powers which animals and men have in common, the animal is often the more powerful. For example, let us take the power of memory: if you carry a pigeon from here to a distant country, and there set it free, it will return, for it remembers the way. Take a dog from here to the centre of Asia, set him free, and he will come back here and never once lose the road. So it is with the other powers such as hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch.
Thus it is clear that if there were not in
man a power different from any of those of
the animals, the latter would be superior to
man in inventions and the comprehension of
realities. Therefore it is evident that man has
a gift which the animal does not possess.
Now, the animal perceives sensible things,
but does not perceive intellectual realities.
For example, that which is within the range
of its vision the animal sees, but that which
is beyond the range of sight it is not possible
for it to perceive, and it cannot imagine it.
So it is not possible for the animal
to understand that the earth has the
form of a globe.
But man from known things proves unknown
things, and discovers unknown truths. For
example, man sees the curve of the horizon,
and from this he infers the roundness of the
earth. The Pole Star at Akká, for instance,
is at 33°, that is to say, it is 33° above the
horizon. When a man goes toward the North
Pole, the Pole Star rises one degree above
the[Page 153]
horizon for each degree
of distance that he
travels, that is to say, the altitude of the
Pole Star will be 34°, then 40°, then 50°,
then 60°, then 70°. If he reaches the North
Pole that altitude of the Pole Star will be
90° or have attained the zenith, that is to
say, will be directly overhead. This Pole Star
and its ascension are sensible things. The
further one goes towards the Pole, the higher
the Pole Star rises; from these two known
truths an unknown thing has been discovered,
that is, that the horizon is curved:
meaning that the horizon of each degree of
the earth is a different horizon from that of
another degree. Man perceives this, and
proves from it an invisible thing which is
the roundness of the earth. This it is
impossible for the animal to perceive.
In the same way, it cannot understand that
the sun is the
center and that the earth revolves around it.
The animal is the captive of the senses and
bound by them; all that is beyond the senses,
the things that they do not control, the
animal can never understand; although in the
outer senses it is greater than man. Hence it
is proved and verified that in man there is a
power of discovery by which he is
distinguished from the animals, and this is the
spirit of man.
Praise be to God! man is always turned towards the heights, and his aspiration is lofty; he always desires to reach a greater world than the world in which he is, and to mount to a higher sphere than that in which he is. The love of exaltation is one of the characteristics of man. I am astonished that certain philosophers of America and Europe are content to gradually approach the animal world, and so to go backwards; for the tendency of existence must be towards exaltation. Nevertheless, if you said to one of them, You are an animal—he would be extremely hurt and angry.
What a difference between the human world and the world of the animal; between the elevation of man and the abasement of the animal; between the perfections of man and the ignorance of the animal; between the light of man and the darkness of the animal; between the glory of man and the degradation of the animal! An Arab child of ten years can manage two or three hundred camels in the desert, and with his voice can lead them forward or turn them back. A weak Hindu can so control a huge elephant, that the elephant becomes the most obedient of servants. All things are subdued by the hand of man; he can resist nature, while all other creatures are captives of nature, none can depart from her requirements. Man alone can resist nature. Nature attracts bodies to the center of the earth; man through mechanical means goes far from it, and soars in the air. Nature prevents man from crossing the seas, man builds a ship, and he travels and voyages across the great ocean, and so on; the subject is endless. For example, man drives engines over the mountains and through the wildernesses, and gathers in one spot the news of the events of the East and West. All this is contrary to nature. The sea with its grandeur cannot deviate by an atom from the laws of nature; the sun in all its magnificence cannot deviate as much as a needle’s point from the laws of nature, and can never comprehend the conditions, the state, the qualities, the movements, and the nature of man.
What, then, is the power in this small body of man which encompasses all this? What is this ruling power by which he subdues all things?
One more point remains: modern philosophers
say: “We have never seen the spirit
in man, and in spite of our researches into
the secrets of the human body, we do not
perceive a spiritual power. How can we
imagine a power which is not sensible?” The
theologians reply: “The spirit of the animal
also is not sensible, and through its bodily
powers it cannot be perceived. By what do
you prove the existence of the spirit of the
animal? There is no doubt that from its
effects you prove that in the animal there is
a power which is not in the plant, and this
is the power of the senses; that is to say, sight,
hearing, and also other powers; from these
you infer that there is an animal spirit. In
the same way, from the proofs and signs we
have mentioned, we argue that there is a
human spirit. Since in the animal there are
signs which are not in the plant, you say this
power of sensation is a property of the animal
spirit; you also see in man signs, powers,
and[Page 154]
perfections which do
not exist in the animal;
therefore you infer that there is a power in
him which the animal is without.”
If we wish to deny everything that is not sensible, then we must deny the realities which unquestionably exist. For example, ethereal matter is not sensible, though it has an undoubted existence. The power of attraction is not sensible, though it certainly exists. From what do we affirm these existences? From their signs. Thus this light is the vibration of that ethereal matter, and from this vibration we infer the existence of ether.
————————
THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN RACE
Question.—What do you say with regard to the theories held by some European philosophers on the growth and development of beings?
Answer.——This subject was spoken of the other day, but we will speak of it again. Briefly, this question will be decided by determining whether species are original or not. That is to say, has the species of man been established from its origin, or was it afterwards derived from the animals?
CERTAIN European philosophers agree that the species grows and develops, and that even change and alteration are also possible. One of the proofs that they give for this theory is that through the attentive study and verification of the science of geology it has become clear that the existence of the vegetable preceded that of the animal, and that of the animal preceded that of man. They admit that both the vegetable and the animal species have changed, for in some of the strata of the earth they have discovered plants which existed in the past and are now extinct; they have progressed, grown in strength, their form and appearance have changed, and so the species have altered. In the same way, in the strata of the earth there are some species of animals which have changed and are transformed. One of these animals is the serpent. There are indications that the serpent once had feet; but through the lapse of time those members have disappeared. In the same way, in the vertebral column of man there is an indication which amounts to a proof that, like other animals, he once had a tail. At one time that member was useful, but when man developed it was no longer of use, and therefore it gradually disappeared. As the serpent took refuge under the ground, and became a creeping animal, it was no longer in need of feet, so they disappeared; but their traces survive. The principal argument is this: that the existence of traces of members proves that they once existed; and as now they are no longer of service, they have gradually disappeared. Therefore while the perfect and necessary members have remained, those which are unnecessary have gradually disappeared by the modification of the species, but the traces of them continue.
