Philosophical
Reflections
(Under Revision)
An analysis of History of Philosophy, Mysticism, Metaphysics , Psychology and Modern Physics.
Dr. Abdul Lathief
“Dedicated
to my Master Vadakara Mullakoya Thangal and Master of masters Ibn Arabi-Spain”
This Book is
inspired by The Great Classic "Fusus al Hikam" of the Greatest Master
“Ibn Arabi -
Contents
Part I: Nature of Reality
Chapter 1: The Planes of the Absolute
I: The Absolute.
A. Absolute Subject. (Transcendental State).
. B. Absolute Spirit. (Immanent State)
II. Absolute World
A: Soul World.
i: Universal Spiritual (Subjective) Soul.
ii: Universal Mental Soul .
iii: Universal Material Soul .
a: Subtle Material soul .
b: Gross Material Soul
B: Material World
i Subtle Material Beings
a: Universal Mental Being (Universe-realm of Quarks)
b: Universal Imaginary Being (Galaxies-sub atom)
c: Universal Living Being (Solar system-Atom)
ii: Gross Material Beings
1: Celestial Beings
i: Higher Soul Beings
a: Pluto
b: Neptune
c: Uranus
ii: Middle Mental Beings
d: Saturn
e: Jupiter
f: Mars
g: Sun
iii: Lower imaginary Beings
h-Venus
i:-Mercury
j:-Moon
2: Terrestrial Beings
a-Fire being
b-Air being
c-Water being
d-Earth being
e: Mineral being.
f: Plant being.
g: Animal being.
h-Terrestrial Angels
i-Jinn
J: Human beings.
a: Subjective Spirit
i: Soul
ii:
Consciousness
iii:
Spirit
b: Objective Spirit
i: Law
ii: Morality of Conscience
iii:
Social Ethics
c: Absolute Spirit
i:
Art
ii: Religious Spirit.
iii: Philosophic Spirit.
III: Absolute Man
Chapter 2: The
eternal and the temporal
Chapter 3: Creative evolution and dissolution
Chapter 4: The living world
Chapter 5: Conscious evolution
Chapter 6: The unique human spirit
Chapter 7: The path of the seeker
Chapter 8: Wisdom, Love, Power
Chapter 9: Cosmic Imagination
Chapter 10: Life & Death
Chapter 11: Concept of God
Part II: Mysticism,
Metaphysics & Ethics
Chapter 2: Being ,Existence & Essence
Chapter 3: Philosophy.
A: Continental Philosophy
B: Analytic Philosophy.
Chapter 4: Metaphysics
a: Monism
i: Ideal Monism
ii: Material Monism
iii: Neutral Monism
b: Dualism
c: Pluralism
Chapter 5: Philosophy of Mind
Chapter 6: Ontology
Chapter 7: Epistemology
Chapter 8 Philosophy of Religion.
Chapter 9: Logic.
Chapter 10: Philosophy of Language
Chapter 11: Political Philosophy
Chapter 12:
Aesthetics.
Chapter 13: Ethics: Good & Evil
a:
b: Normative
ethics
c: Applied Ethics
Part III: History of Philosophy
A: Western philosophy
Chapter:
1
i: Ancient Philosophy
Chapter 2 Ionic Philosophy
Chapter 3 Pythagoreans
Chapter 4 Eleatic Philosophy.
Chapter 5 Heraclitus
Chapter 6 Empedocles.
Chapter 7 Atomic Philosophy
Chapter 8 Anaxagoras
Chapter 9 Sophist Philosophy
Chapter 10 Socrates.
Chapter 11: The Socratics
Chapter 12 Plato
Chapter 13 Aristotle
Chapter:14: Greeks-some Concepts and their Antinomies
a: Absolute
and relative
b: Permanence
and change
c. Idealism
and materialism
d. Realism
and nominalism
Chapter 15: Stoicism
Chapter 16: Epicureanism
Chapter17: Scepticism
Chapter 18
Neo Platonism
ii: Medieval Philosophy
iii: Modern Philosophy
Chapter :1: Francis bacon
Chapter 14: Rationalists
a: Descartes
b: Spinoza
c: Leibniz
Chapter 15: Empiricists
a: John Locke
b:
c: David
Hume
d: Rousseau
e: Rationalism
and empiricism
Chapter 16: Immanuel Kant
Chapter17: Schopenhauer and Nietzsche
a: Schopenhauer
b: Nietzsche
c: Voluntarism:
Objective & Subjective
Chapter 18: German Idealism
a: Fichte
b : Schelling
c : Hegel
d: Idealism:
Subjective & Objective
e: Idealism
and realism
Chapter 19: The Evolutionists
a: Herbert Spencer
b : Darwin
and Lamarck
c: Henri Bergson
iv: Contemporary Philosophy
Chapter 20: Marxism and Materialism
a: Marxism
b: Materialism:
Mechanistic & Dialectical
Chapter 21: Croce, White head, James
a: Benedetto Croce
b: White
head
c: William
James
Chapter 22: Heidegger and Existentialism
a: Martin Heidegger and Dasein
b:
Existentialism
c: Existence and Essence
Chapter23: Positivism and Logical Positivism.
a: Positivism
b: Logical positivism
Chapter 24: Phenomenology
Chapter 25: Structuralism, Post Structuralism and Cultural Anthropology.
a: Structuralism
b: Post Structuralism
c: Cultural Anthropology.
Chapter 26: Systems Theory and Autopoiesis
a: Systems Theory
b: Autopoiesis
Chapter 27: Chaos and Complexity Theory
Chapter 28: Modern ideal philosophies
a: Neo Thomism
b: Personalism
c: Neo realism
Chapter 29: Post Modernism and Critical Theory
a: Post Modernism
b: Critical Theory
Chapter 30: Foucault ,Derrida and Habermas
a: Michel Foucault
b: Jacques Derrida
c: Jurgen Habermas
Chapter 31 Other Post Modern Philosophies
a: Critical Realism
b:
Chapter 32 Ken Wilber
and Integral Post Metaphysics
Chapter 33
Hermeneutics
& Gadamer
a: Hermeneutics
b: Hans-Georg Gadamer
Chapter
34
a: Francis Fukuyama and The End of History and the Last Man
b: Samuel P. Huntington and Clash of Civilisations
Chapter 35 Participatory Philosophy and the
B: Eastern Philosophy
Chapter 1: Introduction
i: Indian Philosophy.
Chapter 1: Hindu Philosophy
a: Samkhya
b:
c: Vedanta
d: Conscious and unconscious
Chapter 2: Jain Philosophy
Chapter 3: Buddhist philosophy
Chapter 4: Theosophy
Chapter :5: Sri Aurabindo and Integral yoga
Chapter :6 J.Krishnamurthy
Chapter :7 Osho Rajneesh
ii: Other Eastern Philosophies
Chapter 1: Persian philosophy: Zoroastrianism
Chapter 2: Chinese philosophy: Taoism
Chapter
3: Japanese Philosophy:Shintoism
C: Abrahamic Philosophy.
Chapter 1 Introduction.
