Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SUFISM
OR THEOSOPHY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MOHAMMEDANISM.
1 2
The Work entitled “The Acts of the Adepts,” by A Godhra is the counterpane of shreds the Faqirs
Shemsu — D — Din Ahmed, El Eflaki has been use to lie down upon, and throw over their
reserved for our second part: Symbols. shoulders.
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 11
zali,) surnamed Hujjatu 'l-Islam ("the proof things, that have been, and that will be and
of Islam"). He was born at Tus A.D. 1058 the things that escape both the senses and
and died A.D, 1111. — reason. This state is Freedom."
The following are his own words: "I AL GAZZALI: ALCHEMY OF
said to myself, the aim of my life is simply HAPPINESS.
to know the truth of things; therefore I
must ascertain what knowledge is. * * I CHAP. I. On the knowledge of the soul,
then said to myself ‘the only hope of ac- and how knowledge of the soul is the key
quiring incontestable convictions is by the to the knowledge of God.
perceptions of the senses and by necessary
O seeker after the divine mysteries!
truths.’ Their evidence seemed to me to be
Know thou that the door to the knowledge
indubitable. I soon began to examine the
of God will be opened to a man first of all,
objects of sensation and speculation to see
when he knows his own soul, and under-
if they were beyond doubt and doubts
stands the truth about his own spirit, ac-
crowded in upon me, that my incertitude
cording as it has been revealed, "he who
became complete. * * I abandoned the
knows himself knows his Lord also."
senses, therefore, having seen all my con-
fidence in their truth shaken. * * * Per- If you wish, O seeker of the way: to
haps, said I, there is no assurance but in the know your own soul, know that the blessed
notions of reason, viz., in first principles. * and glorious God created you of two
* * Upon this the senses replied: "What things: the one is a visible body, and the
assurance have you that your confidence in other is a something internal, that is called
reason is not of the same nature as your spirit and heart, which can only be per-
confidence in us? May there not be some ceived by the mind. But when we speak of
other judge superior to reason? The non- the heart, we do not mean the piece of
appearance of such a judge is no proof of flesh which is in the left side of the breast
his non-existence. * * * I came to re- of man, for that is found in a dead body
flect on sleep, how during sleep we give to and in animals: it may be seen with the
visions, reality and consistence, and have eyes, and belongs to the visible world.
no suspicion of their untruth. On awaking That heart, which is emphatically called
we see they were nothing but visions. spirit, does not belong to this world, and
What assurance have we that all we feel although it has come to this world, it has
and see and know when we are awake does only come to leave it. It is the sovereign of
actually exist?" the body, which is its vehicle, and all the
external and internal organs of the body
Al Gazzali had now come to disbe-
are its subjects. Its special attribute is to
lief and distrust of the world of sense. He
know God and to enjoy the vision of the
gave his wealth away, left Bagdad and
Beauty of the Lord God. — They will ask
retired into Syria, to the desert, where he
you about the spirit. Answer, "The spirit is
spent two years in solitary struggle, com-
a creation by decree of the Lord. The spirit
bating his passions, purified his heart and
belongs to the world of decrees. All exis-
prepared for another world. He attained
tence is of two kinds, one is of the world of
freedom. Afterwards he said : "The life decrees, and the other is of the world of
of man passes through three degrees. The creation. To Him belong creation and de-
first or infantile state is that of pure sensa- cree."
tion; the second is that of understanding,
and the third that of reason, where the in- — That spirit, which has the prop-
tellect perceives the necessary truths, &c. erty of knowing God is called the heart; it
But there is a fourth state, beyond these is not found in beasts, nor is it matter or an
three, in which man perceives the hidden accident. The heart has been created with
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 12
angelic qualities. It is a substance of is also of two kinds. The first is external
which it is difficult to apprehend the es- knowledge, which everyone understands:
sence. The law does not permit it to be the second kind is veiled and cannot be
explained, but there is no occasion for the understood by all, and is extremely pre-
student being acquainted with it at the out- cious.
set of his journey.
