Sec. 81. His Imitation of the _third_ sort of Attributes, consisted in confining his Thoughts to the Contemplation of the necessarily self-existent Being. And in order to this, he remov'd all his Affections from sensible Things, shut his Eyes, stopp'd his Ears, and refrain'd himself as much as possible from following his Imagination, endeavouring to the utmost to think of nothing besides him; nor to admit together with him any other Object of Contemplation. And he us'd to help himself in this by violently turning himself round, in which when he was very violently exercis'd, all manner of sensible Objects vanish'd out of his sight, and the Imagination, and all the other Faculties which make any use of the Organs of the Body grew Weak; and on the other side, the Operations of his Essence, which depended not on the Body, grew strong, so that at sometimes his Meditation was pure and free from any Mixture, and he beheld by it the necessarily self-existent Being: But then again the Corporeal Faculties would return upon him, and spoil his Contemplation, and bring him down to the lowest Degree where he was before. Now, when he had any Infirmity upon him which interrupted his Design, he took some kind of Meat, but still according to the aforemention'd Rules; and then remov'd again to that State of Imitation of the Heavenly Bodies, in these three Respects which we have mention'd; and thus he continued for some time opposing his Corporeal Faculties, and they opposing him, and mutually struggling one against another, and at such times as he got the better of them; and his Thoughts were free from Mixture; he did apprehend something of the Condition of those, who have attained to the _third_ Resemblance.
Sec. 82. Then he began to seek after this _third_ Assimulation, and took pains in the attaining it. And first he consider'd the Attributes of the _necessarily self-existent Being_. Now it had appear'd to him, during the time of his Theoretical Speculation, before he enter'd upon the Practical Part; that there were two Sorts of them, _viz_. Affirmative, as Knowledge, Power and Wisdom &c. and Negative, as Immateriality; not only such as consisted in the not being _Body_; but in being altogether remov'd from any thing that had the least Relation to _Body_, though at never so great a Distance. And that this was a Condition, not only requir'd in the Negative Attributes, but in the Affirmative too, _viz_. that they should be free from all Properties of Body, of which, _Multiplicity_ is one. Now the Divine Essence is not multiplied by these Affirmative Attributes, but all of 'em together are one and the same thing, _viz._ his real Essence. Then he began to consider how he might imitate him in both these Kinds; and as for the Affirmative Attributes, when he consider'd that they were nothing else but his real Essence, and that by no means it could be said of them that they are _many_(because Multiplicity is a Property of Body) and that the Knowledge of his own Essence was not a Notion superadded to his Essence, but that his Essence was the Knowledge of his Essence; and so _vice versa_, it appear'd to him, that if he would know his Being, this Knowledge, by which he knew his Being would not be a Notion superadded to his Being, but be the very Being itself. And he perceived that his way to make himself like to him, as to what concern'd his Affirmative Attributes, would be to know him alone, abstracted wholly from all Properties of Body.
Sec. 83. This he apply'd himself to; and as for the Negative Attributes, they all consisted in Separation from Bodily Things. He began therefore to strip himself of all Bodily Properties, which he had made some Progress in before, during the time of the former Exercise, when he was employ'd in the Imitation of the Heavenly Bodies; but there still remained a great many Relicks, as his Circular Motion (Motion being one of the more proper Attributes of Body), and his care of Animals and Plants, Compassion upon them, and Industry in removing whatever inconvenienc'd them. Now all these things belong to Corporeal Attributes, for he could not see these things at first, but by Corporeal Faculties; and he was oblig'd to make use of the same Faculties in preserving them. Therefore he began to reject and remove all those things from himself, as being in no wise consistent with that State which he was now in search of. So he continu'd, confining himself to rest in the Bottom of his Cave, with his Head bow'd down, and his Eyes shut, and turning himself altogether from all sensible Things and the Corporeal Faculties, and bending all his Thoughts and Meditations upon the _necessarily self-existent Being_, without admitting any thing else besides him; and if any other Object presented itself to his Imagination, he rejected it with his utmost Force; and exercis'd himself in this, and persisted in it to that Degree, that sometimes he did neither eat nor stir for a great many Days together. And whilst he was thus earnestly taken up in Contemplation, sometimes all manner of Beings whatsoever would be quite out of his Mind and Thoughts, except his own Being only.