Chapter 2: Jewish philosophy: Kabala
Chapter 3: Christian philosophy
a: Gnosticism
b: Thomas
Aquinas
Chapter 4 Islamic philosophy
a: Mutazilah and Ashiri
b: Al
kindi
c: Al
Farabi, Ibn Sina, and Ibn Rushd
d: Al Razi & Al Gazali
e: Suhrawardi and illuminationist philosophy
f: Ibn Arabi
g: Mulla Sadra
h: Shah Waliyullah
i: Mohd Iqbal
j: Sufism
i: Maqam and Hal
ii: Emanations
iii: Time and Space by Iraqi
iv: Nafs
v: Nafs,Qalb,Ruh
vi: Manzils
vii: Fana and Baqa-Dhat,Sifat,Af'al
viii: Fana Af'al Baqa Af'al
ix: Fana Sifat Baqa Sifat
x: Fana Dhat Baqa Dhat
xi: Tauhid
xii: Ilm ul Yaqin,Ain ul
Yaqin,Haq ul Yaqin
xiii: Ijadiya,Suhudiya,Wujudiya Sufism
Chapter ;5 Ridwan School and Diamond approach.
Chapter :6 Perennial Philosophy and Traditionalism
b: frithjof Schuon
c:Seyyed Hussein Nasr
Part IV: Mind Physiology & Human Psychology
Section-A: Mind
Physiology
Chapter 1: Freud, Adler, Jung, and
a: Freud and psychoanalysis
b: Adler
and individual psychology
c: Jung
and analytical psychology
d:
Chapter 2: Neo Behaviorism
Chapter 3: Gestalt psychology
Chapter 4: Cognitive Psychology
Chapter 5: Humanistic Psychology
Chapter 6: Modern trends in Psychology
a: Evolutionary Psychology.
b: Developmental Psychology.
c: Depth Psychology
d: Transpersonal Psychology
Chapter 7 Experimental Psychology and James Baldwin
a: Experimental Psychology
b: James Mark Baldwin
Chapter 8: Jean Gebser and Clare Graves
a: Gebser and Structures of Consciousness
b:
Chapter 9 The Enneagram
Chapter 10: Action, sensation etc.
a : Pragmatism
b: Empiricism
c: Emotion
d: Rationalism
e: Intuition
Chapter 11: Causation, Determinism, Free will
a: Causation
b: Determinism
c: Free
will
P
Chapter:1: Cosmology
Chapter:2: Modern Physics.
Part
I : Nature of Reality
Chapter 1 : The planes of the Absolute
Introduction
Whenever we contemplate on the nature of reality or beings we have to conceive of a state at which there is not any other form of beings except Ultimate Reality or The Being in Itself. This is the ultimate source and ground of all beings. What I mean by beings is not only what appear externally before the senses but also in the phenomenological sense like what ever appear in mind .
The essence or nature of this Ultimate Reality is beyond mind or matter. When we consider the whole knowable reality or range of beings every thing can be ultimately reduced into either mental or physical. Physical I am using in it's broadest sense so it includes both matter and energy. So physical includes not only gross matter ,material bodies, molecules, and atoms but also fundamental particles like leptons, quarks, photons, mesons etc and even strings and p-branes and also energy like electro magnetic waves. According to modern physics matter can be ultimately reduced to energy so physical is energy. When we proceed along our ideal philosophy at last we will come to the conclusion that mind and energy are not two separate essences but one and the same thing with two aspects or different point of view. So there is only mind and energy or matter is only the form of this mind.
The internal nature or essence of this mind is Consciousness or Knowledge or Thought and the external form is energy or matter. Here Consciousness, Knowledge or Thought are not used in the sense of particular consciousness or knowledge or thoughts like discursive thoughts or sensory consciousness which are the active forms of mind. Here consciousness is used as the essence or nature of mind as Subjective Consciousness ,Knowledge not as knowledge but as Knower, Thought not as thoughts but as Thinker. This means all forms of experiences like knowledge, thoughts, imagination, sensations, emotions, feelings, passions and even material objects are only different forms of mind .
This can be further explained when we analyse the two forms of mind. Mind whose essence is consciousness has two states. One mind in its immediacy or pre reflective mind- spontaneous passive mind and the other mediated or reflected mind or active mind. It is the nature of mind that immediacy is prior to or precedes mediation, undifferentiated state is prior to differentiation, indeterminate state is prior to determination. The immediate mind is prior to reflection. This is the passive state of mind because here there is no activity or motion of mind which results from mind reflecting upon itself or thinking of itself or becoming conscious of itself which produce particular consciousness or knowledge or thoughts. In immediacy or as pre reflective mind mind is in it's pure state and this is subjectivity or self consciousness. At this state there is no thinking so there is no knowledge or thoughts. Thinking is the movement or activity of pre reflective or passive mind or thinking is active mind. Thoughts are the result of this thinking and this thoughts are knowledge. This means pre reflective mind as subjectivity or self consciousness is not consciousness of a subject or self separate from it as knowledge but this subjectivity or self itself is this consciousness. This further means in self consciousness knowing is being or to know and to be is one and the same. So this subjective consciousness can only be experienced and lived but is never an object of thought or knowledge. This is as we explained earlier because there is no knowledge at this state or rather here knowledge is as knower or thought is as thinker. Secondly for this subjective consciousness objects are not something alien and separate form it but this subjectivity contain in itself potentially the world or objects. Here there is unity of subjective and objective consciousness or knower and known or thinker and thoughts. For this subjective consciousness objects or the world is not an object of consciousness as external and apart and different from subjectivity but includes in itself as it's peripheral contents. So even if there is no difference there is distinction and here the other is not something completely different from the subjectivity but it's own other. This is what Heidegger means Dasein's ontological structure is as 'being in the world'. This is the passive state of human mind and this subjectivity is prior to all other forms of consciousness. Mediated or reflective mind or in other words all other forms and activities of the mind like knowledge, observation, sensations, imaginations, perceptions, thinking, emotions, feelings are arising out of this subjectivity and this subjectivity accompany all these other activities of the mind consciously or unconsciously. Now apart from this subjectivity which contain in itself all the objects, pre reflective mind has no other actual contents because all actual contents are developed from this potential state by other activities of the mediated or active mind by making them an object for consciousness. This is why Sartre describe this pure subjectivity as Nothingness in his 'Being and Nothingness'. This is not really the state of nothingness because this pre reflective mind is potentially everything and this nothingness is only an abstraction of subjectivity form everything made by the mind itself by posting them as objects. The second state of the mind is reflected or mediated or active mind. Reflective mind is the active state of mind when mind becomes conscious of itself or thinking upon itself producing knowledge or thoughts. Here there is movement or activity of pre reflective or passive mind. This active mind is in the forms of thinking, perception, sensation, feelings, emotions and this produce thoughts and knowledge. Due to this motion which is reflected or active mind or knowledge or thoughts there is separation of subject and object or knower and known or thinker and thoughts. Here the potential contents of pre reflective mind becomes an object for reflective mind. While pure subjectivity is pre reflective or passive mind this is active or reflective mind. There are two forms of this reflective mind. Unconscious and conscious reflective mind. Most of the time we are thinking ,feeling and sensing without being conscious of this reflective mind. The second is conscious reflective mind where we are aware of our reflective mind. This is when we are conscious that we are thinking ,feeling or sensing. In reflective mind there is knowledge not as knower like pre reflective mind but as knowledge due to separation of knower and known.
