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Pitanje: – U kakvoj je vezi Stvarnost Božanstva s mjestima Gospodnjeg Uzdizanja i točkama Božanskog Osvita? |
Question.—What connection has the Reality of Divinity with the Lordly Rising-places and the Divine Dawning-points? |
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Odgovor: – Znajte da je Stvarnost Božanstva ili tvar Biti Jednosti čista posvećenost i apsolutna svetost – što znači da je ona oslobođena i izuzeta od svake hvale. Svi najviši pridjevci stupnjeva postojanja, u odnosu na ovu ravan, samo su maštarije. Ona je nevidljiva, nepojmljiva, nedostižna, čista bit koja se ne može opisati, jer Božanska Bit okružuje sve stvari. Zaista, ono što okružuje veće je od okruženoga, a okruženo ne može sadržavati ono što ga okružuje, niti pojmiti njegovu stvarnost. Ma koliko daleko um napredovao, premda on može dosegnuti konačni stupanj poimanja, granicu razumijevanja, on promatra božanske znakove i pridjevke u svijetu stvaranja, a ne u svijetu Božjem. Naime, bit i pridjevci Gospoda Jedinstva su u visinama svetosti, a za um i razumijevanje nema načina da se približe tom položaju. “Put je zatvoren i traganje je zabranjeno”. |
Answer.—Know that the Reality of Divinity or the substance of the Essence of Oneness is pure sanctity and absolute holiness—that is to say, it is sanctified and exempt from all praise. The whole of the supreme attributes of the degrees of existence, in reference to this plane, are only imaginations. It is invisible, incomprehensible, inaccessible, a pure essence which cannot be described, for the Divine Essence surrounds all things. Verily, that which surrounds is greater than the surrounded, and the surrounded cannot contain that by which it is surrounded, nor comprehend its reality. However far mind may progress, though it may reach to the final degree of comprehension, the limit of understanding, it beholds the divine signs and attributes in the world of creation and not in the world of God. For the essence and the attributes of the Lord of Unity are in the heights of sanctity, and for the minds and understandings there is no way to approach that position. “The way is closed, and seeking is forbidden.” |
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Jasno je da je ljudsko poimanje svojstvo čovjekova postojanja i da je čovjek znak Božji; kako može svojstvo znaka okruživati stvoritelja znaka? – tj., kako može poimanje koje je svojstvo čovjekova postojanja, pojmiti Boga? Zato je Stvarnost Božanstva skrivena od svakog poimanja i umova svih ljudi. Posve je nemoguće uzdići se do te ravni. Vidimo da sve što je niže nema moći pojmiti stvarnost onoga što je više. Tako kamen, tlo, drvo, ma koliko se razvili, ne mogu zamisliti moć vida, sluha i ostalih osjetila, premda su svi jednako stvoreni. Dakle, kako može čovjek, stvoreno, razumjeti stvarnost čiste Biti Stvoritelja? Ta je ravan nedostupna poimanju; nijedno objašnjenje nije dostatno za njezino poimanje i nema moći koja će na nju ukazivati. Kakve veze ima atom prašine sa čistim svijetom i kakav je odnos između ograničena uma i beskonačnog svijeta? Umovi nemaju moć spoznati Boga, a duše su zbunjene kad Ga pokušavaju objasniti. “Oči Ga ne vide, ali On vidi oči. On je Sveznalac, Znalac.”120 |
It is evident that the human understanding is a quality of the existence of man, and that man is a sign of God: how can the quality of the sign surround the creator of the sign?—that is to say, how can the understanding, which is a quality of the existence of man, comprehend God? Therefore, the Reality of the Divinity is hidden from all comprehension, and concealed from the minds of all men. It is absolutely impossible to ascend to that plane. We see that everything which is lower is powerless to comprehend the reality of that which is higher. So the stone, the earth, the tree, however much they may evolve, cannot comprehend the reality of man and cannot imagine the powers of sight, of hearing, and of the other senses, although they are all alike created. Therefore, how can man, the created, understand the reality of the pure Essence of the Creator? This plane is unapproachable by the understanding; no explanation is sufficient for its comprehension, and there is no power to indicate it. What has an atom of dust to do with the pure world, and what relation is there between the limited mind and the infinite world? Minds are powerless to comprehend God, and the souls become bewildered in explaining Him. “The eyes see Him not, but He seeth the eyes. He is the Omniscient, the Knower.”120 |