Sec. 84. But he found that his own Being was not excluded by his Thoughts, no not at such times when he was most deeply immers'd in the Contemplation of the _first, true, necessarily self-existent Being_. Which concern'd him very much, for he knew that even this was a Mixture in this simple Vision, and the Admission of an extraneous Object in that Contemplation. Upon which he endeavour'd to disappear from himself, and be wholly taken up in the Vision of that _true Being_; till at last he attain'd it; and then both the Heavens and the Earth, and whatsoever is between them, and all Spiritual Forms, and Corporeal Faculties; and all those Powers which are separate from Matter, and are those Beings which know the _necessarily self-existent Being_, all disappear'd and vanish'd, and were as if they had never been, and amongst these his own Being disappear'd too, and there remain'd nothing but this ONE, TRUE, Perpetually Self-existent Being, who spoke thus in that Saying of his (which is not a Notion superadded to his Essence.) _To whom now belongs the Kingdom? To this One, Almighty God_.[22] Which Words of his _Hai Ebn Yokdhan_ understood, and heard his Voice; nor was his being unacquainted with Words, and not being able to speak, any Hindrance at all to the understanding him. Wherefore he deeply immers'd himself into this State, and witness'd that which neither Eye hath seen, nor Ear heard; nor hath it ever enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive.
Sec. 85. And now, don't expect that I should give thee a Description of that, which the Heart of Man cannot conceive. For if a great many of thole things which we do conceive are nevertheless hard to be explain'd, how much more difficult must those be which cannot be conceiv'd by the Heart, nor are circumscrib'd in the Limits of that World in which it converses. Now, when I say the Heart, I don't mean the Substance of it, nor that Spirit which is contain'd in the Cavity of it; but I mean by it, the Form of that Spirit which is diffus'd by its Faculties through the whole Body of Man. Now every one of these three is sometimes call'd the Heart, but 'tis impossible that this thing which I mean should be comprehended by any of these three, neither can we express any thing by Words, which is not first conceiv'd in the Heart. And whosoever asks to have it explain'd, asks an Impossibility; for 'tis just as if a Man should have a mind to taste Colours, _quatenas_ Colours, and desire, that _black_ should be either _sweet_ or _sowre._ However, I shall not dismiss you without some Limits, whereby I shall point out to you in some Measure, what wonderful things he saw when in this Condition, but all figuratively, and by way of Parable; not pretending to give a literal Description of that, which is impossible to be known, but by coming thither. Attend therefore with the Ears of thy Heart, and look sharply with the Eyes of thy Understanding, upon that which I shall shew thee; it may be thou may'st find so much in it, as may serve to lead thee into the right way. But I make this Bargain, that thou shalt not at present require any further Explication of it by Word of Mouth; but rest thy self contented with what I shall commit to these Papers. For 'tis a narrow Field, and 'tis dangerous to attempt the explaining of that with Words, the Nature of which admits no Explication.
Sec. 86. I say then, when he had abstracted himself from his own and all other Essences, and beheld nothing in Nature, but only that _One, Living and Permanent Being_: When he saw what he saw, and then afterwards return'd to the beholding of other Things: Upon his Coming to himself from that State (which was like Drunkenness) he began to think that his own Essence did not at all differ from the Essence of that _TRUE Being_, but that they were both one and the same thing; and that the thing which he had taken before for his own Essence, distinct from that _true_ Essence was in reality nothing at all, and that there was nothing in him but this _true Essence_. And that this was like the Light of the Sun, which, when it falls upon solid Bodies, shines there; and though it be attributed, or may seem to belong to that Body upon which it appears, yet it is nothing else in reality, but the Light of the Sun. And if that Body be remov'd, its Light also is remov'd; but the Light of the Sun remains still after the same manner, and is neither increas'd by the Presence of that Body, nor diminish'd by its Absence. Now when there happens to be a Body which is fitted for such a Reception of Light, it receives it; if such a Body be absent, then there is no such Reception, and it signifies nothing at all.