The lowest state of the unconscious reflective mind is what we call material mind. Here mind identifies or thinking itself as gross matter. Here subjectivity is completely identified with matter. This is as we mentioned earlier are the material bodies and gross matter. The ultimate reality is prior to matter so It is beyond this unconscious reflective mind as material mind. An higher state of the unconscious reflective mind is what we call subtle mind. What I mean by subtle mind is not only the realm of of imaginations but also other realms of mind like emotions, feelings, passions, desires and also ordinary discursive thoughts. This is an objective realm and this can be compared in its subjective aspect with all forms of human unconscious reflective mind. In normal day to day life human mind is what we describe as unconscious reflective mind. This means we are thinking, imagining, feeling and sensing without being simultaneously conscious of our subjectivity. In contrast to pre reflective mind in this reflective mind there is always an object for mind set apart from subjectivity. Most of the time we go on thinking or knowing or feeling without being conscious of the fact that we are thinking or feeling. We are only conscious of the product of this thinking or feeling but never simultaneously aware of this thinking or feeling subject. This is unconscious reflective mind. What we have to remember is this subtle mind is an objective realm and our subjective subtle mind is only a limited and distorted aspect of this objective realm which is much vaster and includes this subjective plane. A still higher state of the mind is called soul mind. What I mean by soul mind is the realm of ideas and thoughts arising out of self consciousness where the being is fully conscious of his individual subjectivity and every thing arising out of this subjectivity. This is conscious reflective mind. Similar to subtle mind this is also an objective realm and the corresponding human subjective realm is described by the individual subjectivity of Husserl after the phenomenological reduction-first eidetic reduction. This is also what Heidegger and other existentialists calls Dasein's existential consciousness .This is the human conscious reflective mind. Conscious reflective mind is obtained by constant awareness or directing our consciousness to this thinking or knowing subject .This is in other words awareness of reflective mind or consciousness of reflective mind. Sartre is wrong in identifying this conscious reflective mind with pre reflective mind .In soul mind apart from the objects of mind we are also conscious of our individual particular subjectivity. As we explained above what we have to remember here is our awareness of the individual subtle and soul mind is subjective and only a limited and distorted aspect of objective subtle and soul mental plane which are greater and includes this human subjective plane.
The highest state of the mind and it's original nature is what we call spiritual mind. This is the pre reflective mind. Beyond the two forms of reflective mind described above there is immediate or pre reflective mind. This is pure, spontaneous subjective mind. This is the original nature of mind. Unlike reflective mind this is not an object of mind because here this subjectivity itself is mind. The first difference between the subjectivity of conscious reflective mind or soul mind and the subjectivity of pre reflective mind or spiritual mind is in soul plane the subjectivity is individual and particular while in spiritual plane subjectivity has a universal character. The second difference is in soul plane the objects are totally different , alien and external to the subject while as spiritual mind subject includes object or objects are internal to the subject and there is no fundamental difference but only distinction between subject and object. So here object is not same as subject but other, but subject's own other. Pre reflective mind is spiritual mind where there is universal subjective consciousness and to which object is not something entirely different and external to it but include in itself as it's own other. Here there is unity of subjective and objective consciousness or here knowing is being. Spiritual mind is this immediate awareness before and beyond subjective and objective separation. Here mind is not as individual souls but as Absolute Spirit. What J. Krishnamurthy called choice less awareness , Osho Rajneesh silent witnessing self, Mulla Sadra Presencial Cognition (Ilm Hudluri). This is what Hegel calls the realm of speculative reason where there is unity of consciousness and self consciousness. This is Heidegger's realm of Ereignis where there is belonging together of Dasein and Being. This is also the state attained by what Husserl calls the second or transcendental reduction where every thing (not only the essences but also all particular subjectivities including one's own) is reduced to transcendental or universal subjectivity. But unlike phenomenological method which is an intellectual or rational consciousness of this state this is an existential or experiential consciousness. Immediate mind or pre reflective mind is the state of pure consciousness or experiencing or knowledge where subjective consciousness, consciousness itself, objective consciousness; experiencer, experience and experienced or knower-knowledge-known form or in a unity. This is the state where there is no conflict or duality between subjective and objective but there is both complete unity between them and also predominance of subjectivity which includes objectivity in itself. This is the state of ecstasy of the Neo-Platonists where there is only distinction but neither difference nor separation of the knower and known.
The Ultimate Reality is prior to material mind, so this must be before physical time. What I mean by physical time is time according to modern physics. Time beginning from a physical event. According to modern physics Big bang event is the point of singularity and the beginning of present serial time. According to idealists thoughts are before things, in other words mind is prior to matter. Since this reality is also prior to subtle mind, this must be prior to subtle time. Discursive thoughts and imaginations are always in a flux or motion and there is always movement from one thought to another in succession. So there is subtle serial time. This Reality is also prior to soul mind because soul world has a beginning as individual and particular souls. This Reality is also prior to spiritual mind because spiritual plane has a logical beginning of mind as Universal Subject (Absolute Spirit). What I mean by logical time is mathematical priority like one precedes two; two precedes three and the priority of events. So it means this highest state of the Absolute logically precedes even the state as pre reflective mind (Absolute Spirit).
I: The Absolute.
The highest plane or the first plane is the plane of the Absolute in itself. This can be described as consisting of two states. One is the transcendental or Absolute Subject and the other is immanent or Absolute Spirit.
A: Absolute Subject (Transcendental State).
This highest state of the Absolute we call Absolute Subject. The main characteristic of this state in which all the mystics are in agreement is it's complete unknowability. This means first of all even the term Subject signifies only that it is a concept to which the predicate 'unknowable' is attributed. So here with the exception of mystics who have realisation of this state, we enter into the realm of speculative philosophy. Here speculation is used in the sense of Hegel's speculative dialectical reason. The essence or nature of this Subject is unknowable because as we mentioned above all knowable essences and natures can be ultimately reduced to mind. When we say the essence of Subject is unknowable this means either the essence is something entirely different from mental essence so mind (the essence or nature of this mind is consciousness.) is only an attribute or the predicate of this Subject in which case Subject always remain unknowable because mind which is our essence is itself only a predicate of the Subject. The second possibility is the nature or essence of the Subject is mental but not mind as consciousness but a higher essential form or nature of mind which we may call Absolute Mind and here also consciousness is not the essence but only a predicate of this Absolute Mind. In this case also Subject remains unknowable. Most of the mystics and philosophers hold one of these views. Ibn Arabi categorically says in Fusus that 'Knowledge (consciousness) is nether essence itself nor entirely different from it .Knowledge is an attribute and The Essence is the source of this attribute. Knower is only a state of the Essence when knowledge is attributed to it'. Spinoza says Substance is higher than the attributes and both Thought (consciousness) and Extension (matter) are the attributes of the substance. According to German idealist Schelling also Absolute is an higher reality and both ego (knower) and non ego (matter) are its contents. The third possibility is that the essence of the Subject is mind as consciousness itself but at this initial state mind exists not as consciousness but as Being. This state is prior to thinking and knowledge so mind is neither reflecting on it self as mind or not knowing itself as consciousness or as Subject. Hegel hold this view. In mysticism the great mystic of kerala Sree Naryana Guru also seems to have the same view of Hegel in identifying the nature of this highest state as implicit mind.. It is about this state that Sree Narayana Guru says in his book Arivu (knowledge)-'Ariyum mumpetenna larivellatonnu mingerepeela' (If we ask what is there before knowledge (consciousness) there exists nothing but knowledge).