— In the second, by the power of
— Know, O seeker after the divine thought, the soul passes from the abyss to
mysteries! that the body is the kingdom of the highest heaven, and from the East to
the heart, and that in the body there are the West.
many forces in contrariety with the heart,
as God speaks in his Holy Word. The most wonderful thing of all is,
that there is a window in the heart from
— Know, O student of wisdom! that whence it surveys the world. This is called
the body, which is the kingdom of the the invisible world, the world of intelli-
heart, resembles a great city. The hand, gence, or the spiritual world.
the foot, the mouth and the other members
resemble the people of the various trades. — The heart resembles a pure mir-
Desire is a standard bearer; anger is a su- ror, you must know, in this particular, that
perintendent of the city, the heart is its when a man falls asleep, when his senses
sovereign, and reason is the vizier, The are closed, and when the heart, free and
sovereign needs the service of all the in- pure from blamable affections, is con-
habitants. But desire, the standard bearer, fronted with the preserved tablet, then the
is a liar, vain and ambitious. He is always tablet reflects upon the heart the real states
ready to do the contrary of what reason, and hidden forms inscribed upon it. In that
the vizier, commands. He strives to ap- state the heart sees most wonderful forms
propriate to himself whatever he sees in and combinations. But when the heart is
the city, which is the body. Anger, the not free from impurity, or when, on wak-
superintendent, is rebellious and corrupt, ing, it busies itself with things of sense, the
quick and passionate. He is always ready side towards the tablet will be obscured,
to be enraged, to spill blood, and to blast and it can view nothing. For, although in
one's reputation. If the sovereign, the sleep the senses are blunted, the image-
heart, should invariably consult with rea- making faculty is not, but preserves the
son, his vizier, and, when desire was trans- forms reflected upon the mirror of the
gressing, should give to wrath to have heart.
power over him (yet, without giving him
— In death, the senses are com-
full liberty, should make him angry in sub-
pletely separated and the veil of the body is
jection to reason, the vizier, so that passing
removed, the heart can contemplate the
all bounds he should not stretch out his
invisible world and its hidden mysteries,
hand upon the kingdom), there would then
without a veil, just as lightning or the ce-
be an equilibrium in the condition of the
lestial rays impress the external eye.
kingdom, and all the members would per-
form the functions for which they were — If a person calls into exercise, in
created, their service would be accepted at perfection, holy zeal and austerities, and
the mercy seat, and they would obtain purifies his heart from the defilement of
eternal felicity. blamable affections, and then sits down in
a retired spot, abandons the use of his ex-
The dignity of the heart is of two
ternal senses, and occupies himself with
kinds; one is by means of knowledge, and
calling out "O God! O God!" his heart will
the other through the exertion of divine
come into harmony with the visible world,
power. Its dignity by means of knowledge
he will no longer receive notices from the
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 13
material world, and nothing will be present — You have now learned, O student
in his heart but the exalted God. In this of the divine mysteries, the dignity of the
revelation of the invisible world, the win- heart through knowledge. '
dows of the heart are opened, and what
others may have seen in a dream, he in this — Now listen to the heart's dignity
state sees in reality. The spirits of angels through divine power and the greatness of
and prophets are manifested to him and he which it is capable.
holds intercourse with them. The hidden
— When God wills it, the angels
things of the earth and heaven are uncov-
send forth the winds, cause the rain to fall,
ered to him. * * * Probably the
bring forth the embryo in animals, shape
knowledge of all the prophets was obtained
their forms, cause seeds to sprout in the
in this way, for it was not obtained by
earth and plants to grow, many legions of
learning.
angels being appointed to this service. The
— When the heart is free from heart of man, being created with angelic
worldly lusts, from the animosities of soci- properties must also have influence and
ety and from distractions by the senses, the power over the material world; * * *
vision of God is possible. And this course and if the animal and ferocious qualities
is adopted by the Mystics. It is also the should not be dominant, if it should look
path followed by the prophets. upon a lion or tiger with "majesty" they
would become weak and submissive. If it
— The heart of man while in the should look with kindness upon one who is
spiritual world knows its Maker and Crea- sick, his infirmity might be changed to
tor; it had mingled with the angels and health. If it should look upon the vigorous
knows for what service it was created. with majesty, they might become infirm.