Sec. 87. He was the more confirm'd in this Opinion, because it appeared to him before, that this _TRUE Powerful_ and _Glorious Being_, was not by any means capable of _Multiplicity_, and that his Knowledge of his Essence, was his very Essence, from whence he argued thus: _He that has the Knowledge of this Essence has the Essence itself; hut I have the knowledge of this Essence._ Ergo, _I have the Essence itself_.
Now this Essence can be present no where but with itself, and its very Presence is Essence; and therefore he concluded that he was that very Essence. And to all other Essences which were separate from Matter, which had the Knowledge of that _true Essence_, though before he had looked upon them as _many,_ by this way of thinking, appear'd to him to be only one thing. And this misgrounded Conceit of his, had like to have firmly rooted itself in his Mind, unless God had pursu'd him with his Mercy, and directed him by his gracious Guidance; and then he perceiv'd that it arose from the Relicks of that Obscurity which is natural to Body, and the Dregs of sensible Objects. Because that _Much_ and _Little, Unity_ and _Multiplicity_, _Collection_ and _Separation_, are all of them Properties of Body. But we cannot say of these separate Essences, which know this _TRUE Being_ (whose Name be prais'd) that they are _many_ or _one_, because they are immaterial. Now, _Multiplicity_ is because of the Difference of one Being from another, and there can be no _Unity_ but by _Conjunction_, and none of these can be understood without Compound Notions which are mix'd with Matter. Besides, that the Explication of Things in this place is very straight and difficult; because if you go about to express what belongs to these separate Essences, by way of Multitude, or in the _Plural_, according to our way of speaking, this insinuates a Notion of _Multiplicity_, whereas they are far from being _many_; and if you speak of them by way of Separation, or in the Singular, this insinuates a Notion of Unity, whereas they are far from being _one_.
Sec. 88. And here methinks I fee one of those Batts, whose Eyes the Sun dazzles, moving himself in the Chain of his Folly, and saying, _This Subtilty of yours exceeds all Bounds, for you have withdrawn your self from the State and Condition of understanding Men, and indeed thrown away the Nature of Intelligible Things, for this is a certain Axiom, that a thing must be either one, or more than one_. Soft and fair; let that Gentleman be pleas'd to consider with himself, and contemplate this vile, sensible World, after the same manner which _Hai Ebn Yokdhan_ did, who, when he consider'd it one way, sound such a Multiplicity in it, as was incomprehensible; and then again considering it another way, perceiv'd that it was only one thing; and thus he continu'd fluctuating, and could not determine on one side more than another. Now if it were so in this sensible World, which is the proper place of _Multiplicity_ and _Singularity_, and the place where the true Nature of them is understood, and in which are _Separation_ and _Union, Division_ into Parts, and _Distinction, Agreement_ and _Difference_, what would he think of the Divine World, in, or concerning which we cannot justly say, _all_ nor _some_, nor express any thing belonging to it by such Words as our Ears are us'd to, without insinuating some Notion which is contrary to the Truth of the thing, which no Man knows but he that has seen it, nor understands; but he that has attain'd to it.