Now this different views can be reconciled if we analyse what we mean by the concept Absolute Subject. As we already explained ,here Absolute Subject is not synonymous with mind.. What we call here Absolute Subject is an essence entirely different from the mind whose essence is consciousness. Mind is a predicate or lower form of this Absolute Subject. We conceive the unknowable Subject as beyond mind and mind as a predicate of this Absolute Subject due to the following reasons. First of all we always conceive the unknowable Subject as self conscious Subject. All the great mystics are unanimous in describing the Subject as self sufficient and self knowing subject. This means mind is a predicate of Absolute Subject. Secondly this state, even though in a limited aspect is attained and experienced by great mystics. They always describe this experience as ineffable ,indescribable, incommunicable and this state as nothingness or nirvanic or void state. Now the fact this happens in the realm of experience or consciousness itself means mind is a predicate of this Essence. Thirdly we have seen that we can reduce every knowable reality and essences into mind. Ibn Arabi and all other great mystics affirm that there is only one Ultimate Essence and everything is the different forms and manifestations or gradations of that single Essence. Since everything knowable is reduced to mind this means mind is only the predicate of this Essence but whose nature is not mind but beyond it. This means there is only one real Essence which is Absolute Subject and both knowable and unknowable realities are only lower and higher forms of this Absolute Subject.
. We have seen that mind has two state -state of immediacy and state of mediation. Immediate or pre reflective mind is prior or precedes mediate or reflective mind. This means we cannot be simultaneously conscious of the two states. Even though universal subjectivity or pre reflective mind underlies all other forms of experiences our mental nature is such that we are conscious of only one state at any particular moment. We have already seen that mind whose essence is consciousness is a lower form of Absolute Subject. Therefore the first difference between Absolute Subject and mind is our immediate or pre reflective mind as subjectivity or being or knower is in relation to the Absolute Subject is only like mediated mind. When we look at the two states of the Absolute-Absolute Subject and Absolute Spirit- The Absolute in the immediate state as Absolute Subject is beyond mind and mind here is only a predicate of this Subject. So this is why the Subject is unknowable because here the essence of Subject is not mind but beyond it. So this Essence always remain unknowable. Here the Subject is absorbed in himself. The other or second state is The Absolute in mediation or reflection and this is the state of Absolute Spirit. This state is similar to or same as the pre reflective mind. Here the immediate and unknowable Absolute Subject is changed into reflected Absolute Spirit. This is when the Subject reflects on itself or thinking about himself. This is the dawning of mind or consciousness as pre reflective mind and the known is Subject itself. Here the unknowable essence becomes knowable due to pre reflective mind becoming the essence of the Subject. Here mind is as Knower or Being or self consciousness due to Subject descending to his own knowledge. So in mediation the Subject becomes knower so the essence is pre reflective mind. So Absolute Subject as immediate is unknowable essence while as mediated Subject or Absolute Spirit the essence is mind. So the first state is Unknowable Absolute Subject and the second state is knowable Absolute Spirit. (when we say the mediated Absolute (Absolute Spirit) is the nature of pre reflective mind we do not mean the normal human mind of the lower planes but the human mind of the second state as pre reflective mind or Absolute Spirit where mystics and realised men will have the existential experience of his subjectivity permeating the whole universe without losing his individuality. This will be explained in detail later.) The second difference of Absolute from mind is as we explained earlier while our mind cannot be conscious of the two states simultaneously (immediate and mediate) Absolute is conscious and exist in both states simultaneously. This also means while we may know the Absolute in it's second state as Absolute Spirit the real essence always remain unknowable and Absolute Subject remain in his pure and unaltered and undiminished state irrespective of the innumerable manifestations of the mediated Absolute Spirit .So there is only a logical priority of The Absolute Subject over Absolute Spirit while ontologically they are together.
So all we can say retrospectively from our limited human experience is that as Absolute Subject the essence is unknowable. This is because mind which is the attribute or predicate of the Absolute is not revealed at this state of Absolute Subject. Here we are using Absolute Subject in it's widest meaning. Here Subject is not synonymous with mind nor is the form of this Subject energy or matter like mind. Mind is only the predicate of this Subject or a lower form of the Absolute and only potential at this highest state and matter (energy) which is the form of mind is also only potential at this state. As a matter of fact all the predicates are issuing from this Subject so everything is here potentially but at this state Subject remains unknowable. So the real nature of this Subject is unknowable because mind being a predicate, the subject of this predicate is always beyond it. Neither being nor mind is it's nature or essence. (being need some clarification. being is used philosophically to denote four different meanings. Firstly 'The Being' is used to denote the same Unknowable Absolute Subject. Here The Being is synonymous with The Essence. Plato, Neo-Platonists, Heidegger, Ibn Arabi and Mulla Sadra use Being in this sense. Secondly being is used in the sense we used as existence. Here it is used as a principal predicate of the Subject. This is a principal predicate because the idea of an Absolute Subject imply first and foremost. for us human beings the idea of It's being or existence. Here being means to be, to exist or isness of the Subject. This is contrasted with non being or nothingness. This is what Spinoza means by saying the idea of God's essence involves his existence. Descartes, Spinoza and Hegel use being in this sense. Earlier we have seen that this being of the second meaning is the mediated Absolute as Absolute Spirit or as pre reflective mind. So when we analyse this being in the second state we can see that it is mind. Rather we can say this being is nothing but mind as subjectivity or thought as Thinker or knowledge as Knower of the second state. Thirdly being is used as opposed to mind. Here it means having physical or material nature composed of either energy or matter. Descartes and Spinoza use extension as opposed to mind in this sense and Kant use being in this sense. Here being is used as something external or independent to mind as external existence. Fourthly beings is used by existentialists like Heidegger and Sartre to denote every type of entities or subject ).Now strictly speaking only The Being in the first sense denoting The Essence is applicable to Absolute Subject. We have seen that being in the second sense as 'Is ness' is nothing but mind as subjectivity which is applicable to the Absolute only in the second state as Absolute Spirit. As Absolute Subject is beyond affirmation of any predicates so Subject is beyond being and nonbeing. At this state the Subject is absorbed in itself or himself so that there is no revelation of any predicates. So we can say predicates are potential at this stage and they are not revealed. So Subject is always with all the predicates but at this state they are concealed and we only focus on the Subjectivity. When we say this is a prior state it is not in a temporal sense but in a logical sense and as we explained earlier the Absolute is ontologically always simultaneously exist in all these states-immediate (Absolute Subject) and mediate states (Absolute Spirit). This is the highest state of the Absolute as Absolute Subject. The start or beginning is as Absolute Subject or rather The Absolute Subject is beyond beginning because strictly speaking beginning is a becoming of this Absolute Subject and also beginning need time as a concept ,but this state is beyond the formations of concepts. This is the state in which the Subject is absorbed in himself. This state or aspect is Absolute in His hidden state. The unknowable Absolute. The Indefinable Subject. The Undifferentiated aspect of the Absolute as Subject This is the stage of The One. There is no Other at this stage. This is the stage of absolute rest. This state is actually indefinable and unknowable. Even though all the predicates and attributes issues from this state of Absolute Subject nothing can be known about this state. Nothing further can be ascertained about the nature, essence, attributes or content of this Subject. As this state is indefinable and undifferentiated so this is the unknown and unknowable Subject. Predicates or attributes and accidents, and the whole universe comes from this source so this is not an empty nothingness but really the source of all but at this state simply indefinable. We start or begins with this Indefinable and unknowable Absolute Subject. Unlike the second state of the first plane (Absolute Spirit) and second plane (Absolute World) which are dependent planes and depends each other and both depends on this first state for their reality and source, this first state is completely independent of any predicates or attribute or the world. In this state The Absolute is absorbed in Himself. This is the source of every thing. This is the root of all other beings. All other beings and existences are derived from this Subject. Every thing depends on this Subject but this does not depend on any thing. There is no predicate apart from this Subject.. As Spinoza says here attributes are substance it self. There is no difference between subject and predicate or substance and attributes or form and content at this stage. There is no Other at this state. This state is not an object of knowledge or mind as this Subject is beyond mind. In this sense we can say this is Absolute Subject . Some call this state The Unknown and The Unknowable. The Absolute Subject is unknown and unknowable because Subject has not descended into mind and there is no known, so this state is not an object of mind.