The first answer to this argument is the fact that the animal having preceded man is not a proof of the evolution, change, and alteration of the species, nor that man was raised from the animal world to the human world. For while the individual appearance of these different beings is certain, it is possible that man came into existence after the animal. So when we examine the vegetable kingdom, we see that the fruits of the different trees do not arrive at maturity at one time; on the contrary, some come first and others afterwards. This priority does not prove that the later fruit of one tree was produced from the earlier fruit of another tree.
Secondly, these slight signs and traces of
members have perhaps a great reason of
which the mind is not yet cognisant. How
many things exist of which we do not yet
know the reason! So the science of physiology,
that is to say the knowledge of the
composition of the members, records that
the reason and cause of the difference in the
colors of animals, and of the hair of men,
of the redness of the lips, and of the variety
of the colors of birds, is still unknown; it
is secret and hidden. But it is known
that[Page 155]
the pupil of the eye
is black, so as to attract
the rays of the sun; for if it were another
color, that is, uniformly white, it would not
attract the rays of the sun. Therefore, as
the reason of the things we have mentioned
is unknown, it is possible that the reason and
the wisdom of these traces of members,
whether they be in the animal or man, are
equally unknown. Certainly there is a reason,
even though it is not known.
Thirdly, let us suppose that there was a time when some animals, or even man, possessed some members which have now disappeared; this is not a sufficient proof of the change and evolution of the species. For man, from the beginning of the embryonic period till he reaches the degree of maturity, goes through different forms and appearances. His aspect, his form, his appearance, and color change; he passes from one form to another, and from one appearance to another. Nevertheless, from the beginning of the embryonic period he is of the species of man; that is to say, an embryo of a man, and not of an animal; but this is not at first apparent, but later it becomes visible and evident. For example, let us suppose that man once resembled the animal, and that now he has progressed and changed; supposing this to be true, it is still not a proof of the change of species; no, as before mentioned, it is merely like the change and alteration of the embryo of man until it reaches the degree of reason and perfection. We will state it more clearly: let us suppose that there was a time when man walked on his hands and feet, or had a tail; this change and alteration is like that of the foetus in the womb of the mother; although it changes in all ways, and grows and develops until it reaches the perfect form, from the beginning it is a special species. We also see in the vegetable kingdom that the original species of the genus do not change and alter, but the form, colour, and bulk will change and alter, or even progress.
To recapitulate: as man in the womb of the mother passes from form to form, from shape to shape, changes and develops, and is still the human species from the beginning of the embryonic period—in the same way man, from the beginning of his existence in the matrix of the world, is also a distinct species, that is, man, and has gradually evolved from one form to another. Therefore this change of appearance, this evolution of members, this development and growth, even though we admit the reality of growth and progress,1 does not prevent the species from being original. Man from the beginning was in this perfect form and composition, and possessed capacity and aptitude for acquiring material and spiritual perfections, and was the manifestation of these words, "We will make man in Our image and likeness.” He has only become more pleasing, more beautiful, and more graceful. Civilization has brought him out of his wild state, just as the wild fruits which are cultivated by a gardener become finer, sweeter, and acquire more freshness and delicacy.
The gardeners of the world of humanity are the Prophets of God.
1i.e., if we admit, for example, that man had formerly been a quadruped, or had had a tail.
—————————-
SPIRITUAL PROOFS OF THE ORIGIN OF MAN
THE proofs which we have adduced relative to the origin of the human species were logical proofs; now we will give the spiritual proofs, which are essential. For, as we have proved Divinity by logical arguments, and have also proved logically that man exists from his origin and foundation as man, and that his species has existed from all eternity, now we will establish spiritual proofs that human existence—that is, the species of man —is a necessary existence, and that without man the perfections of Divinity would not appear. But these are spiritual proofs, not logical proofs.
We have many times demonstrated and
established that man is the noblest of beings,
the sum of all perfections, and that all
beings and all existences are the centres from
which the glory of God is reflected, that is
to say, the signs of the Divinity of God are
apparent in the realities of things and of
creatures. Just as the terrestrial globe is the
place where the rays of the sun are reflected
—as its light, its heat, and its influence
are[Page 156]
apparent and visible in
all the atoms of the
earth—so, in the same way, the atoms of
beings, in this infinite space, proclaim and
prove one of the divine perfections. Nothing
is deprived of this benefit; it is either a sign
of the mercy of God or it is a sign of His
power, His greatness, His justice, His lordship
which imparts education; or it is a sign
of the generosity of God, His vision, His
hearing, His knowledge, His grace, and so on.
Without doubt each being is the centre of the shining forth of the glory of God: that is to say, the perfections of God appear from it and are resplendent in it. It is like the sun, which is resplendent in the desert, upon the sea, in the trees, in the fruits and blossoms, and in all earthly things. The world, indeed each existing being, proclaims to us one of the names of God, but the reality of man is the collective reality, the general reality, and is the centre where the glory of all the perfections of God shine forth. That is to say, for each name, each attribute, each perfection which we affirm of God, there exists a sign in man; if it were otherwise, man could not imagine these perfections, and could not understand them. So we say that God is the seer, and the eye is the sign of His vision; if this sight were not in man, how could we imagine the vision of God? for the blind, that is one born blind, cannot imagine sight; and the deaf, that is one deaf from birth, cannot imagine hearing; and the dead1 cannot realize life. Consequently the Divinity of God, which is the sum of all perfections,
1i.e., the spiritually dead.
reflects itself in the reality of man; that is to say, the Essence of Oneness is the gathering of all perfections, and from this unity He casts a reflection upon the human reality. Man then is the perfect mirror facing the Sun of Truth, and is the centre of radiation: the Sun of Truth shines in this mirror. The reflection of the divine perfections appears in the reality of man, so he is the representative of God, the messenger of God. If man did not exist, the universe would be without result, for the object of existence is the appearance of the perfections of God.