Sec. 89. And as for his saying, _That I have withdrawn myself from the State and Condition of understanding Men, and thrown away the Nature of Intelligible Things_: I grant it, and leave him to his Understanding, and his understanding Men he speaks of. For that Understanding which he, and such as he, mean, is nothing else but that Rational Faculty which examines the Individuals of Sensible Things, and from thence gets an Universal Notion; and those understanding Men he means, are those which make use of this sort of Separation. But that kind, which we are now speaking of, is above all this; and therefore let every one that knows nothing but Sensible Things and their Universals, shut his Ears, and pack away to his Company, who know the outside of the Things of this World, but take no care of the next. But if thou art one of them to whom these Limits and Signs by which we describe the Divine World are sufficient, and dost not put that Sense upon my Words in which they are commonly us'd[23], I shall give thee some farther Account of what _Hai Ebn Yokdhan_ saw, when he was in the State of those who have attain'd to the Truth, of which we have made Mention before, and it is thus; Sec. 90. After he was wholly immers'd in the Speculation of these things, and perfectly abstracted from all other Objects, and in the nearest Approach[24]; he saw in the highest Sphere, beyond which there is no _Body_, a Being free from Matter, which was not the Being of that _ONE, TRUE ONE_, nor the Sphere itself, nor yet any thing different from them both; but was like the Image of the Sun which appears in a well-polish'd Looking-glass, which is neither the Sun nor the Looking-glass, and yet not distinct from them. And he saw in the Essence of that separate Sphere, such Perfection, Splendor and Beauty, as is too great to be express'd by any Tongue, and too subtil to be cloath'd in Words; and he perceiv'd that it was in the utmost Perfection of Delight and Joy, Exultation and Gladness, by reason of its beholding that _TRUE_ Essence, whose Glory be exalted, Sec. 91. He saw also that the next Sphere to it, which is that of the Fixed Stars, had an immaterial Essence, which was not the Essence of that _TRUE ONE_, nor the Essence of that highest, separated Sphere, nor the Sphere itself, and yet not different from these; but is like the Image of the Sun which is reflected upon a Looking glass, from another Glass placed opposite to the Sun; and he observ'd in this Essence also the like Splendor, Beauty, Loveliness and Pleasure, which he had observ'd in the Essence of the other highest Sphere. He saw likewise that the next Sphere, which is the Sphere of _Saturn_, had an immaterial Essence, which was none of those Essences he had seen before, nor yet different from them; but was like the Image of the Sun, which appears in a Glass, upon which it is reflected from a Glass which receiv'd that Reflection from another Glass plac'd opposite to the Sun. And he saw in this Essence too, the same Splendor and Delight which he had observ'd in the former. And so in all the Spheres he observ'd distinct, immaterial Essences, every one of which was not any of those which went before it, not yet different from them; but was like the Image of the Sun reflected from one Glass to another, according to the Order of the Spheres. And he saw in every one of these Essences, such Beauty, Splendor, Pleasure and Joy, as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath it enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive; and so downwards, till he came to the lower World, subject to Generation and Corruption, which comprehends all that which is contained within the Sphere of the Moon.
Sec. 92. Which he perceiv'd had an immaterial Essence, as well as the rest; not the same with any of those which he had seen before, nor different from them; and that this Essence had seventy thousand Faces, and every Face seventy thousand Mouths, and every Mouth seventy thousand Tongues, with which it praised, sanctified and glorified incessantly the Essence of that _ONE, TRUE BEING_. And he saw that this Essence (which he had suppos'd to be many, tho' it was not) had the same Perfection and Pleasure, which he had seen in the other; and that this Essence was like the Image of the Sun, which appears in fluctuating Water, which has that Image reflected upon it from the last and lowermost of those Glasses, to which the Reflection came, according to the foremention'd Order, from the first Glass which was set opposite to the Sun. Then he perceiv'd that he himself had a separate Essence, which one might call a part of that Essence which had seventy thousand Faces, if that Essence had been capable of Division; and if that Essence had not been created in time, one might say it was the very same; and had it not been join'd to the Body so soon as it was created, we should have thought that it had not been created. And in this Order he saw other Essences also, like his own which had necessarily been heretofore, then were dissolv'd, and afterwards necessarily existed together with himself; and that they were so many as could not he number'd, if we might call them _many_; or that they were all one, if we might call them _one_. And he perceiv'd both in his own Essence, and in those other Essences which were in the same Rank with him, infinite Beauty, Brightness and Pleasure, such as neither Eye hath seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath it enter'd into the Heart of Man; and which none can describe nor understand, but those which have attain'd to it, and experimentally know it.