Retrospectively by speculation we can say mind is the principal predicate of the Subject. The predicate mind or consciousness is inferred from the fact that the second state and all the succeeding planes are derived when the Subject descends into his mind so the reality or essence of all this planes are mind in different forms. Like wise as we our self are conscious subjects and in our case consciousness is our essence still we cannot conceive of a Subject which is superior and beyond us as an unconscious Subject. So we come to the conclusion that mind even if it is not the essence of the Subject like us still is a predicate of the Subject. Being as a predicate means the' isness' of the Subject and is opposed to nonbeing. This is existence itself irrespective of any plane. Now as we have mentioned earlier and will explain in detail later being as a predicate is nothing but mind as subjectivity or knowledge as knower or thought as thinker. So as a matter of fact Absolute Subject is beyond this being or non being. But as our knowledge is retrospective our human mind cannot conceive even an unknowable Absolute and perfect Subject without the idea of being involved in it. As Ibn Arabi says there cannot be any knowledge without the prior existence of a known (being). Knowledge is always knowledge of something. So our knowledge of Subject itself implies it has being .This is what both Ibn Arabi and Spinoza means saying the idea of Essence involves existence. What we have to remember here is this is pure speculation because the human knowledge of an Absolute Subject itself depends on the known or being. What this further means is as we explained mind itself is a lower form of the Absolute Subject and being and all other predicates are nothing but different forms of this mind or in other words they are also lower forms of the Absolute Subject. As a matter of fact apart from this speculation that mind is a predicate of the Absolute Subject The Essence always remains Unknowable.
We will denote this state as First Logos. This state is identified usually with the first principal predicates of the Subject. The Being or The Existence. Not as a predicate but as a state or stage as Absolute Subject. So here The Being is used in it's first meaning.
Ibn Arabi describe this state by various names like The Being (Al-Wujud), The Essence (Al-Dhat), The Real (Al-Haqq), Allah (The One worthy of worship) etc.Here Being is used in the first sense of He (huwa) or as a conscious Absolute Subject. It is about this state that Ibn Arabi says in Fusus that The Being is independent of every thing ,both the names and world. This is the Absolute knowing itself as only Subject. Here the Absolute is not known as God because Lordship depends on the known and at this stage there is no known. Now Knowledge always depends on the known in other words there cannot be any knowledge without an already existing known. Knowledge depends on known and as there is no known there is also no knowledge. So there is only Subject. In 'Fusus' Ibn Arabi call this Al-Dhat (The Essence). The Knowing Essence. The indeterminate Essence The state of Wajib al Wujud (Necessary Being). According to Ibn Arabi this first state is the Tansih (Transcendence) aspect of the Absolute and is the Tajrid (isolation) of Tauhid (Unity).. Ibn Arabi name this Absolute state as the plane of Ahadiyah (Unity). The state that is independent of worlds. Only this state is designated by the Divine Name Allah (al-ilah-one who alone is worthy of worship). What we have to remember is here Al Wujud is not mere unconscious being or mere existence or extension as opposed to thought but Absolute Subject.
In Jewish Kabala this Absolute Subject is called Kethar (first sephiroth-crown). It is called the concealed of the concealed, the primal point etc. In yetziratic test this is called hidden intelligence and primal glory because no created being can attain to it's essence..
In Hindu philosophy this Absolute Subject is denoted as Sat (The Being). In Viveka Chudamani Sankara denote this plane as Brahman, Paramatman,Para Brahman . He describe this Subject as Sat-Cit-Anandan (Subject of Being-Consciousness-Bliss) .What we have to bear in mind is here these terms are used as the predicates or attributes of the Brahman. Subject having Being, Knowledge and Bliss. This is Brahman without any qualities or predicates (Nirguna Brahman). Sankara calls this Para Brahman (higher Absolute) Nirvishesa or Nirguna Brahman. (Absolute without attributes or qualities). This Absolute Subject is the Brahman, or Paramatman of Vedanta and Adi Budda of the Mahayana Buddists. Buddha call this the plane of Nirvana-this is the plane of nothingness or void. This is the Tao, in it's highest sense of Taoists.
This Absolute Subject is the Gotheit (Godhead) of Meister Eckhart-the impersonal and the unknowable in contrast with Got (God)-the personal and knowable God (second state as Absolute Spirit). Nicholas of Cusa describe this plane as Absolute Maximum, Absolute Simplicity, Infinitude etc. This Absolute Subject is the Being of Parmenides, Plato, Heidegger, Ibn Arabi and Mulla Sadra. This is the Light of lights (Nur al Anwar) of Suhravardi's illuminationist (ishraqi) philosophy. This is the One-the unknowable of Plato and Plotinus and there is no Other at this state. This is the Substance of Spinoza. The Unknown and Unknowable of Herbert Spencer, The unknowable Ding un Sich (Thing in itself) of Immanuel Kant. Here Being is not used as a predicate but as the Subject or Essence.
In Sufism as a plane this is called Ahadiyah. This is also the plane of Hahut. Shah Waliullah name this plane Lahut (Divinity) and call this Subject Huwa (He). In Christian trinity this is Father. In Hinduism in Trimurthi concept this is Shiva the destroyer, but in Kashmir saivism this is Parsamvit. In the categories of Universal ,Particular and Individual this represent Universal.