Therefore it cannot be said there was a time when man was not. All that we can say is that this terrestrial globe at one time did not exist, and at its beginning man did not appear upon it. But from the beginning which has no beginning, to the end which has no end, a perfect manifestation always exists. This man of whom we speak is not every man; we mean the perfect man. For the noblest part of the tree is the fruit, which is the reason of its existence; if the tree had no fruit, it would have no meaning. Therefore it cannot be imagined that the worlds of existence, whether the stars or this earth, were once inhabited by the donkey, cow, mouse, and cat, and that they were without man! This supposition is false and meaningless. The word of God is clear as the sun. This is a spiritual proof, but one which we cannot at the beginning put forth for the benefit of the materialists; first we must speak of the logical proofs, afterwards the spiritual proofs.
————————
THE SPIRIT AND MIND OF MAN HAVE EXISTED FROM THE
BEGINNING
Question.—Does man in the beginning possess mind and spirit, or are they an outcome of his evolution?
Answer.—The beginning of the existence of man on the terrestrial globe resembles his formation in the womb of the mother. The embryo in the womb of the mother gradually grows and develops until birth, after which it continues to grow and develop until it reaches the age of discretion and maturity. Though in infancy the signs of the mind and spirit appear in man, they do not reach the degree of perfection; they are imperfect. Only when man attains maturity do the mind and the spirit appear and become evident in utmost perfection.
SO ALSO the formation of man in the
matrix of the world was in the beginning like
the embryo; then gradually he made progress
in perfectness, and grew and developed
until[Page 157]
he reached the state
of maturity, when the
mind and spirit became visible in the greatest
power. In the beginning of his formation the
mind and spirit also existed, but they were
hidden; later they were manifested. In the
womb of the world mind and spirit also existed
in the embryo, but they were concealed;
afterwards they appeared. So it is that in the
seed the tree exists, but it is hidden and
concealed; when it develops and grows, the
complete tree appears. In the same way the
growth and development of all beings is
gradual; this is the universal divine
organization, and the natural system. The seed
does not at once become a tree, the embryo
does not at once become a man, the mineral
does not suddenly become a stone. No,
they grow and develop gradually, and attain
the limit of perfection.
All beings, whether large or small, were created perfect and complete from the first, but their perfections appear in them by degrees. The organization of God is one: the evolution of existence is one: the divine system is one. Whether they be small or great beings, all are subject to one law and system. Each seed has in it from the first all the vegetable perfections. For example, in the seed all the vegetable perfections exist from the beginning, but not visibly; afterwards little by little they appear. So it is first the shoot which appears from the seed, then the branches, leaves, blossoms, and fruits; but from the beginning of its existence all these things are in the seed, potentially, though not apparently.
In the same way, the embryo possesses from the first all perfections, such as the spirit, the mind, the sight, the smell, the taste —in one word, all the powers—but they are not visible, and become so only by degrees.
Similarly, the terrestrial globe from the beginning was created with all its elements, substances, minerals, atoms, and organisms; but these only appeared by degrees: first the mineral, then the plant, afterwards the animal, and finally man. But from the first these kinds and species existed, but were undeveloped in the terrestrial globe, and then appeared only gradually. For the supreme organization of God, and the universal natural system, surrounds all beings, and all are subject to this rule. When you consider this universal system, you see that there is not one of the beings, which at its coming into existence has reached the limit of perfection. No, they gradually grow and develop, and then attain the degree of perfection.
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THE APPEARING OF THE SPIRIT IN THE BODY
Question.—What is the wisdom of the spirit’s appearing in the body?
Answer.—The wisdom of the appearance of the spirit in the body is this: the human spirit is a Divine Trust, and it must traverse all conditions; for its passage and movement through the conditions of existence will be the means of its acquiring perfections. So, when a man travels and passes through different regions and numerous countries with system and method, it is certainly a means of his acquiring perfection; for he will see places, scenes, and countries, from which he will discover the conditions and states of other nations. He will thus become acquainted with the geography of countries, and their wonders and arts; he will familiarize himself with the habits, customs, and usages of peoples; he will see the civilization and progress of the epoch; he will become aware of the policy of governments, and the power and capacity of each country. It is the same when the human spirit passes through the conditions of existence: it will become the possessor of each degree and station. Even in the condition of the body it will surely acquire perfections.
BESIDES this, it is necessary that the signs
of the perfection of the spirit should be
apparent in this world, so that the world of
creation may bring forth endless results, and
this body may receive life and manifest the
divine bounties. So, for example, the rays of
the sun must shine upon the earth, and the
solar heat develop the earthly beings; if the
rays and heat of the sun did not shine
upon[Page 158]
the earth, the earth
would be uninhabited,
without meaning, and its development would
be retarded. In the same way, if the
perfections of the spirit did not appear in this
world, this world would be unenlightened
and absolutely brutal. By the appearance of
the spirit in the physical form, this world is
enlightened. As the spirit of man is the cause
of the life of the body, so the world is in
the condition of the body, and man is in
the condition of the spirit. If there were no
man, the perfections of the spirit would not
appear, and the light of the mind would not
be resplendent in this world. This world
would be like a body without a soul.
This world is also in the condition of a fruit-tree, and man is like the fruit; without fruit the tree would be useless.
Moreover, these members, these elements, this composition, which are found in the organism of man, are an attraction and magnet for the spirit; it is certain that the spirit will appear in it. So, a mirror which is clear will certainly attract the rays of the sun. It will become luminous, and wonderful images will appear in it. That is to say, when these existing elements are gathered together according to the natural order, and with perfect strength, they become a magnet for the spirit, and the spirit will become manifest in them with all its perfections.
Under these conditions it cannot be said “what is the necessity for the rays of the sun to descend upon the mirror?”—for the connection which exists between the reality of things, whether they be spiritual or material, requires that when the mirror is clear and faces the sun, the light of the sun must become apparent in it. In the same way, when the elements are arranged and combined in the most glorious system, organization and manner, the human spirit will appear and be manifest in them. This is the decree of the Powerful, the Wise.
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THE RELATION BETWEEN GOD AND THE CREATURE
Question.—What is the nature of the connection between God and the creature, that is to say, between the Independent, the Most High, and the other beings?
