The diverse modes and stages of the nature of Man from the beginning.
First he
came into the clime
(world) of inorganic things, and from
the state of inorganic things he passed into the vegetable state.
(Many) years he lived in the vegetable state and did not
remember the inorganic state
because of the opposition (between them);
And when he
passed from the
vegetable into the animal state,
the
vegetable state was
not remembered by him at all,
3640. Save only for the inclination which he has towards that
(state), especially in the season of spring and sweet herbs—
Like the inclination
of
babes towards their mothers: it (the
babe) does not know the secret
of its
desire for being suckled;
(Or) like the excessive inclination of
every novice towards the
noble spiritual Elder,
whose fortune is young (and flourishing).
The particular intelligence of this (disciple) is derived from that Universal
Intelligence: the
motion
of this shadow
is derived from
that Rose-bough.
His (the disciple's) shadow
disappears at last in him (the Master);
then he knows the secret of his inclination and search and seeking.
3645. How should the shadow of the other's (the disciple's) bough
move, O fortunate one, if this Tree move
not?
Again, the Creator, whom
you knowest, was leading
him
(Man) from the
animal (state) towards
humanity.
Thus did he advance
from clime to clime
(from one world
of being to
another), till he has now become
intelligent and wise and
mighty.
He has no
remembrance of his former
intelligences (souls); from this (human) intelligence
also there is a
migration to
be
made by him,
That he may escape
from this intelligence
full of
greed and self-seeking and
may behold a
hundred thousand intelligences most marvellous.
3650. Though he fell asleep and became
oblivious of the past, how should they leave him in that
self-forgetfulness?
From that sleep they
will bring him back again to wakefulness, that he may mock
at his (present)
state,
Saying, “What was that sorrow I was suffering
in my sleep? How did I forget the states of truth
(the real experiences)?
How did not I know that that sorrow and disease is the effect of sleep and is illusion
and phantasy?”
Even so this world, which is the sleeper's
dream: the sleeper fancies that it is really enduring,
3655. Till on a sudden
there shall rise the
dawn of Death and he
shall be delivered from
the darkness of opinion and falsehood.
(Then) laughter at those
sorrows of his will take
possession of him
when he sees his permanent
abode and
dwelling-place.
Everything good or evil that you seest in your sleep will
be made manifest, one by one,
on the
Day of the (Last) Congregation.
That which you didst in this sleep in the (present)
world will become evident
to you at the time of awaking.
Take care
not to imagine that this (which
you have done) is (only) an evil action committed in this (state of) sleep and that there is no interpretation (thereof) for you.
3660. Nay, this laughter (of yours) will be tears and moans on
the
Day of interpretation, O
oppressor of the captive!
Know that in the hour of your awakening your tears and grief
and sorrow and lamentation will turn to joy.
O you that
have torn the coat of
(many) Josephs, you wilt arise from this heavy
slumber (in
the form of) a wolf.
Thy (evil) dispositions, one by one,
having
become wolves will tear
your limbs in wrath.
According to (the law of)
retaliation, the blood (shed by
thee) will
not
sleep (remain unavenged)
after your death: do not say,
“I shall die and obtain release.”
3665. This immediate
retaliation (which
is exacted in the present
world) is (only) a makeshift:
in comparison with the
blow of that
(future) retaliation this is
a (mere) play.
God has called
the
present world a play because this
penalty is a play in
comparison with that penalty.
This penalty is a means of allaying war and civil strife:
that one is like a castration, while this one
resembles a circumcision.
No comments:
Post a Comment