Hegel begins the Absolute as Abstract Being. The Absolute which is Thought or Notion (consciousness) implicitly appear to itself as Being. As we have seen this Being is nothing but immediate subjectivity or pre reflective mind. Hegel Begins his Logic with Being-Pure, abstract, indeterminate Being. The Absolute not knowing Himself as Self Conscious Subject but thinking Himself as Being and by dialectical movement developing into Absolute Idea. So according to Hegel the Absolute is only implicit Subject in the beginning but becomes explicit Absolute Subject as Absolute Idea in the end after a dialectical process of development. Now the real nature or essence of this Subject is Thought-but not knowing itself as Thought but as Being.
As a consequence of defining Absolute Subject as immediate subjectivity or Thinker or Knower of the second plane the major difference between Hegel and other Mystics is According to Hegel The Absolute is fully Knowable and attainable by Speculative Thought. Ibn Arabi and other mystics are of the view that The first state is Transcendental state. This is because as we explained earlier the plane of Absolute Subject is beyond mind and mind is only a predicate of this Subject. So it is impossible to know the nature of this Subject. This is one meaning of Kant's Noumenon, Ding an Sich (Thing in Itself), The Unknowable. This state is beyond Eternity and Time. This is because Time even as a concept only appear in the second state. This First state exclusively belongs to the Absolute.. So no created being has share in this state by knowledge. No human beings, however great he may be whether great mystics or other self realised man cannot attain this state of Absolute Subject by knowledge. All the knowledge the mystics get about this state is Knowledge revealed from the second state. This is because the reality or nature or essence of all beings other than this Subject is mind and as we mentioned already the Subject is beyond mind. When the mystics are transported to this plane inevitably he lose his self consciousness and his own knowledge with the result that there is only then Absolute Subject Himself .So when Absolute Subject is manifested in realised man the immensity and grandeur of the manifestation varies according to the capacity of the vessel-depending on the potentialities and capabilities of the essence or nature of that particular individual and as this state is beyond experience and knowledge of the second state when transported back to the second state the essence and nature of subject still remain beyond knowledge or experience.
The second major difference is according to Hegel the perfection of the Absolute is not in His transcendence but in His immanent state in Absolute Spirit as Philosophic Spirit. According to Ibn Arabi this first state or Absolute Subject is perfect in himself -both in his Being and in his knowledge and the descend of this Absolute Subject into the succeeding second state-that of Absolute Spirit is really a limitation -limitation in knowledge. The cause of this descend into the immanent plane is the Love of the Absolute Subject-Love of perfection. By descending into the immanent state as Absolute Spirit the Absolute Subject who is already perfect in His Absolute Being and Absolute Knowledge also made perfect in Becoming and Relative Knowledge. But this does not add or reduce any thing from the Absolute Subject who is always perfect in Himself. But according to Hegel the Abstract Being becomes perfect only as Absolute Idea or becoming Absolute Subject and later as Absolute Spirit in Philosophic Spirit.
. A rough similitude of this first state will be with the state of our deep sleep. The defect of this comparison is even in sleep our essence or nature is mind-but mind as knower or being but the nature of Absolute Subject is beyond mind.. In deep sleep our consciousness is limited to being. The Absolute Subject is the rest or sleep of the Absolute. The Absolute Subject absorbed in himself. The manifestations-the plane of Absolute Spirit and Absolute World is the wakening or active state of the Absolute. The plane of mind. The Absolute eternally alternate between these two states. This is described in Hindu mythology as the pralaya-as the eternal cycle of rest and activity of the Absolute. What we have to remember is this alternation is not something which happens in temporal interval alone but also is Absolute Subject's simultaneous nature.
All the succeeding stages or planes or grades are the descends or limitations of this Absolute Subject. But all the descends or limitations are really descends in and as mind.Limiting himself in knowledge. So the Absolute Subject is first displayed in mind as essences and later as beings in external forms. This descends are also described as effusion (al-fayd) or over flowing of the Subject. But this effusion does not diminish the state of Absolute Subject. But the Subject remain for ever as He is with out any decrease in spite of all these descends. This is why Heidegger says the nature of Being both as an Origin and Ground. In spite of the origin of all beings it still remains as the Ground of all beings.
Now the ordinary idea of descend means leaving the higher stage and coming to a lower plane. But in the case of Absolute Subject all these descends are in mind so relative and He is always as He is in the first state. All these descends are in perception only (limitation in mind). whether the descend is in pre reflective mind as essences or in beings as external forms.
This relative nature of Absolute Subject's descends can be illustrated by the image in a mirror. There is both identity and difference in the image from the real. If one move his face the image also will be moved ,so there is some form of identity between the real and the image. On the other hand the defects or the destruction of the image due to the imperfection or breaking of the mirror will not affect the real. So there is also difference and distinction between the real and the image.
As we complete this book we can see that the ultimate reality is Unknowable Essence and there is only this Absolute Subject .All the predicates or attributes like knowledge, thought, being, matter, will, power etc are only lower form of the Absolute Subject. What we call energy or matter is not a separate reality but the external form of mind.- the lower form of this Absolute Subject. So everything in the world, every entities or beings or subjects are nothing but Absolute Subject with the forms of mind. So the multiplicity and plurality of beings and subjects are nothing but the same Subject manifesting in different forms of mind. So ultimately there is only Absolute Subject whose full nature or essence is unknowable because mind itself is only a predicate of this Subject so mind can only reveal itself and some thing below it. This is the Unity of Subject. This is also the Absolute Monism or Absolute Idealism. There is only one reality and that is Absolute Subject.
When the mystics reach this highest plane inevitably they lose their self consciousness and subjective awareness. As this realm is even beyond mind or knowledge as knower what manifests here is the Absolute Subject Itself. As there is no self consciousness or knower or knowledge to describe this plane this is often described as void or nothingness. This is the Nirvana of Buddha in it's negative meaning.
B: Absolute Spirit (Immanent State)
As we mentioned in the beginning the second state of the Absolute is It's immanent state as Absolute Spirit. As we explained above the second state is the descend of the Unknowable Absolute Subject in and as pre reflective mind which is one of It's predicates. So this is the state of mediated Absolute. As Ibn Arabi says there cannot be any knowledge without a prior existing known. As phenomenologist Husserl and existentialists like Heidegger and Sartre says consciousness is always consciousness of something. There is always an object for mind. In other words consciousness depends on the known or knowledge is always knowledge of something and this is always about a subject or being or a predicate. So mind depends on being for its own existence. Here at this initial state there is no being apart from the Absolute Subject so pre reflective mind is consciousness of Himself. So here mind is focused on Absolute Subject himself with the difference that in this second state it is no more Unknowable Subject but subject as self conscious being or knower or thinker. So while the Absolute Subject of the first state is unknowable essence here in the second state the essence is pre reflective mind or subjective consciousness. So the nature or essence of the subject in this state is mind.. At first consciousness or knowledge appear as not knowledge but as Being-self conscious being, knower or thinker. When Absolute Subject reflects on himself (descends into consciousness) the Known is Subject itself. Here there is no known apart from the subject. As there is no other apart from the self to know at this stage the known is the Self itself. Here Subject becomes an Object to Himself. So this is the state of Self Consciousness. (It is important to remember that as we explained earlier this does not mean the first state or Absolute Subject has no self consciousness, rather Absolute Subject include and transcend self consciousness as unknowable Essence while this Absolute Spirit of the second state is limited by mind because mind is it's essence.)
