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Predmet koji je bitan77 za razumijevanje pitanja koja smo spomenuli i onih o kojima ćemo tek govoriti, a da bi se shvatila bit problema, jest ovaj: postoje dvije vrste ljudskog znanja. Jedno je znanje o stvarima koje se mogu opaziti osjetilima – tj. stvarima koje oko ili uho ili miris ili okus ili dodir mogu opaziti, a nazivaju se objektivnima ili osjetilnima. Tako se za sunce, budući da ga se može vidjeti, kaže da je objektivno; na isti su način zamjetljivi zvuci jer ih uho čuje; mirisi su osjetilni jer se udišu i opaža ih osjetilo mirisa; hrana je osjetilna jer nepce prima njezinu slast, kiselost ili slanost; toplina i hladnoća su zamjetljive jer ih opažaju osjeti. Za sve njih kaže se da su osjetilne stvarnosti. |
A subject that is essential77 for the comprehension of the questions that we have mentioned, and of others of which we are about to speak, so that the essence of the problems may be understood, is this: that human knowledge is of two kinds. One is the knowledge of things perceptible to the senses—that is to say, things which the eye, or ear, or smell, or taste, or touch can perceive, which are called objective or sensible. So the sun, because it can be seen, is said to be objective; and in the same way sounds are sensible because the ear hears them; perfumes are sensible because they can be inhaled and the sense of smell perceives them; foods are sensible because the palate perceives their sweetness, sourness or saltness; heat and cold are sensible because the feelings perceive them. These are said to be sensible realities. |
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Druga je vrsta ljudskog znanja intelektualna – tj. to je stvarnost intelekta; ona nema vanjskog oblika ni mjesta i ne može se opaziti osjetilima. Na primjer, moć intelekta nije osjetilna; nijedna od unutarnjih čovjekovih kvaliteta nije osjetilna stvar; naprotiv, to su intelektualne stvarnosti. Tako je ljubav mentalna, a ne osjetilna stvarnost; jer tu stvarnost uho ne čuje, oko ne vidi, osjetilo mirisa ne opaža, okus ne razabire, a dodir ne osjeća. Čak je i eterična tvar, sile koje se u fizici nazivaju toplinom, svjetlošću, elektricitetom i magnetizmom, intelektualna stvarnost, a ne osjetilna. Na isti je način i priroda u svojoj biti također intelektualna, a ne osjetilna; ljudski je duh intelektualan, a ne osjetilan. Prigodom objašnjavanja tih intelektualnih realnosti obvezni smo izraziti ih osjetilnim izrazima jer u vanjskom postojanju nema ničeg nematerijalnog. Stoga, da bi se objasnila realnost duha – njegovo stanje i položaj – moraju se pružiti objašnjenja u obliku osjetilnih stvari jer u vanjskom je svijetu sve što postoji osjetilno. Na primjer, tuga i sreća su intelektualne stvari; kad želite izraziti te duhovne kvalitete kažete: “Tišti me srce; moje se srce širi”, premda čovjekovo srce nije ni pritisnuto ni prošireno. To je jedno intelektualno ili duhovno stanje u kojem da biste ga objasnili morate pribjeći osjetilnim izrazima. Evo još jednog primjera. Kažete: “Takva jedna osoba napravila je velik napredak”, premda je ona ostala na istom mjestu; ili opet: “Tako je netko prešao na viši položaj”, premda on poput svih drugih hoda zemljom. To uzvišenje i taj napredak duhovna su stanja i intelektualne realnosti, ali da biste ih objasnili morate pribjegavati osjetilnim izrazima jer u vanjskom svijetu nema ničega što nije osjetilno. |
The other kind of human knowledge is intellectual—that is to say, it is a reality of the intellect; it has no outward form and no place and is not perceptible to the senses. For example, the power of intellect is not sensible; none of the inner qualities of man is a sensible thing; on the contrary, they are intellectual realities. So love is a mental reality and not sensible; for this reality the ear does not hear, the eye does not see, the smell does not perceive, the taste does not discern, the touch does not feel. Even ethereal matter, the forces of which are said in physics to be heat, light, electricity and magnetism, is an intellectual reality, and is not sensible. In the same way, nature, also, in its essence is an intellectual reality and is not sensible; the human spirit is an intellectual, not sensible reality. In explaining these intellectual realities, one is obliged to express them by sensible figures because in exterior existence there is nothing that is not material. Therefore, to explain the reality of the spirit—its condition, its station—one is obliged to give explanations under the forms of sensible things because in the external world all that exists is sensible. For example, grief and happiness are intellectual things; when you wish to express those spiritual qualities you say: “My heart is oppressed; my heart is dilated,” though the heart of man is neither oppressed nor dilated. This is an intellectual or spiritual state, to explain which you are obliged to have recourse to sensible figures. Another example: you say, “such an individual made great progress,” though he is remaining in the same place; or again, “such a one’s position was exalted,” although, like everyone else, he walks upon the earth. This exaltation and this progress are spiritual states and intellectual realities, but to explain them you are obliged to have recourse to sensible figures because in the exterior world there is nothing that is not sensible. |