Answer.—The connection between God and the creatures is that of the creator to the creation; it is like the connection between the sun and the dark bodies of contingent beings, and is the connection between the maker and the things that he has made. The sun in its own essence is independent of the bodies which it lights; for its light is in itself, and is free and independent of the terrestrial globe; so the earth is under the influence of the sun and receives its light, whereas the sun and its rays are entirely independent of the earth. But if there were no sun, the earth and all earthly beings could not exist.
THE dependence through the creatures upon God is a dependence of emanation: that is to say, creatures emanate from God, they do not manifest Him. The relation is that of emanation and not that of manifestation. The light of the sun emanates from the sun, it does not manifest it. The appearance through emanation is like the appearance of the rays from the luminary of the horizons of the world: that is to say, the holy essence of the Sun of Truth is not divided, and does not descend to the condition of the creatures. In the same way, the globe of the sun does not become divided and does not descend to the earth: no, the rays of the sun, which are its bounty, emanate from it, and illumine the dark bodies.
But the appearance through manifestation is the manifestation of the branches, leaves, blossoms and fruit from the seed; for the seed in its own essence becomes branches and fruits, and its reality enters into the branches, the leaves, and fruits. This appearance through manifestation would be for God the Most High, simple imperfection, and this is quite impossible; for the implication would be that the Absolute Pre-existent is qualified with phenomenal attributes; but if this were so, pure independence would become mere poverty, and true existence would become non-existence, and this is impossible.
Therefore all creatures emanate from God;
[Page 159]
that is to say, it is by
God that all things are
realized, and by Him that all beings have
attained to existence. The first thing which
emanated from God is that universal reality,
which the ancient philosophers termed the
"First Mind,” and which the people of Bahá
call the “First Will.” This emanation, in
that which concerns its action in the world
of God, is not limited by time or place; it is
without beginning or end; beginning and end
in relation to God are one. The pre-existence
of God is the pre—existence of essence, and also
pre-existence of time, and the phenomenality
of contingency is essential and not temporal,
as we have already explained one day at
table.
Though the “First Mind” is without beginning, it does not become a sharer in the pre-existence of God, for the existence of the universal reality in relation to the existence of God is nothingness, and it has not the power to become an associate of God and like unto Him in pre-existence. This subject has been before explained.
The existence of living things signifies composition, and their death decomposition. But universal matter and the elements do not become absolutely annihilated and destroyed: no, their non-existence is simply transformation. For instance, when man is annihilated he becomes dust, but he does not become absolutely non—existent; he still exists in the shape of dust; but transformation has taken place, and this composition is accidentally decomposed. The annihilation of the other beings is the same, for existence does not become absolute non-existence, and absolute non-existence does not become existence.
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ON THE PROCEEDING OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT FROM GOD
Question.—In the Bible it is said that God breathed the spirit into the body of man: What is the meaning of this verse?
Answer.—Know that proceeding is of two kinds: the proceeding and appearance through emanation, and the proceeding and appearance through manifestation. The proceeding through emanation is like the coming forth of the action from the actor, of the writing from the writer. Now the writing emanates from the writer, and the discourse emanates from the speaker, and in the same way the human spirit emanates from God. It is not that it manifests God—that is to say, no part has been detached from the Divine Reality to enter the body of man. No, as the discourse emanates from the speaker, the spirit appears in the body of man.
BUT the proceeding through manifestation is the manifestation of the reality of a thing in other forms: like the coming forth of this tree from the seed of the tree, or the coming forth of the flower from the seed of the flower; for it is the seed itself which appears in the form of the branches, leaves, and flowers. This is called the proceeding through manifestation. The spirits of men, with reference to God, have dependence through emanation; just as the discourse proceeds from the speaker and the writing from the writer; that is to say, the speaker himself does not become the discourse, nor does the writer himself become the writing; no, rather they have the proceeding of emanation. The speaker has perfect ability and power, and the discourse emanates from him, as the action does from the actor. The Real Speaker, the Essence of Unity, has always been in one condition, which neither changes nor alters, has neither transformation nor vicissitude. He is the Eternal, the Immortal. Therefore the proceeding of the human spirits from God is through emanation. When it is said in the Bible that God breathed His spirit into man, this spirit is that which, like the discourse, emanates from the Real Speaker, taking effect in the reality of man.
But the proceeding through manifestation
(if by this is meant the divine appearance,
and not division into parts), we have said, is
the proceeding and the appearance of the
Holy Spirit and the Word which is from God.
As it is said in the Gospel of John, “In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God”; then the Holy Spirit and the
Word are the appearance of God. The
Spirit[Page 160]
and the Word mean
the divine perfections
that appeared in the Reality of Christ, and
these perfections were with God; so the sun
manifests all its glory in the mirror. For
the Word does not signify the body of Christ;
no, but the divine perfections manifested in
him. For Christ was like a clear mirror which
was facing the Sun of Reality; and the
perfections of the Sun of Reality, that is to say
its light and heat, were visible and apparent
in this mirror. If we look into the mirror
we see the sun, and we say: it is the sun.
Therefore the Word and the Holy Spirit,
which signify the perfections of God, are the
divine appearance. This is the meaning of the
verse in the Gospel which says: “The Word
was with God, and the Word was God”;
for the divine perfections are not different
from the Essence of Oneness. The perfections
of Christ are called the Word, because
all the beings are in the condition of letters,
and one letter has not a complete meaning;
whilst the perfections of Christ have the
power of the word, because a complete meaning
can be inferred from a word. As the
Reality of Christ was the manifestation of
the divine perfections, therefore it was like
the word. Why? because he is the sum of
perfect meanings. This is why he is called
the Word.
And know that the proceeding of the Word and the Holy Spirit from God, which is the proceeding and appearance of manifestation, must not be understood to mean that the Reality of Divinity had been divided into parts, or multiplied, or that it had descended from the exaltation of holiness and purity. God forbid! If a pure, fine mirror faces the sun, the light and heat, the form and the image of the sun will be resplendent in it with such manifestation, that if a beholder says of the sun which is brilliant and visible in the mirror: “This is the sun,” it is true. Nevertheless the mirror is the mirror, and the sun is the sun. The One Sun, even if it appears in numerous mirrors, is one. This state is neither abiding nor entering, neither commingling nor descending; for entering, abiding, descending, issuing forth and commingling are the necessities and characteristics of bodies, not of spirits; then how much less do they belong to the sanctified and pure Reality of God. God is exempt from all that is not in accordance with His purity, and His exalted and sublime sanctity.