This whole second state where the essence of subjectivity is pre reflective mind we call the Absolute Spirit and this Absolute Spirit's first form where mind appear as self conscious being, knower or thinker and as the first Spirit we call Self Conscious Being or Universal Subjective Spirit or Supra Light Spirit. In Sufism this is called divine names and this is one of the first divine names. If we consider this second state as the state of the Subject with his predicates this represent the first predicate Being. Now this names or spirits and predicates are not two different plane or different things. This is one and the same thing viewed from different angles. Universal Subjective Spirit is focusing on subjectivity and 'Being' is focusing on the predicate of the Subject. Now this descend of Absolute Subject into pre reflective mind means in other words Absolute Spirit is nothing but a form of Absolute Subject itself in a second state. So When the Absolute Subject descends into the form of pre reflective mind into the second state this Absolute Spirit as mind has two aspects. One is the internal or content of mind which is consciousness and which we are familiar as the immaterial ideas. The other is the form or external or material aspect. This we can compare with the essence of energy (passive energy). This essence of energy need some clarification. As we know matter is nothing but a form of energy and all basic particles or subatomic particles can be reduced to leptons, quarks, photons and bosons. Energy units or photon differ each other according to their quanta and frequency. Photons with higher frequency have higher quanta and higher energy and higher temperature. Photons with least frequency have least quanta and minimum energy and minimal temperature like radio waves. Essence of energy is the initial state of energy at which it has no frequency or any definite quanta (beyond quantamisation) and the temperature is Absolute Zero. What I mean by essence of energy is energy before and beyond any frequency or energy at rest. This is also same as the strings in String theory. But strings in an unexcited state. Strings before vibrating to form leptons, photons and bosons-the basic particles of both matter and energy. What this further means is energy and mind are no different beings but one being and energy has no independent being but only the form of mind. In other words consciousness and energy or mind and matter are two aspects of one and the same thing. So there is no energy or matter whose nature is not mind and no mind whose form is not energy or matter. Energy is implicit mind or the shadow of mind as its form. The nature of the Absolute Spirit is pre reflective mind in the form of essence of energy. The content of this mind is subjectivity but the form is as essence of energy. So there is unity between mind and energy but also difference. The difference is energy or matter has no reality in itself like mind but only a form of mind. So the primary reality is mind. So all things and this Absolute Spirit also has an internal and external aspect or nature. The content of mind as subjectivity and the form of mind as essence of energy-external aspect. This Absolute Spirit and essence of energy is one and the same thing. So Absolute Spirit is this being as essence of energy and this being is Absolute Spirit- Absolute Spiritual Being. So there are no two beings as Absolute Spirit and as essence of energy. These are the different point of view of the one and the same being. When we look at the internal aspect of this being it is pure subjectivity or pure spirit or if we look at the external aspect of this being it is in the form of essence of energy. The reality of this essence of energy is nothing but mind. This is consciousness itself in the form of essence of energy. So this internal and external aspect is one and the same thing, not two different things. When viewed from one angle it is subjectivity and from the other angle it is essence of energy. They are the two sides of the one and same coin. So one has no independent reality without the other. In this plane these are two nature of the one and same Absolute Spirit. Absolute Sprit's internal subjectivity aspect we call active nature and external essence of energy aspect we call the passive nature. Both are one and the same Absolute Spirit.
So this Universal Subjective Spirit is in reality pre reflective mind as subjective consciousness (being), knower or thinker or in other words the nature of Spirit is mind. Essence of energy is nothing but the form of this mind. This means all beings ,everything and the whole knowable reality, whether as essence of energy (unexcited strings) or as fermions, bosons or as matter or bodies is nothing but mind itself. Energy is the form of this mind. Matter has no independent reality. This means the materialistic view of matter as primary and devoid of mind is wrong. Like this the idealistic view of two realities ,consciousness and energy or mind and matter is also wrong. There is only mind and everything whether imagined things or material things- they are only different forms of mind. They have no independent reality apart from mind. When we say the nature of reality is mind we do not mean particular consciousness like sensory consciousness but the nature or essence of mind as consciousness.
Now this second state as Absolute Spirit has no independent reality but always gives rise to the second plane of Absolute world or external manifestations. (Here world or manifestations do not mean only the gross material world. As we will explain further down it is not limited by gross material world but includes both subtle material world and soul world.) The second state is the internal plane or the plane in and as mind while the second plane is the external plane or plane of beings or existences- mind as individual beings or existences. What this mean is all the realities in the second state has no individual being or existence but one and the same Absolute Spirit is their Spirit and Being while the realities in the second plane has individual separate beings.
We have seen that Absolute Spirit of the second state is the descend of the Absolute Subject of the first state in and as mind and Absolute World of the third plane is mind as beings and existences. Now the question is what causes this second state of descend in and as mind and the corresponding second plane of existences and beings. According to Kashmir Saivism it is the nature of the Absolute that it has both transcendental and immanent aspects and Absolute eternally alternate between these two states and according to them both aspects are real. According to Vedanta and Buddhism the immanent aspect is an illusion (maya) and only the transcendental aspect is real. According to Hindu purana immanent aspect is called Krishna Leela (play of the Absolute). According to Heidegger also there is no cause for the immanent aspect and call the Space-Time manifestation as the play of Being. According to Ibn Arabi there is no such and such a real cause for immanence but the immanent aspect is due to the Absolute's love of perfection. Absolute Subject who is already perfect in Being and Absolute Knowledge is made more perfect by this becoming and relative knowledge of immanent aspect. Even though this becoming and relative knowledge add nothing more to the Being and Absolute Knowledge of the Absolute Subject this immanence is due to the love of the Absolute for perfection.