The reality of the existence of these influ-
— To whomsoever this revelation ences is known both by reason and experi-
has been vouchsafed, if it directs him to ence.
reform the world, to invite the nations to
turn to God, and to a peculiar way of life, — I whomsoever these influences
that person is called a prophet, and his way are shown to have power, if he occasions
of life is called a law; and that influence misery in the exercise of this power, he is
which proceeds from him, which tran- designated a sorcerer.
scends what is ordinary, is called a mira-
cle. If he has not been appointed to invite — The heart has dominion and con-
nations, but worships in accordance with trol through three channels. One is
the law of another, he is called a saint, and through visions; — the second is through
that which proceeds from him, which tran- the dominion which the heart exercises
scends what is ordinary, is called a mani- over its own body; — the third source of
festation of grace. dominion of the heart is through knowl-
edge. — Some persons have all things
— The knowledge of God, which is opened up to them by the will of God.
the occasion of the revelation of truth, can- This kind of knowledge is called "infused
not be acquired without self-denial and and illuminated" as God says in his Word:
effort. Unless a man has reached perfec- "we have illuminated him with our knowl-
tion and the rank of a Superior, nothing edge." These three specialties are all of
will be revealed to him, except in cases of them found in certain measure in some
special divine grace and merciful provi- men, in others two of them are found, and
dence, and this occurs very rarely. in others, only one is found: but whenever
the three are found in the same person, he
belongs to the rank of prophets or of the
greatest of the saints. Man cannot com-
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 14
prehend states of being which transcend — The world will be brought to the
his own nature. No person can understand great assembly at the last day, in the form
any individual who belongs to a scale of of a woman with livid eyes, pendent lips,
rank above him. and deformed shape, and all the people
will look upon her, and will exclaim," what
— The path of mysticism is sought deformed and horrible person is that,
for by all men, and longed for by all whose aspect alone is severe torture to the
classes of society, yet those who attain to soul." And they will be answered, "It was
the end arc exceedingly rare. on her account that you were envying and
hating one another, and were ready to slay
— The body is but an animal to be
one another. It was on her account that
ridden by the heart, which is it rider, while
you rebelled against God, and debased
the heart's chief end is to acquire a knowl-
yourselves to every sort of corruption."
edge of God.
And then God will order her to be driven off
CHAP. II. On the knowledge of God. to hell with her followers and her lovers.1'
— In the books of former prophets it The Lord Jesus (upon whom be
is written, "Know thine own soul, and thou peace!) declares that the world is like the
shalt know thy Lord," and we have re- man who drinks sea water. The more he
ceived it in a tradition, that "He who drinks, the more his internal heat increases,
knows himself, already knows his Lord." and unless he stops, he will destroy himself
by drinking.
— Everyone in the sphere to which
he attains, is still veiled with a veil. The CHAP. IV. On the knowledge of the future
light of some is as of a twinkling star. Oth- world.
ers see as by the light of the moon. Others
— Know, beloved, that we cannot
are illuminated as if by the world-effulgent
understand the future world, until we know
sun. To some the invisible world is even
what death is: and we cannot know what
perfectly revealed, as we hear in the holy
death is, until we know what life is: nor
word of God: "And thus we caused Abra-
can we understand what life is, until we
ham to see the heaven and the earth." And
know what spirit is.
hence it is that the prophet says: "There
are before God seventy veils of light; if he — The following is an illustration of
should unveil them, the light of His coun- the duration of eternity, so far as the hu-
tenance would burn everything that came man mind can comprehend it. If the space
into His presence." between the empyreal heaven to the re-
gions below the earth, embracing the
CHAP. III. On the knowledge of the world.
whole universe, should be filled up with
— Know, that this world is one stage grains of mustard seed, and if a crow
of our life for eternity. For those who are should make use of them as food and come
journeying in the right way, it is the road but once in a thousand years and take but a
of religion. It is a market opened in the single grain away, so that with the lapse of
wilderness, where those who are travelling time there should not remain a single grain,
on their way to God, may collect and pre- still at the end of that time not the amount
pare provisions for their journey, and de- of a grain of mustard seed would have
part thence to God, without sorrow or de- been diminished from the duration of eter-
spondency. nity.
— The world is delusive, enchanting AL GAZZALI ON PRAYER.
and treacherous.
1
Comp. the mediaeval conception “Lady World.”