The Sun of Reality, as we have said, has always been in one condition; it has no change, no alteration, no transformation, and no vicissitude. It is eternal and everlasting. But the Holy Reality of the Word of God is in the condition of the pure, fine, and shining mirror; the heat, the light, the image and likeness, that is to say the perfections of the Sun of Reality, appear in it. That is why Christ says in the Gospel: “The Father is in the Son,” that is to say, the Sun of Reality appears in the mirror. Praise be to the One who shone upon this Holy Reality, who is sanctified among the beings!
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SOUL, SPIRIT, AND MIND
Question.—What is the difference between the mind, spirit, and soul?
Answer.—It has been before explained that spirit is universally divided into five categories: the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit, the human spirit, the spirit of faith, and the Holy Spirit.
THE vegetable spirit is the power of growth which is brought about in the seed through the influence of other existences. The animal spirit is the power of all the senses, which is realized from the composition and mingling of elements; when this composition decomposes, the power also perishes and becomes annihilated. It may be likened to this lamp: when the oil, wick, and fire are combined it is lighted, and when this combination is dissolved, that is to say when the combined parts are separated from one another, the lamp also is extinguished.
The human spirit which distinguishes man
from the animal is the rational soul; and these
two names--the human spirit and the rational
soul—-designate one thing. This spirit,
which in the terminology of the philosophers
is the rational soul, embraces all beings,
and[Page 161]
as far as human ability
permits discovers the
realities of things and becomes cognizant of
their peculiarities and effects, and of the
qualities and properties of beings. But the
human spirit, unless assisted by the spirit of
faith, does not become acquainted with the
divine secrets and the heavenly realities. It
is like a mirror which, although clear,
polished, and brilliant, is still in need of light.
Until a ray of the sun reflects upon it, it
cannot discover the heavenly secrets.
But the mind is the power of the human spirit. Spirit is the lamp; mind is the light which shines from the lamp. Spirit is the tree, and the mind is the fruit. Mind is the perfection of the spirit, and is its essential quality, as the sun’s rays are the essential necessity of the sun.
This explanation, though short, is complete; therefore reflect upon it, and if God wills, you may become acquainted with the details.
————————
THE PHYSICAL POWERS AND THE INTELLECTUAL POWERS
IN MAN five outer powers exist, which are the agents of perception, that is to say, through these five powers man perceives material beings. These are sight, which perceives visible forms; hearing, which perceives audible sounds; smell, which perceives odors; taste, which perceives foods; and feeling, which is in all parts of the body, and perceives tangible things. These five powers perceive outward existences.
Man has also spiritual powers: imagination, which conceives things; thought, which reflects upon realities; comprehension, which comprehends realities, memory, which retains whatever man imagines, thinks, and comprehends. The intermediary between the five outward powers and the inward powers, is the sense which they possess in common, that is to say, the sense which acts between the outer and inner powers, conveys to the inward powers whatever the outer powers discern. It is termed the common faculty, because it communicates between the outward and inward powers, and thus is common to the outward and inward powers.
For instance, sight is one of the outer powers; it sees and perceives this flower, and conveys this perception to the inner power—the common faculty—which transmits this perception to the power of imagination, which in its turn conceives and forms this image and transmits it to the power of thought; the power of thought reflects, and having grasped the reality, conveys it to the power of comprehension; the comprehension, when it has comprehended it, delivers the image of the object perceived to the memory, and the memory keeps it in its repository.
The outward powers are five: the power of sight, of hearing, of taste, of smell, and of feeling.
The inner powers are also five: the common faculty, and the powers of imagination, thought, comprehension, and memory.
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THE CAUSES OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THE CHARACTERS OF MEN
Question.—How many kinds of character has man? and what is the cause of the differences and varieties in men?
Answer.—He has the innate character, the inherited character, and the acquired character which is gained by education.
WITH regard to the innate character, although the divine creation is purely good, yet the varieties of natural qualities in man come from the difference of degree; all are excellent, but they are more or less so, according to the degree. So all mankind possess intelligence and capacities, but the intelligence, the capacity, and the worthiness of men differ. This is evident.
For example, take a number of children of
one family, of one place, of one school,
instructed by one teacher, reared on the same
food, in the same climate, with the same
clothing, and studying the same
lessons—it[Page 162]
is certain that
among these children some
will be clever in the sciences, some will be of
average ability, and some dull. Hence it is
clear that in the original nature there exists
a difference of degree, and varieties of
worthiness and capacity. This difference does not
imply good or evil, but is simply a difference
of degree. One has the highest degree, another
the medium degree, and another the
lowest degree. So man exists, the animal, the
plant, and the mineral exist also—but the
degrees of the four existences vary. What a
difference between the existence of man and
of the animal! Yet both are existences. It
is evident that in existence there are
differences of degrees.
The variety of inherited qualities comes from strength and weakness of constitution; that is to say, when the two parents are weak, the children will be weak; if they are strong, the children will be robust. In the same way, purity of blood has a great effect; for the pure germ is like the superior stock which exists in plants and animals. For example, you see that children born from a weak and feeble father and mother will naturally have a feeble constitution and weak nerves; they will be afflicted, and will have neither patience, nor endurance, nor resolution, nor perseverance, and will be hasty; for the children inherit the weakness and debility of their parents.
Besides this, an especial blessing is conferred on some families and some generations. Thus it is an especial blessing that from among the descendants of Abraham should have come all the Prophets of the children of Israel. This is a blessing that God has granted to this descent: to Moses from his father and mother, to Christ from his mother’s line; also to Muhammad and the Báb, and to all the Prophets and the Holy Manifestations of Israel.
Hence it is evident that inherited character also exists, and to such a degree that if the characters are not in conformity with their origin, although they belong physically to that lineage, spiritually they are not considered members of the family; like Canaan,1 who is not reckoned as being of the race of Noah. ———————— 1 Cf. Genesis ix. 25.