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Prema tome, s obzirom na ovu ravan postojanja, svaka tvrdnja i tumačenje nepotpuni su, sva hvala i svi opisi nevrijedni, svaka koncepcija uzaludna, a svaka meditacija jalova. No za Bit biti, Istinu istina, Misterij misterija, postoje odrazi, osviti, pojave i sjaj u svijetu postojanja. Mjesto osvita toga sjaja, mjesto tih odraza, i pojava ovih objava predstavljaju Sveta Mjesta Osvita, Univerzalne Stvarnosti i Božanska Bića, Koji su prava zrcala svete Biti Božje. Sva savršenstva, svi darovi, sav sjaj koji dolaze od Boga vidljivi su i očiti u Stvarnosti Svetih Objava, poput sunca koje sja na čistom uglačanom zrcalu sa svim svojim savršenim odlikama i darovima. Kad bi se reklo da su zrcala objave sunca i mjesta osvita izlazeće zvijezde, to ne znači da se sunce spustilo iz visina svoje svetosti i utjelovilo se u zrcalu, ni da je Bezgranična Stvarnost ograničena na to mjesto pojave. Bože sačuvaj! To je vjerovanje pristaša antropomorfizma. Ne; sve hvale, svi opisi i slava odnose se na Svete Objave – dakle, svi opisi, svojstva, imena i pridjevci koja spomenemo vraćaju se Božanskim Objavama; ali kako nitko nije dosegao stvarnost Biti Božanstva, tako je nitko ne može opisati, objasniti, hvaliti ili slaviti. Stoga se sve što ljudska stvarnost zna, otkriva i razumije od imena, pridjevaka i savršenih odlika Božjih odnosi na te Svete Objave. Nema pristupa ničem drugom: “Put je zatvoren, a traganje zabranjeno”. |
Consequently, with reference to this plane of existence, every statement and elucidation is defective, all praise and all description are unworthy, every conception is vain, and every meditation is futile. But for this Essence of the essences, this Truth of truths, this Mystery of mysteries, there are reflections, auroras, appearances and resplendencies in the world of existence. The dawning-place of these splendors, the place of these reflections, and the appearance of these manifestations are the Holy Dawning-places, the Universal Realities and the Divine Beings, Who are the true mirrors of the sanctified Essence of God. All the perfections, the bounties, the splendors which come from God are visible and evident in the Reality of the Holy Manifestations, like the sun which is resplendent in a clear polished mirror with all its perfections and bounties. If it be said that the mirrors are the manifestations of the sun and the dawning-places of the rising star, this does not mean that the sun has descended from the height of its sanctity and become incorporated in the mirror, nor that the Unlimited Reality is limited to this place of appearance. God forbid! This is the belief of the adherents of anthropomorphism. No; all the praises, the descriptions and exaltations refer to the Holy Manifestations—that is to say, all the descriptions, the qualities, the names and the attributes which we mention return to the Divine Manifestations; but as no one has attained to the reality of the Essence of Divinity, so no one is able to describe, explain, praise or glorify it. Therefore, all that the human reality knows, discovers and understands of the names, the attributes and the perfections of God refer to these Holy Manifestations. There is no access to anything else: “the way is closed, and seeking is forbidden.” |
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Unatoč tome, mi izgovaramo imena i pridjevke Božanske Stvarnosti i hvalimo Ga pridjevajući Mu vid, sluh, moć, život i znanje. Mi potvrđujemo ova imena i pridjevke – ne da bismo dokazali savršenstva Boga, već da bismo porekli da On može imati nesavršenosti. Kad pogledamo postojeći svijet, vidimo da je neznanje nesavršenost, a da je znanje savršenost; stoga kažemo da je mudrost posvećena Bit Božja. Slabost je nesavršenost, a snaga je savršenost; stoga kažemo da je Bit Božja vrhunac snage. To ne znači da mi možemo pojmiti Njegovo znanje, Njegov uvid, Njegovu moć i život, jer to je izvan našeg poimanja; naime, suštinska imena i pridjevci Boga istovjetni su s Njegovom Biti, a Njegova je Bit izvan svakog poimanja. Ako pridjevci nisu istovjetni Biti, mora postojati mnoštvo prapostojanja, a razlike između pridjevaka i Biti također moraju postojati; a kad bi Prapostojanje bilo nužno, onda bi slijed prapostojanja postao beskonačan. To je očita zabluda. |