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 15
— Prayers are of three degrees, of finding Him, when the "absorption" takes
which the first are those that are simply place. This is, at first, momentary, as the
spoken with the lips. Prayers are of the lightening swiftly glancing upon the eye.
second kind, when with difficulty, and But afterwards confirmed by use, it intro-
only by a most resolute effort, the soul is duces the soul into a higher world, where
able to fix its thoughts on Divine things the most pure, essential essence meeting it,
without being disturbed by evil imagina- fills the soul with the image of the spiritual
tions; of the third kind, when one finds it world, while the majesty of deity evolves
difficult to turn away the mind from dwell- and discovers itself"
ing on Divine things. But it is the very
marrow of prayer, when He who is in- Omar Khayyam (Ghias uddin Abul
voked takes possession of the soul of the Fath Omar ibn Ibrahim At Khayyam) was
suppliant, and the soul of him who prays is born in Khorassan" the focus of Persian
absorbed into God to whom he prays, and culture" and is supposed to have died A. D.
his prayer ceasing, all consciousness of 1123.
self has departed, and to such a degree, that
He was not affiliated with any Sufi
all thought whatsoever of the praying is
order, but large parts of his works are full
felt as a veil betwixt the soul and God.
of true Sufi philosophy and are recognized
This state is called by the Mystics "absorp-
as such.
tion," for the reason that the man is so ab-
sorbed, that he takes no thought of his The first part of the following quota-
body, or of anything that happens exter- tions are taken from the translation by E.
nally, none of what occurs in his own soul, H. Whinfield in Trübner's Oriental Series.
but, absent as it were from all such matter The second part is extracted from B. Quar-
whatsoever, is first engaged in going to- ritch's ed. 1879.
wards his Lord, and finally is wholly in his
Lord. If only the thought occurs that he is Motto: There is a mystery I know full well,
Which to all, good and bad, I cannot tell ;
absorbed into the Absolute, it is a blemish;
My works are dark, but I cannot unfold
for that absorption only is worthy of the The secrets of the "station " where I dwell.
name which is unconscious of itself. And
these words of mine, although they will be (66) — to attain unconsciousness of self
called, as 1 well know, but foolish bab- Is the sole cause I drink me drunk with
wine. —
bling by raw theologians, are
(108) They preach how sweet those Houri brides
will be,
yet by no means without signifi- But I say wine is sweeter — taste and see! —
cance. For consider, the condition of which (120) Ten powers, and nine spheres, eight heavens
1 speak, resembles that of a person who made He,
loves any other object, as wealth, honor, or And planets seven, of six sides, as we see,
pleasure. We see such persons so carried Five senses, and four elements, three souls,
Two worlds, but only one, O man, like thee.
away with their love, and others with an- (124) What lord is fit to rule but "Truth ?" not
ger, that they do not hear one who speaks one.
to them, nor see those passing before their What beings disobey His rule? not one. —
eyes; nay, so absorbed are they in their (131) Thy being is the being of Another,
passion, that they do not perceive their Thy passion is the passion of Another.
Cover thy head, and think, and (then wilt
absorption. just so far as you turn your see,
mind upon your absorption, you necessar- Thy hand is but the cover of Another. —
ily turn it away from that which is the ob- (148) Allah hath promised wine in Paradise,
ject of it." Why then should wine on earth be deemed a
vice? —
Again he says: "The commencement (225) When the fair soul this mansion doth vacate,
of this is the going to God, then follows the Each element assumes its principal state, —
(266) They go away, and none is seen returning,
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 16
To teach that other world's recondite learn- Nor rolling Heaven, with all his Signs
ing; reveal'd
'Twill not be shown for dull mechanic And hidden by the sleeve of Night and
prayers, Morn.
For prayer is naught without true heartfelt (34) Then of the Thee in Me who works behind
yearning. — The Veil, I lifted up my hands to find
(285) Life's fount is wine, Khizcr1 its guardian A Lamp amid the Darkness; and 1 heard,
I, like Elias,2 find it where I can; As from Without — "The Me Within Thee
Tis sustenance for heart and spirit too, Blind!" —
Allah himself calls wine "a boon to man." — (35) Then to the Lip of this poor earthern Urn
(340) Man is the whole creation's summary, I lean'd, the Secret of my Life to learn
The precious apple of great wisdom's eye; And Lip to Lip it murmar'd — "While you
The circle of existence is a ring, live,
Whereof the signet is humanity. — Drink ! — for once dead, you never shall
(351) The more I die to self, I live the more, return." —
The more abase myself, the higher soar; (36) I think the Vessel, that with fugitive
And, strange! the more I drink of Being's Articulation answered, once did live,
wine, And drink; and Ah! the passive lip I kiss'd.