But the difference of the qualities with regard to culture is very great; for education has great influence. Through education the ignorant become learned, the cowardly become valiant; through cultivation the crooked branch becomes straight, the acid, bitter fruit of the mountains and woods becomes sweet and delicious, and the five-petalled flower becomes hundred-petalled. Through education savage nations become civilized, and even the animals become domesticated. Education must be considered as most important; for as diseases in the world of bodies are extremely contagious, so, in the same way, qualities of spirit and heart are extremely contagious. Education has a universal influence, and the differences caused by it are very great.
Perhaps some one will say, that since the capacity and worthiness of men differ, therefore the difference of capacity certainly causes the difference of characters.2
But this is not so; for capacity is of two kinds, natural capacity and acquired capacity. The first, which is the creation of God, is purely good—in the creation of God there is no evil; but the acquired capacity has become the cause of the appearance of evil. For example, God has created all men in such a manner, and has given them such a constitution and such capacities, that they are benefited by sugar and honey, and harmed and destroyed by poison. This nature and constitution is innate, and God has given it equally to all mankind. But man begins little by little to accustom himself to poison, by taking a small quantity each day, and gradually increasing it, until he reaches such a point that he cannot live without a gramme of opium every day. The natural capacities are thus completely perverted. Observe how much the natural capacity and constitution can be changed, until by different habits and training they become entirely perverted. One does not criticize vicious people because of their innate capacities and nature, but rather for their acquired capacities and nature.
In creation there is no evil; all is good. Certain qualities and natures innate in some men and apparently blameworthy are not so in reality. For example, from the beginning ———————— 2 i.e., therefore people cannot be blamed for their character.
[Page 163]
of his life you can see
in a nursing child the
signs of desire, of anger, and of temper.
Then, it may be said, good and evil are innate
in the reality of man, and this is contrary
to the pure goodness of nature and
creation. The answer to this is that desire,
which is to ask for something more, is a
praiseworthy quality provided that it is used
suitably. So, if a man has the desire to acquire
science and knowledge, or to become
compassionate, generous, and just, it is most
praiseworthy. If he exercises his anger and
wrath against the bloodthirsty tyrants who
are like ferocious beasts, it is very
praiseworthy; but if he does not use these qualities
in a right way, they are blameworthy.
Then it is evident that in creation and nature evil does not exist at all; but when the natural qualities of man are used in an unlawful way, they are blameworthy. So, if a rich and generous person gives a sum of money to a poor man for his own necessities, and if the poor man spends that sum of money on unlawful things, that will be blameworthy. It is the same with all the natural qualities of man, which constitute the capital of life; if they be used and displayed in an unlawful way, they become blameworthy. Therefore it is clear that creation is purely good. Consider that the worst of qualities and most odious of attributes, which is the foundation of all evil, is lying. No worse or more blameworthy quality than this can be imagined to exist; it is the destroyer of all human perfections, and the cause of innumerable vices. There is no worse characteristic than this; it is the foundation of all evils. Notwithstanding all this, if a doctor consoles a sick man by saying: “Thank God you are better, and there is hope of your recovery,” though these words are contrary to the truth, yet they may become the consolation of the patient and the turning—point of the illness. This is not blameworthy.
This question now clearly elucidated. Salutations!
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THE DEGREE OF KNOWLEDGE POSSESSED BY MAN, AND THE
DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS
Question.—Of what degree is the intelligence of the human world, and what are its limitations?
Answer.—Know that intelligence Varies; the lowest degree of intelligence is that of the animals, that is to say, the natural a feeling which appears through the powers of the senses, and which is called sensation. In this, men and animals are sharers; moreover, some animals with regard to the senses are more powerful than man. But in humanity, intelligence differs and varies in accordance with the different conditions of man.
THE first condition of intelligence in the world of nature is the intelligence of the rational soul. In this intelligence and in this power all men are sharers, whether they be neglectful or vigilant, believers or deniers. This human rational soul is God’s creation; it contains and excels other creatures; as it is more noble and distinguished, it contains things. The power of the rational soul can discover the realities of things, comprehend the peculiarities of beings, and penetrate the mysteries of existence. All sciences, knowledge, arts, wonders, institutions, discoveries, and enterprises, come from the exercised intelligence of the rational soul. There was a time when they were unknown, preserved mysteries, and hidden secrets; the rational soul gradually discovered them and brought them out from the plane of the invisible and the hidden, into the realm of the visible. This is the greatest power of intelligence in the world of nature, which in its highest flight and soaring comprehends the realities, the properties, and the effects of the contingent beings.
But the universal divine mind which is
beyond nature, is the bounty of the
Pre-existent Power. This universal mind is
divine; it embraces existing realities, and it
receives the light of the mysteries of God.
It is a conscious power, not a power of
investigation and of research. The intellectual
power of the world of nature is a power
of[Page 164]
investigation, and by
its researches it discovers the realities
of beings, and the properties
of existences; but the heavenly intellectual
power which is beyond nature, embraces
things and is cognizant of things, knows
them, understands them, is aware of mysteries,
realities, and divine significations, and
is the discoverer of the concealed verities of
the Kingdom. This divine intellectual power
is the special attribute of the Holy
Manifestations and the Dawning-places of
prophethood; a ray of this light falls upon the
mirrors of the hearts of the righteous, and
a portion and a share of this power comes
to them through the Holy Manifestations.
The Holy Manifestations have three conditions: one the physical condition; one, that of the rational soul; and one, that of the manifestation of perfection and of the lordly splendour. The body comprehends things according to the degree of its ability in the physical world, therefore in certain cases it shows physical weakness. For example: "I was sleeping and unconscious, the breeze of God passed over me and awoke me, and commanded me to proclaim the Word”; or when Christ in his thirtieth year was baptized, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him; before this, the Holy Spirit did not manifest itself in him. All these things refer to the bodily condition of the Manifestations; but their heavenly condition embraces all things, knows all mysteries, discovers all signs, and rules over all things; before as well as after their mission, it is the same. That is why Christ has said: "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”: that is to say, there has never been and never shall be any change and alteration in me.
————————
MAN’S KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Question.——To what extent can the understanding of man comprehend God?
Answer.—This subject requires ample time, and to explain it thus at table is not easy; nevertheless we will speak of it briefly.