Sec. 93. Then he saw a great many other immaterial Essences[25], which resembled rusty Looking-glasses, cover'd over with Filth, and besides, turn'd their Backs upon, and had their Faces averted from those polish'd Looking-glasses that had the Image of the Sun imprinted upon them; and he saw that these Essences had so much Filthiness adhering to them, and such manifold Defects as he could not have conceived. And he saw that they were afflicted with infinite Pains, which caused incessant Sighs and Groans; and that they were compass'd about with Torments, as those who lie in a Bed are with Curtains; and that they were scorch'd with the fiery Veil of Separation[26]. But after a very little while his Senses return'd to him again, and he came to himself out of this State, as out of an Extasie; and his Foot sliding out of this place, he came within sight of this sensible World, and lost the sight of the Divine World, for there is no joining them both together in the same State. _For this World in which we live, and that other are like two Wives belonging to the same Husband; if you please one, you displease the other_.
Sec. 94. Now, if you should object, that it appears from what I have said concerning this Vision, that those separated Essences, if they chance to be in Bodies of perpetual Duration, as the Heavenly Bodies are, shall also remain perpetually, but if they be in a Body which is liable to Corruption (such an one as belongs to us reasonable Creatures) that then they must perish too, and vanish away, as appears from the Similitude of the Looking-glasses which I have us'd to explain it; because the Image there has no Duration of itself, but what depends upon the Duration of the Looking-glass; and if you break the Glass, the Image is most certainly destroy'd and vanishes. In answer to this I must tell you, that you have soon forgot the Bargain I made with you. For did not I tell you before that it was a narrow Field, and that we had but little room for Explication; and that _Words_ however us'd, would most certainly occasion Men to think otherwise of the thing than really it was? Now that which has made you imagine this, is, because you thought that the Similitude must answer the thing represented in every respect. But that will not hold in any common Discourse; how much less in this, where the Sun and its Light, and its Image, and the Representation of it, and the Glasses, and the Forms which appear in them, are all of them things which are inseparable from Body, and which cannot subsist but by it and in it, and therefore the very Essences of them depend upon Body, and they perish together with it.
Sec. 95. But as for the Divine Essences and Heroick Spirits, they are all free from Body and all its Adherents, and remov'd from them at the utmost distance, nor have they any Connection, or Dependance upon them. And the existing or not existing of Body is all one to them, for their sole Connection and Dependance is upon that ONE TRUE NECESSARY SELF-EXISTENT BEING, who is the first of them, and the Beginning of them, and the Cause of their Existence, and he perpetuates them and continues them for ever; nor do they want the Bodies, but the Bodies want them; for if they should perish, the Bodies would perish, because these Essences are the Principles of these Bodies. In like manner, as if a Privation of that ONE TRUE BEING could be suppos'd (far be it from him, for there is no God but him) all these Essences would be remov'd together with him, and the Bodies too, and all the sensible World, because all these have a mutual Connection.
Sec. 96. Now, tho' the Sensible World follows the Divine World, as a Shadow does the Body, and the Divine World stands in no need of it, but is free from it, and independent of it, yet notwithstanding this, it is absurd to suppose a Possibility of its being annihilated, because it follows the Divine World: But the Corruption of this World consists in its being chang'd, not annihilated. And that glorious Book[27] spake, where there is no mention made of _Moving the Mountains, and making them like the World, and Men like Fire-flyes, and darkning the Sun and Moon; and Eruption of the Sea, in that day when the Earth shall be chang'd into another Earth, and the Heavens likewise_. And this is the Substance of what I can hint to you at present, concerning what _Hai Ebn Yokdhan_ saw, when in that glorious State. Don't expect that I should explain it any farther with Words, for that is even impossible.