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Tako je simbol znanja svjetlo, a neznanja tama; no razmislite je li znanje osjetilno svjetlo ili neznanje osjetilna tama? Ne, oni su samo simboli. To su samo intelektualna stanja, ali kad želite o njima govoriti, vi znanje zovete svjetlom, a neznanje tamom. Kažete: “Moje je srce bilo sumorno, a postalo je prosvijetljeno”. Dakle, to svjetlo znanja i tama neznanja intelektualne su realnosti, a ne osjetilne; ali kad tragamo za objašnjenjima u vanjskom svijetu, moramo im dati osjetilan oblik. |
So the symbol of knowledge is light, and of ignorance, darkness; but reflect, is knowledge sensible light, or ignorance sensible darkness? No, they are merely symbols. These are only intellectual states, but when you desire to express them outwardly, you call knowledge light, and ignorance darkness. You say: “My heart was gloomy, and it became enlightened.” Now, that light of knowledge, and that darkness of ignorance, are intellectual realities, not sensible ones; but when we seek for explanations in the external world, we are obliged to give them a sensible form. |
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Onda je očito da golubica koja se spustila na Krista nije bila materijalna golubica, već duhovno stanje koje je, da bi bilo jasnije, izraženo osjetilnom figurom. Tako se u Starom zavjetu kaže da se Bog pojavio kao stup vatre: to ne označava materijalni oblik; to je intelektualna realnost izražena osjetilnom slikom. |
Then it is evident that the dove which descended upon Christ was not a material dove, but it was a spiritual state, which, that it might be comprehensible, was expressed by a sensible figure. Thus in the Old Testament it is said that God appeared as a pillar of fire: this does not signify the material form; it is an intellectual reality which is expressed by a sensible image. |
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Krist kaže: “Otac je u Sinu, a Sin je u Ocu”. Je li Krist bio u Bogu ili Bog u Kristu? Ne, za ime Božje! Naprotiv, to je intelektualno stanje koje je izraženo osjetilnom figurom. |
Christ says, “The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father.” Was Christ within God, or God within Christ? No, in the name of God! On the contrary, this is an intellectual state which is expressed in a sensible figure. |
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Dolazimo do objašnjenja Bahá’u’lláhovih riječi kad On kaže: “O, kralju! Bio sam čovjek poput ostalih, zaspao na Svom ležaju, kad, avaj, lahori Sveslavljenoga zapuhaše nada Mnom i predadoše Mi znanje o svemu što je bilo. Ova stvar nije od mene, nego od Jednoga Koji je Svemoguć i Sveznalac.”78 To je stanje objave: ono nije osjetilno; to je intelektualna stvarnost, izuzeta i oslobođena od vremena, prošlosti, sadašnjosti i budućnosti; to je objašnjenje, poredba, metafora i ne treba je shvatiti doslovno; to nije stanje koje čovjek može poimati. Spavanje i buđenje je prelaženje iz jednog stanja u drugo. Spavanje je stanje počinka, a buđenje stanje kretanja. Spavanje je stanje tišine; a budnost stanje govora. Spavanje je stanje otajstva, a budnost stanje očitovanja. |
We come to the explanation of the words of Bahá’u’lláh when He says: “O king! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing.”78 This is the state of manifestation: it is not sensible; it is an intellectual reality, exempt and freed from time, from past, present and future; it is an explanation, a simile, a metaphor and is not to be accepted literally; it is not a state that can be comprehended by man. Sleeping and waking is passing from one state to another. Sleeping is the condition of repose, and wakefulness is the condition of movement. Sleeping is the state of silence; wakefulness is the state of speech. Sleeping is the state of mystery; wakefulness is the state of manifestation. |
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Na primjer, perzijski i arapski izrazi kažu da je zemlja spavala, a kad je došlo proljeće probudila se; ili da je zemlja bila mrtva, došlo je proljeće i ona je oživjela. Ti su izrazi metafore, alegorije, mistična objašnjenja u svijetu značenja. |
For example, it is a Persian and Arabic expression to say that the earth was asleep, and the spring came, and it awoke; or the earth was dead, and the spring came, and it revived. These expressions are metaphors, allegories, mystic explanations in the world of signification. |
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Ukratko, Svete Objave oduvijek su bile i zauvijek će biti Svijetle Stvarnosti; u Njihovoj biti ne dolazi ni do kakve promjene ili varijacije. Prije proglašenja Njihove objave oni su šutljivi i mirni poput spavača, a nakon Njihove objave govore i prosvijetljeni su, poput budnoga. |
Briefly, the Holy Manifestations have ever been, and ever will be, Luminous Realities; no change or variation takes place in Their essence. Before declaring Their manifestation, They are silent and quiet like a sleeper, and after Their manifestation, They speak and are illuminated, like one who is awake. |