KNOW that there are two kinds of knowledge: the knowledge of the essence of a thing, and the knowledge of its qualities. The essence of a thing is known through its qualities, otherwise it is unknown and hidden.
As our knowledge of things, even of created and limited things, is knowledge of their qualities and not of their essence, how is it possible to comprehend in its essence the Divine Reality, which is unlimited? For the substance of the essence of anything is not comprehended, but only its qualities. For example, the substance of the sun is unknown, but is understood by its qualities, which are heat and light. The substance of the essence of man is unknown and not evident, but by its qualities it is characterized and known. Thus everything is known by its qualities and not by its essence. Although the mind encompasses all things, and the outward beings are comprehended by it, nevertheless these beings with regard to their essence are unknown; they are only known with regard to their qualities.
Then how can the eternal everlasting Lord, who is held sanctified from comprehension and conception, be known by His essence? That is to say, as things can only be known by their qualities and not by their essence, it is certain that the Divine Reality is unknown with regard to its essence, and is known with regard to its attributes. Besides, how can the phenomenal reality embrace the Pre-existent Reality? For comprehension is the result of encompassing—embracing must be, so that comprehension may be—and the Essence of Unity surrounds all, and is not surrounded.
Also the difference of conditions in the
world of beings is an obstacle to
comprehension. For example: this mineral belongs to
the mineral kingdom; however far it may
rise, it can never comprehend the power of
growth. The plants, the trees, whatever
progress they may make, cannot conceive of
the power of sight or the powers of the other
senses; and the animal cannot imagine the
condition of man, that is to say, his spiritual
powers. Difference of condition is an obstacle
[Page 165]
to knowledge; the inferior
degree cannot comprehend the superior degree.
How then can the phenomenal reality comprehend the
Pre-existent Reality? Knowing God, therefore,
means the comprehension and the
knowledge of His attributes, and not of His
Reality. This knowledge of the attributes is
also proportioned to the capacity and power
of man; it is not absolute. Philosophy consists
in comprehending the reality of things
as they exist, according to the capacity and
the power of man. For the phenomenal reality
can comprehend the Pre—existent attributes
only to the extent of the human capacity.
The mystery of Divinity is sanctified and
purified from the comprehension of
the beings, for all that comes to the
imagination is that which man understands, and the
power of the understanding of man does not
embrace the Reality of the Divine Essence.
All that man is able to understand are the
attributes of Divinity, the radiance of
which appears and is visible in worlds and
souls.
When we look at the worlds and the souls, we see wonderful signs of the divine perfections, which are clear and apparent; for the reality of things proves the Universal Reality. The Reality of Divinity may be compared to the sun, which from the height of its magnificence shines upon all the horizons, and each horizon, and each soul, receives a share of its radiance. If this light and these rays did not exist, beings would not exist; all beings express something, and partake of some ray and portion of this light. The splendours of the perfections, bounties, and attributes of God shine forth and radiate from the reality of the Perfect Man, that is to say the Unique One, the universal Manifestation of God. Other beings receive only one ray, but the universal Manifestation is the mirror for this Sun, which appears and becomes manifest in it, with all its perfections, attributes, signs, and wonders.
The knowledge of the Reality of the Divinity is impossible and unattainable, but the knowledge of the Manifestations of God is the knowledge of God, for the bounties, splendours, and divine attributes are apparent in them. Therefore if man attains to the knowledge of the Manifestations of God, he will attain to the knowledge of God; and if he be neglectful of the knowledge of the Holy Manifestation, he will be bereft of the knowledge of God. It is then ascertained and proved that the Holy Manifestations are the center of the bounty, signs, and perfections of God. Blessed are those who receive the light of the divine bounties from the enlightened Dawning—points!
We hope that the Friends of God, like an attractive force, will draw these bounties from the source itself, and that they will arise with such illumination and signs that they will be evident proofs of the Sun of Reality.
————————
THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SPIRIT—(I)
HAVING shown that the spirit of man exists, we must prove its immortality.
The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds. Firstly, the rewards and punishments of this life; secondly, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these rewards is the gaining of eternal life. That is why Christ said, “Act in such a way that you may find eternal life, and that you may be born of water and the spirit, so that you may enter into the Kingdom ”
The rewards of this life are the virtues
and perfections which adorn the reality of
man. For example, he was dark and becomes
luminous, he was ignorant and becomes wise,
he was neglectful and becomes vigilant, he
was asleep and becomes awakened, he was
dead and becomes living, he was blind and
becomes a seer, he was deaf and becomes a
hearer, he was earthly and becomes heavenly,
he was material and becomes spiritual.
Through these rewards he gains spiritual
birth, and becomes a new creature. He
becomes the manifestation of the verse
in the[Page 166]
Gospel where it
is said of the disciples that
they were born not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God;1 that is to say, they were
delivered from the animal characteristics
and qualities which are the characteristics
of human nature, and they became qualified
with the divine
characteristics, which are the bounty of
God; this is the meaning of the second birth.
For such people there is no greater torture
than being veiled from God, and no more
severe punishment than sensual vices, dark
qualities, lowness of nature, engrossment in
carnal desires. When they are delivered
through the light of faith from the darkness
of these vices, and become illuminated
with the radiance of the sun of reality, and
ennobled with all the virtues, they esteem
this the greatest reward, and they know it to
be the true paradise. In the same way they
consider that the spiritual punishment, that
is to say the torture and punishment of
existence, is to be subjected to the world of
nature, to be veiled from God, to be brutal
and ignorant, to fall into carnal lusts, to be
absorbed in animal frailties; to be
characterized with dark qualities, such as
falsehood, tyranny, cruelty, attachment
to the affairs of the world, and being
immersed in satanic
ideas; for them, these are the greatest
punishments and tortures.
Likewise the rewards of the other world are the eternal life which is clearly mentioned in all the Holy Books, the divine perfections, the eternal bounties, and everlasting felicity. The rewards of the other world are the perfections and the peace obtained in the spiritual worlds after leaving this world; whilst the rewards of this life are the real luminous perfections which are realized in this world, and which are the cause of eternal life, for they are the very progress of existence. It is like the man who passes from the embryonic world to the state of maturity, and becomes the manifestation of these words: “Blessed be God, the best of Creators.” The rewards of the other world are peace, the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and the soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity. In the same way the ———————— 1 John i. 13.
punishments of the other world, that is to say, the torments of the other world, consist in being deprived of the special divine blessings and the absolute bounties, and falling into the lowest degrees of existence. He who is deprived of these divine favors, although he continues after death, is considered as dead by the people of truth.