Nevertheless, we speak of the names and attributes of the Divine Reality, and we praise Him by attributing to Him sight, hearing, power, life and knowledge. We affirm these names and attributes, not to prove the perfections of God, but to deny that He is capable of imperfections. When we look at the existing world, we see that ignorance is imperfection and knowledge is perfection; therefore, we say that the sanctified Essence of God is wisdom. Weakness is imperfection, and power is perfection; consequently, we say that the sanctified Essence of God is the acme of power. It is not that we can comprehend His knowledge, His sight, His power and life, for it is beyond our comprehension; for the essential names and attributes of God are identical with His Essence, and His Essence is above all comprehension. If the attributes are not identical with the Essence, there must also be a multiplicity of preexistences, and differences between the attributes and the Essence must also exist; and as Preexistence is necessary, therefore, the sequence of preexistences would become infinite. This is an evident error. |
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Prema tome, svi se ti pridjevci, imena, hvale i veličanja odnose na Mjesta Objave; i sve što zamišljamo i pretpostavljamo osim njih samo je puka mašta, jer mi nemamo načina da pojmimo ono što je nevidljivo i nedokučivo. Zato se kaže: “Sve što si razabrao prividom svoje mašte u svojim finim mentalnim slikama, nije drugo doli plod stvaranja nalik tebi i tebi se vraća.”121 Jasno je da – želimo li zamisliti stvarnost Božanstva – ta je zamisao okružena, a mi smo oni koji je okružuju; a jasno je da je onaj koji okružuje veći od okruženoga. Iz ovoga je posve razumljivo da se, zamislimo li Božansku Stvarnost izvan Svetih Objava, radi o pukoj mašti, jer nema načina da se pribiližimo Stvarnosti Božanstva koja nije naš odsječak, a sve što zamišljamo samo je puka pretpostavka. |
Accordingly all these attributes, names, praises and eulogies apply to the Places of Manifestation; and all that we imagine and suppose beside them is mere imagination, for we have no means of comprehending that which is invisible and inaccessible. This is why it is said: “All that you have distinguished through the illusion of your imagination in your subtle mental images is but a creation like unto yourself, and returns to you.”121 It is clear that if we wish to imagine the Reality of Divinity, this imagination is the surrounded, and we are the surrounding one; and it is sure that the one who surrounds is greater than the surrounded. From this it is certain and evident that if we imagine a Divine Reality outside of the Holy Manifestations, it is pure imagination, for there is no way to approach the Reality of Divinity which is not cut off to us, and all that we imagine is mere supposition. |
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Zato razmislite o tome kako se različiti narodi svijeta vrte oko maštarija i štuju idole misli i nagađanja. Oni toga nisu svjesni, smatraju da su njihove maštarije Stvarnost koja se povukla od svakog poimanja i pročistila od svih opisa. Oni se smatraju ljudima Jedinstva, a druge smatraju štovateljima idola, ali idoli barem imaju mineralnu egzistenciju, dok su idoli misli i maštarije ljudi samo fantazija koja nema svoje mineralne egzistencije. “Pazite vi koji ste obdareni razborom.”122 |
Therefore, reflect that different peoples of the world are revolving around imaginations and are worshipers of the idols of thoughts and conjectures. They are not aware of this; they consider their imaginations to be the Reality which is withdrawn from all comprehension and purified from all descriptions. They regard themselves as the people of Unity, and the others as worshipers of idols; but idols at least have a mineral existence, while the idols of thoughts and the imaginations of man are but fancies; they have not even mineral existence. “Take heed ye who are endued with discernment.”122 |