More sane I grow, and sober than before! — How many kisses might it take — and give!5 —
(369) This world a body is, and God its soul, (44) Why, if the Soul can fling the dust aside,
And angels are its senses, who control And naked on the Air of Heaven ride,
Its limbs — the creatures, elements, and Wer't not a Shame — wer’t not a Shame for him
spheres; In this clay carcase crippled to abide? —
The One is the sole basis of the whole. —
(376) Some look for truth in creeds, and forms, (50-52)
and rules; A Hair perhaps divides the False and True;
Some grope for doubts or dogmas in the Yes; and a single Alif were the clue —
schools; Could you but find it — to the Treasure-house.
But from behind the veil a voice proclaims, And peradventure to The Master too.
"Your road lies neither here nor there, O Whose secret Presence * * *
* * * eludes your pains ;
fools." —
Taking all shapes * * * ; and
(400) My body's life and strength proceed from
They change and perish all-but He remains.
Thee! A moment guess'd — then back behind the Fold
My soul within and spirit are of Thee Immerst of darkness * * *
My being is of Thee, and Thou art mine,
And I am Thine, since I am lost in Thee! — (55-56) You know, my Friends, * * *
I made a Second Marriage in my house;
Divorced old barren Reason from
(31) Up from Earth's Centre through the Seventh my Bed,
Gate And took the Daughter of the Vine to
I rose, and on the Throne of Saturn3 sate, spouse. —
And many a Knot unravel'd by the Road; For "Is" and "Is-not" though with Rule
But not the Master-knot of Human Fate. — and line,
(32) There was the Door to which I found no And "Up-and-Down" by Logic I define,
Key; Of all that one should care to fathom,
There was the Veil through which I might I
not see: Was never deep in anything but — Wine —
Some little talk awhile of Me and Thee
There was — and then no more of Thee and (66-67) I sent my Soul through the Invisible,
Me.4 — Some letter of that After-life to spell
(33) Earth could not answer; nor the Seas that And by and by my Soul returned to me,
mourn And answer'd: "I myself am Heav'n and
In flowing Purple, of their Lord forlorn;
5
The following is told, and attributed to Attar:
A thirsty traveller (dips his hand into a spring of
1
Khizer, the “Green Old Man” is the guardian of water to drink from. Another comes likewise to
“the fountain of life” and the type of the self drink and leaves his earthen bowl behind him. The
first traveller takes it up for another draught and is
sustaining power of Deity. surprised to find the same water bitter when drank
2 from the earthen cup. But a voice from heaven
Quran II. 216, Elias discovered the water of life.
3 tells him the clay from which the bowl is made was
Saturn is lord of the seventh heaven. once Man; and, into whatever shape renewed, can
4
No more individual existence. never lose the bitter flavor of mortality.
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 17
Hell;" Who, on the morning of his journey,
Heav'n but the Vision of fnlfill'd Desire
And Hell the shadow from a Soul on fire
is still indulging in sweet sleep.
Cast on the Darkness into which — They asked Lockman, the wise,
Ourselves,
So late emerg'd from, shall so soon expire.
from whence he learnt wisdom. He an-
swered: "From the blind; for till they have
* * * the Banquet is ended ! tried the ground, they plant not the foot."
FARIDU 'D-DIN SHAKRGUNJ (about A.D. 1200)
— The world, O my brother, abideth
Man, what thou art is hidden from thyself, with no one.
Know'st not that morning, midday, and the eve
Are all within Thee? The ninth heaven art Thou, — Ask the inhabitants of Hell, they
And from the sphere into the roar of time will tell you it is Paradise.
Didst fall ere-while, Thou art the brush that painted
The hues of all the world — the light of life — The sons of Adam are limbs of
That ranged its glory in the nothingness. one another, for in their creation they are
Joy! Joy! I triumph now; no more I know formed of one substance.