The logical proof of the immortality of the spirit is this, that no sign can come from a non-existing thing; that is to say, it is impossible that from absolute non-existence signs should appear, for the signs are the consequence of an existence, and the consequence depends upon the existence of the principle. So, from a non-existing sun no light can radiate, from a non-existing sea no waves appear, from a non-existing cloud no rain falls; a non-existing tree yields no fruit; a non-existing man neither manifests nor produces anything. Therefore as long as signs of existence appear, they are a proof that the possessor of the sign is existent. Consider that today the Kingdom of Christ exists: from a non-existing king how could such a great kingdom be manifested? How, from a non-existing sea, can the waves mount so high? From a non-existing garden, how can such fragrant breezes be wafted? Reflect that no effect, no trace, no influence remains of any being after its members are dispersed and its elements are decomposed, whether it be a mineral, a vegetable, or an animal. There is only the human reality and the spirit of man which, after the disintegration of the members, dispersing of the particles, and the destruction of the composition, persists, and continue to act and to have power.
This question is extremely subtle: consider it attentively. This is a rational proof which we are giving, so that the wise may weigh it in the balance of reason and justice. But if the human spirit will rejoice and be attracted to the Kingdom of God, if the inner sight becomes opened, and the spiritual hearing strengthened, and the spiritual feelings predominant, he will see the immortality of the spirit as clearly as he sees the sun, and the glad tidings and signs of God will encompass him.
THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SPIRIT—(II)
YESTERDAY we were occupied in discussing the immortality of the spirit. Know that the power and the comprehension of the human spirit are of two kinds: that is to say, they perceive and act in two different modes. One way is through instruments and organs: thus with this eye it sees, with this ear it hears, with this tongue it talks. Such is the action of the spirit, and the perception of the reality of man, by means of organs. That is to say, that the spirit is the seer, through the eyes; the spirit is the hearer, through the ear; the spirit is the speaker, through the tongue.
The other manifestation of the powers and actions of the spirit is without instruments and organs. For example, in the state of sleep without eyes it sees, without an ear it hears, without a togue it speaks, without feet it runs. Briefly, these actions are beyond the means of instruments and organs. How often it happens that it sees a dream in the world of sleep, and its signification becomes apparent two years afterwards in corresponding events. In the same way, how many times it happens that a question which one cannot solve in the world of wakefulness, is solved in the world of dreams. In wakefulness the eye sees only for a short distance, but in dreams he who is in the East sees the West: awake he sees the present, in sleep he sees the future. In wakefulness, by means of rapid transit, at the most he can travel only twenty farsakhs1 an hour; in sleep, in the twinkling of an eye, he traverses the East and West. For the spirit travels in two different ways: without means, which is spiritual travelling; and with means, which is material travelling: as birds which fly, and those which are carried.
In the time of sleep this body is as though dead; it does not see nor hear, it does not feel, it has no consciousness, no perception: that is to say, the powers of man have become inactive, but the spirit lives and subsists. Nay, its penetration is increased, its flight is higher, and its intelligence is greater. To consider that after the death of the body the spirit perishes, is like imagining that a bird in a cage will be destroyed if the cage is ———————— 1 One farsakh is equivalent to about four miles.
broken, though the bird has nothing to fear from the destruction of the cage. Our body is like the cage, and the spirit is like the bird. We see that without the cage this bird flies in the world of sleep; therefore if the cage becomes broken, the bird will continue and exist: its feelings will be even more powerful, its perceptions greater, and its happiness increased. In truth, from hell it reaches a paradise of delights, because for the thankful birds there is no paradise greater than freedom from the cage. That is why with utmost joy and happiness the martyrs hasten to the plain of sacrifice.
In wakefulness the eye of man sees at the utmost as far as one hour of distance,2 because through the instrumentality of the body the power of the spirit is thus determined; but with the inner sight and the mental eye it sees America, and it can perceive that which is there, and discover the conditions of things and organize affairs. If, then, the spirit were the same as the body, it would be necessary that the power of the inner sight should also be in the same proportion. Therefore it is evident that this spirit is different from the body, and that the bird is different from the cage, and that the power and penetration of the spirit is stronger without the intermediary of the body. Now, if the instrument is abandoned, the possessor of the instrument continues to act. For example, if the pen is abandoned or broken, the writer remains living and present; if a house is ruined, the owner is alive and existing. This is one of the logical evidences for the immortality of the soul.
There is another: this body becomes weak, or heavy, or sick, or it finds health; it becomes tired or rested; sometimes the hand or leg is amputated, or its physical power is crippled; it becomes blind or deaf or dumb; its limbs may become paralyzed; briefly, the body many have all the imperfections. Nevertheless, the spirit in its original state, in its own spiritual perception, will be eternal and perpetual; it neither finds any imperfection nor will it become crippled. But when the body is wholly subjected to disease and ———————— 2 It is a Persian custom to reckon distance by time.
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misfortune, it is deprived
of the bounty of
the spirit; like a mirror which, when it
becomes broken, or dirty, or dusty, cannot
reflect the rays of the sun, nor any longer
show its bounties.
We have already explained that the spirit of man is not in the body, because it is freed and sanctified from entrance and exit, which are bodily conditions. The connection of the spirit with the body is like that of the sun with the mirror. Briefly, the human spirit is in one condition; it neither becomes ill from the diseases of the body, nor cured by its health; it does not become sick, nor weak, nor miserable, nor poor, nor light, nor small. That is to say, it will not be injured because of the infirmities of the body, and no effect will be visible even if the body becomes weak or if the hands and feet and tongue be cut off, or if it loses the power of hearing or sight. Therefore it is evident and certain that the spirit is different from the body, and that its duration is independent of that of the body; on the contrary, the spirit with the utmost greatness rules in the world of the body, and its power and influence, like the bounty of the sun in the mirror, are apparent and visible. But when the mirror becomes dusty or breaks, it will cease to reflect the rays of the sun.