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Znajte da su pridjevci savršenosti, sjaj božanske milosti i svjetlo nadahnuća vidljivi i očiti u svim Svetim Objavama; ali slavna Riječ Božja, Krist i Najveće Ime, Bahá’u’lláh, objave su i dokazi koji nadilaze maštu, jer posjeduju sve savršenosti prethodnih Objava; čak i više od toga: Oni posjeduju neke savršenosti koje ostale Objave čini ovisnima o Njima. Tako su svi Proroci Izraela bili središta nadahnuća; Krist je također bio primatelj nadahnuća, ali razlika između nadahnuća Riječi Božje i otkrivenja Izaije, Jeremije i Ilije nemjerljiva je! |
Know that the attributes of perfection, the splendor of the divine bounties, and the lights of inspiration are visible and evident in all the Holy Manifestations; but the glorious Word of God, Christ, and the Greatest Name, Bahá’u’lláh, are manifestations and evidences which are beyond imagination, for They possess all the perfections of the former Manifestations; and more than that, They possess some perfections which make the other Manifestations dependent upon Them. So all the Prophets of Israel were centers of inspiration; Christ also was a receiver of inspiration, but what a difference between the inspiration of the Word of God and the revelations of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Elijah! |
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Promislite o tome da je svjetlo izraz vibracija eterične tvari: te vibracije djeluju na očne živce i omogućuju stvaranje svjetla. Svjetlo svjetiljke postoji kroz vibraciju eterične tvari; isto tako je i sa svjetlom Sunca, ali koje li razlike između svjetlosti sunca i zvijezda i svjetlosti svjetiljke! |
Reflect that light is the expression of the vibrations of the etheric matter: the nerves of the eye are affected by these vibrations, and sight is produced. The light of the lamp exists through the vibration of the etheric matter; so also does that of the sun, but what a difference between the light of the sun and that of the stars or the lamp! |
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Duh čovjeka javlja se i očituje u stanju zametka, kao i u stanju djetinjstva i zrelosti, a sjajan je i jasan u stanju savršenstva. Duh je jedan, no u embrionskom stanju nema moći vida i sluha. U stanju zrelosti i savršenstva pojavljuje se u posvemašnjem sjaju i veličini. Na isti način sjeme u početku postaje lišće i predstavlja mjesto na kojem se javlja duh biljaka; u stanju ploda on očituje isti duh – tj., moć rasta javlja se u krajnjoj savršenosti; ali koje li razlike između stanja lišća i stanja ploda! Jer iz ploda se pojavljuje stotinu tisuća listova, a ipak svi oni rastu i razvijaju se kroz isti biljni duh. Uočite razliku između vrlina i savršenih svojstava Kristovih, sjaja i veličine Bahá’u’lláha i vrline Proroka Izraela, poput Ezekiela i Samuela. Svi su bili objave nadahnuća, ali među njima je beskonačna razlika. Pozdravljam vas! |
The spirit of man appears and is manifest in the embryonic condition, and also in that of childhood and of maturity, and it is resplendent and evident in the condition of perfection. The spirit is one, but in the embryonic condition the power of sight and of hearing is lacking. In the state of maturity and perfection it appears in the utmost splendor and brilliance. In the same way the seed in the beginning becomes leaves and is the place where the vegetable spirit appears; in the condition of fruit it manifests the same spirit—that is to say, the power of growth appears in the utmost perfection; but what a difference between the condition of the leaves and that of the fruit! For from the fruit a hundred thousand leaves appear, though they all grow and develop through the same vegetable spirit. Notice the difference between the virtues and perfections of Christ, the splendors and brilliance of Bahá’u’lláh, and the virtues of the Prophets of Israel, such as Ezekiel or Samuel. All were the manifestations of inspiration, but between them there is an infinite difference. Salutations! |