Sec. 97. But as for what concerns the finishing his History, that I shall tell you, God willing. After his return to the sensible World, when he had been where we have told you, he loath'd this present Life, and most earnestly long'd for the Life to come; and he endeavour'd to return to the same State, by the same means he had sought it at first, till he attain'd to it with less trouble than he did at first, and continu'd in it the second time longer than at the first. Then he return'd to the Sensible World; and then again endeavour'd to recover his Station, which he found easier than at the first and second time, and that he continu'd in it longer; and thus it grew easier and easier, and his Continuance in it longer and longer, time after, time, till at last he could attain it when he pleas'd, and stay in it as long as he pleas'd. In this State he firmly kept himself, and never retir'd from it, but when the Necessities of his Body requir'd it, which he had brought into as narrow a Compass as was possible. And whilst he was thus exercis'd, he us'd to with that it would please God to deliver him altogether from this Body of his, which detain'd him from that State; that he might have nothing to do but to give himself up wholly to his Delight, and be freed from all that Torment with which he was afflicted, as often as he was forc'd to avert his Mind from that State, by attending on the Necessities of Nature. And thus he continu'd, till he was past the seventh Septenary of his Age; that is, till he was about fifty Years of Age, and then he happen'd to be acquainted with _Asal_. The Narrative of which meeting of theirs, we shall now (God willing) relate.
Sec. 98. They say that there was an Island not far from that where _Hai Ebn Yokdhan_ was born (no matter according to which of those two different Accounts they give of his Birth) into which one of those good Sects, which had some one of the ancient Prophets (of pious Memory) for its Author, had retir'd. A Sect which us'd to discourse of all things in Nature, by way of Parable and Similitude, and by that means represent the Images of them to the Imagination, and fix the Impressions of them in Men's Minds, as is customary in such Discourses as are made to the Vulgar. This Sect so spread it self in this Island, and prevail'd and grew so eminent, that at last the King not only embrac'd it himself, but oblig'd his Subjects to do so too.
Sec. 99. Now there were born in this Island, two Men of extraordinary Endowments, and Lovers of that which is Good; the Name of the one was _Asal_, and the other _Salaman_, who meeting with this Sect, embrac'd it heartily, and oblig'd themselves to the punctual Observance of all its Ordinances, and the daily Exercise of what was practis'd in it; and to this end they enter'd into a League of Friendship with each other. Now among other Passages contain'd in the Law of that Sect, they sometimes made enquiry into these Words, wherein it treats of the Description of the most High and Glorious God, and. his Angels, and the Resurrection, and the Rewards and Punishments of a future State. Now _Asal_ us'd to make a deeper Search into the inside of Things, and was more inclin'd to study Mystical Meanings and Interpretations. But as for his Friend _Salaman_, he kept close to the literal Sense, and never troubled himself with such Interpretations, but refrain'd from such curious Examination and Speculation of things. However, notwithstanding this Difference, they both were constant in performing those Ceremonies requir'd, and in calling themselves to an account, and in opposing their Affections.
Sec. 100. Now there were in this Law some Passages which seem'd to exhort Men to Retirement and a solitary Life, intimating that Happiness and Salvation were to be attain'd by it; and others which seem'd to encourage Men to Conversation, and the embracing Human Society. _Asal_ gave himself up wholly to Retirement, and those Expressions which favour'd it were of most weight with him, because he was naturally inclin'd to Contemplation, and searching into the Meanings of Things; and his greatest hope was, that he should best attain his End by a solitary Life. _Salaman,_ on the other side, applied himself to Conversation, and those Sayings of the Law which tended that way, went the farthest with him; because he had a natural Aversion to Contemplation, and nice sifting of things. And he thought that Conversation did drive away evil Thoughts, and banish'd that Diversity of Opinions which offer'd themselves to his Mind, and kept him from the Suggestions of evil Thoughts. In short, their Disagreement in this particular, was the occasion of their parting.