Myself as simply me. I burn with love.
The centre is within me, and its wonder When Fortune bringeth affliction to a
Lies as a circle everywhere about me. single member, not one of the rest re-
Joy! Joy! No mortal thought can fathom me. maineth without disturbance.
I am the merchant and the pearl at once.
Lo! time and space lay crouching at my feet. — Know that from God is the differ-
Joy! Joy! When I would revel in a rapture, ence of enemy and friend, for the hearts of
I plunge into myself, and all things know. both are alike in His keeping.
Saadi (Shaikh-Muslah-ud-Din Saadi) — So long as thou art able, crush not
was born at Shiraz, the capital of Persia, a single heart, for a sigh has power to over-
A. D. 1176. turn a world.
— Not a word can be said, even in
He thus characterizes his life and his
studies: "I have wandered to various, re- child's play, from which an intelligent per-
gions of the world, and everywhere have I son may not gather instruction ; but if a
mixed freely with the inhabitants; I have hundred chapters of wisdom were read in
gathered something in each corner; I have the hearing of a fool, to his ears it would
gleaned an ear from every harvest." The sound as nothing but child's play.
divan of Saadi is by his countrymen reck- — Yesternight, towards morning, a
oned to be the true Salt mine of poets. warbling bird stole away my reason, my
Jami calls him "the nightingale of the patience, my strength, and my understand-
groves of Shiraz." ing. My exclamations, by chance, reached
the ear of a most intimate friend. "Never,"
We would call him the moral phi- he said "could I believe that the voice of a
losopher of Sufism. His writings do not bird should have such a power to disturb
contain much metaphysics. thy intellect!" — "It is not," I replied, "be-
fitting the condition of man, that a bird
SAADIS' GULISTAN (or ROSE GARDEN): should be reciting its hymn of praise, and
MOTTO: The Rose may continue to bloom five or that I should be silent."
six days; — One day the Prophet said to Abu
But my Rose garden is fragrant for ever.
Huraizah: "Do not come every day, that
— Shame on the m an * * our friendship may increase."
Who, when the drum soundeth for A holy man has said: "With all the
departure, hath not made up his burden; beauty which attends the sun, I have never
heard that anyone has taken him for a
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 18
friend, except in winter, when he is veiled, But the Lord of the sky and the earth's rugged skin,
On none shuts the door of subsistence for sin,
and therefore is loved. Like a drop in the ocean of knowledge are seen
Both His worlds, and the faults, He sees, kindly, He'll
— The treasure chosen by Lokman screen.
was patience: without patience there is no * * * * * *
such thing as wisdom. The Creator is mercy-diffusing and kind,
For He helps all His creatures and knows ev'ry mind.
— Were every night a night of In Him, self-reliance and grandeur you see,
For His kingdom is old and His nature is free.
power, the Night of Power, would lose its * * * * * *
worth. Were every pebble a ruby, the ruby He is tardy in seizing on those who rebel,
and the pebble would be of equal value. And does not excuse-bringers rudely repel.
* * * * * *
[Quran, Chap. xcvii: Verily we sent
down the Quran in the night of al Kadr. — When you've penitent turned “It is past.” He will write.
* * * * * *
Therein do the angels descend, and the The extent of God's mercies, no mortal can guess;
spirit of Gabriel also, by the permission of The need of His praises, what tongue can express?
their Lord with his decrees concerning
Who knows that communion with God you don't share,
every matter. It is peace until morning. When without an absolution you stand to say pray'r?
Comp. footnote to Lane's transl. of the * * * * * *
Quran and our Part II: Symbols].
That pray'r is the key of the portal of hell,
Over which in men's presence a long time you dwell.
— How should the multitude find its If your path does not lead to the Maker alone,
way to their secret chambers, for, like the Your carpet for pray'r into Hell will be thrown!
waters of life, they are hidden in darkness? He ordered, and something from nothing arose;
Who something from nothing but He could disclose?
Again to nonentity's hiding He flings us.
They kindle themselves the flame,
which, as a moth, consumeth them; not And thence to the plain of the judgment He brings us.
wrapping themselves up like the silk-worm Let the robes of deceit, name and fame be dispersed!
For a man becomes weak if in garments immersed.
in its own web. Wordly love is a veil by which nothing is gained;
When you snap the attachments the Lord is obtained.
Seeking for the Soul's repose on the * * * * * *
bosom which only can give repose, their Know, that the people in ecstacy drown'd,
lips are still dry with thirst on the very In the eyes of the Lord special favour have found!
He watches the “friend,” in the fierce burning pile?
margin of the stream; * * * * * *
You've no road in yourself while to self you are wed;
Not that they have no power to drink The enraptured alone are informed on this head. —
the water, but that their thirst could not be
quenched, even on the banks of the Nile. Some one said to a Moth "Oh, contemptible mite!
Go! love one who will your affection requite.
* * * * * *
"The bird of the morning only Between you and the candle no friendship can be!
No one tells you your conduct is perfectly right
knoweth the worth of the book of the rose; In destroying your life for the love of the light!
for not every one who readeth the page Observe what the moth, full of hot anguish, said:
understandeth the meaning." (Hafiz.) ''If I burn, oh astonishing! What is the dread?
* * * * * *
* * I fancy the flame is a beautiful rose!
* * * * * *
Won't you helplessly, one day, your life give away?
SAADIS', BOOSTAN (FRUIT GARDEN For the sake of space and death, better give it today!
OR GARDEN OF PLEASURE).
A wild beast is not likely to change into man;
His nature's true state all are helpless to read. Instruction is lost on it, strive as you can.
The extent of His glory, no mortal has found; * * * * * *
His exquisite beauty, no vision can bound. Effort makes not a rose from a willow to grow;
* * * * * A warm bath will not whiten a negro like snow.
To the skirt of His praise Reason's hand comes not nigh. Since naught can the arrow of destiny brave.
* * * * * * Resignation's the shield that is left to God's slave.
The mind can't this world by reflection embrace.
[TO BE CONTINUED]
The Aquarian Theosophist, Vol. III, #3 January 17, 2003 Page 19
Schedule: 2002
Sunday Classes — 11:a.m. – 12:45 p.m.,
Currently studying –
The Secret Doctrine
By H.P. Blavatsky
A Synthesis of Religion, Science, and Philosophy
Located at:
TRS Professional Suites, 11th floor
44 East 32nd Street (between Park & Madison)
New York, N.Y.
Near subway and bus lines.
Contacts:
Mirror1@optonline.net
Tmwriters@mindspring.com
Sarasota, Florida Davidgro@webspan.net
Theosophy Group www.geocities.com/theosophycircle/
Phone:
Meets Weekly on: David — (718) 438 — 5021
WEDNESDAYS: — 7 – 8:15 P.M. Amedeo- (973) 697-5938
– Classes are free and open to all —
SUNDAYS — 11 AM – 12:30 PM
WEDNESDAYS 7 p.m.
THEOSOPHICAL STUDY GROUP
Study Group restarts 2nd October
United Lodge of Theosophists
1917 Walnut Street THURSDAYS 7 p.m. INTRODUCTORY CLASS
Philadelphia, PA 19103 - for newcomers
All are welcome to attend the meetings: they are held
All welcome No collections
in an impersonal, friendly atmosphere.
___________________________________________
============================================
4 december………..Själens odödlighet ===============================
11 december……….Kristus – en invigd Mästare
DHARMAGRUPP I
kl 17.15 - 18.15
Den Hemliga Läran av Helena Blavatsky
(Vårt kursmaterial är “DHL” del I, löpande studier)
There are two distinct beings in man, This view, Lord Shri Krishna says, is
the spiritual one who thinks, and the physi- wrong, because Ishvara and His Light are
cal one who tries to record as much of here entirely lost sight of. The Sankhyas
these thoughts as he is able to assimilate. consider Mulaprakriti as the source of
“Thinking” here might be called universal matter as well as of force, while Daiviprak-
aspiration, little kinship to our subject- riti is regarded as an aspect or manifesta-
and-verb type thinking tion of Mulaprakriti, and when you try to
trace the source of the Upadhi to Mula-
prakriti, in that attempt the individuality
becomes lost in Mulaprakriti, and you can-
not cross the neutral barrier without the
Daiviprakriti and Mulaprakriti help of Ishvara.