We have seen that the second state is the result of the Absolute Subject's love of perfection. Now love belongs to the realm of will or desire. This love causes transformation in mind and movement in essence of energy (which is the external aspect of mind). Motion means the internal frequency of essence of energy is increased. So beginning from universal subjective spirit all the spirits of the second states are transformation of mind due to love and corresponding motion and increased internal frequencies in the essence of energy which is nothing but the form of mind. As we are aware desire is a form of internal heat. So this love will increase the internal frequency of passive energy (essence of energy) and passive energy with higher internal frequencies are formed. As there is only changes in the internal frequency this second state is the plane of passive mind or pre reflective mind. Here Love is a state of the Absolute Subject and not a predicate. Here we can see that the nature or essence of this second state is pre reflective mind. But most abstract consciousness. Subjective consciousness in his passive state. At this state there is minimal motion or movement in the essence of energy. We would say there is only internal frequency of passive energy which is the form of this subjective consciousness. Like this the second plane of Absolute World is the plane of active mind or reflective mind with external movement or external frequency We have seen that essence of energy is the form of mind. What this further mean is due to this internal heat and increased internal frequency there is slight vibrations or waves in the essence of energy and energy with the lowest external frequency and minimal temperature is externally manifested in the second plane. This we call Universal Subjective Soul or Supra Light waves (radio ,tv, micro). This is the second plane and beginning of external manifestations. This is the power aspect of the Absolute-Power as a state and not as a predicate. Here the Universal Spirit of the second state or Supra Light Spirit now knows himself as an external Universal spiritual soul (supra light soul), as an individual and particular external existence. So this is the beginning of external frequency of mind as particular energy. let us call this first external being supra light Soul or supra light wave or supra light photon. This is the second plane or beginning of Absolute World. Now this is nothing but first mind transformed by love and then transformed by power. So manifestation is the power of the Absolute. Power manifesting as the supra light energy. This manifestation of the Universal spiritual soul as S soul or supra light photon is the beginning of the second plane ,the Absolute World. As we told earlier what we have to bear in mind is supra light Soul and the supra light wave is one and the same thing and the same process. So these are the different names of the one and same thing ,one time stressed from the internal aspect of mind or consciousness aspect, at another from it's external or energy aspect. supra light Soul is the subjective aspect and internal nature and supra light wave or photon is the objective or external aspect. supra light wave is the form of supra light soul. This is also the beginning of Space-Time. Space is this Radio wave objective aspect and Time is the Radio soul subjective aspect.
Now the beginning is the development of Absolute Spirit as Universal Subjective Spirit in the second state and the corresponding supra light wave (universal subjective soul) in the second plane. This is pre reflective mind not as consciousness of contents but as being or pure subjectivity.. In other words here knowledge is not as knowledge but as knower. After some logical time Absolute Spirit as the universal subjective spirit of the second state due to further limitation and concreteness of consciousness gradually loses it's consciousness of pure subjectivity or self consciousness and become aware of it's predicates or content of self and completely identify subjectivity with his predicates. This is knowledge as knowledge. This means Absolute Spirit now identify as Universal mental spirit or light spirit (infrared, visible light, ultraviolet) in the second state. By a similar process as above out of Supra light wave, due to power aspect Universal mental Soul or light waves with higher frequency is manifested in the second plane.
When at first the Absolute Subject descends into mind as Universal Subjective Spirit this is as pure subjectivity or as Being or Knower. Both Existence and Life are the further self development of this being .Existence is synonymous with being and Life is also a form of immediate subjectivity. This is the form of pre reflective or immediate mind. When this pure subjectivity passes into subject of predicates knowledge is revealed. So only when subjectivity identifies with predicates knowledge reveal as knowledge. When this predicate knowledge is attributed to the subject he is called universal mental spirit. Knowledge of this Subjectivity and Objectivity evolve or develops into Love. Will &Desire are a form of this Love. Now love is a predicate of the subject and when love is attributed to the subject He is called Lover or universal imaginary spirit . Love evolve or develops in to Power. When the predicate power is attributed to the subject He is called the powerful or universal material spirit .So at this second state Subject and his innumerable predicates are revealed. The principle predicates are Subjective Being, Knowledge, Love and Power. Subject differentiate or abstract himself from all this predicates so that at this state there is Subject and his predicates. When the Subject identifies itself with each and every predicates all these predicates are also Divine names or Spirits witch gives rise to the second plane as worldly names or Absolute World. By this process all the essences or spirits are developed in the second state and the Absolute world with beings are manifested in the second plane. So this process continues till due to love Absolute spirit as Absolute human spirit is developed in the second state and by the manifestation of this love as power the corresponding Absolute human being is manifested in the second plane or in Absolute World. We will discuss this in detail when we are dealing with the second plane or Absolute World. The development of Absolute Spirit as essences or eternal sprits in this second state has a logical succession. The succeeding spirits have less and less consciousness as pure subjectivity (subjective aspect) and more and more subjectivity as predicates (objective aspect). This series ends in spirits with subjectivity as maximum objective aspect or passive nature and minimum pure subjective aspect or active nature (Fire Spirit). Then begins the Ascension. Spirits with subjectivity as maximum objective aspect and also more and more subjective aspect culminating in spirits with maximum subjective and objective aspect. This at last culminate in the development of the human spirits. This second state is what we call the state of the Absolute Spirit or Creative Spirit. So the state of consciousness transformed by love is the cause of the second state-Absolute Spirit as essences or eternal spirits and transformed by power is the cause of the second plane or Absolute World. As we explained love-love of expression or spiritual will is the cause of movement which produce the world.
So in this second state the Unknowable Absolute Subject becomes knowable Absolute Spirit because here He is no more Absolute Subject but subject with predicates. So due to descends into pre reflective mind self becomes non self, subject becomes object. When the Absolute Subject of first state descends into pre reflective mind it becomes the essence of the subject and when at first this consciousness or knowledge is attributed to the subject he can be called knower, thinker or universal subjective spirit.. Like this all the subsequent spirits are developed in the second state which we will discuss in detail later. Here in this second state Subject has consciousness. So While the first state is the state of Unknowable Absolute Subject this second state is the state of subjective and objective consciousness or knower-knowledge-known or Thinker-thought-thoughts. This is the state of Knower and knowledge or Subject and predicates, or Thinker and Thoughts. This is what Ibn Arabi called The Absolute Being descending into the plane of knowledge. So this is the beginning of motion or movement in the Absolute Subject. There is the beginning of internal frequency of mind. The difference between this second state of Absolute Spirit and second plane of Absolute World is as Absolute Spirit there is unity between subjective and objective consciousness or these three aspects of knower-knowledge-known while as Absolute World, knower and known or subject and object are separated.
So the second state apart from viewing Absolute Spirit as the plane of eternal spirits can be also viewed as the plane of Subject with predicates or Essence with attributes. The revelation of the potentialities in the Essence. Here the Attributes or Qualities are also revealed in the Essence. When the Unknown and Unknowable Absolute Subject descends into the state of mind this is called the second state or Absolute Spirit. Here the Subject is with his predicates or The Essence or Substance is with attributes or qualities or names. This second state does not exist independently but always gives rise to the second plane or the Absolute World.
This second state is the root of external manifestations. We have seen that the second state of Absolute Spirit as pre reflective mind is the mediated Absolute. But mind as Absolute Spirit of second state is immediate mind while mind as Absolute world of the second plane is mediated mind. In the second state more and more determinations limit mind. This is the state of determined mind Now this second state begins with the Absolute Spirit as pure subjectivity. As we explained earlier this is the state of the subject when being is attributed to him. In the beginning knowledge is limited to the Subjectivity .Here First Absolute Spirit become aware of only his subjectivity and due to limitation in mind first develop into a determinate limited subjective being. So here there is the beginning of individuality. But here individual being or existence is only in and as mind and in this state there is no external or actual existence but only existence in the plane of mind or ideal existence. But as there is no other individual apart from him at this stage this individuality has a universal character. In the beginning as this pre reflective mind is only limited to the subjective aspect other predicates are not revealed .So this is the state of pure individual self consciousness or subjective being. As we explained earlier this first predicate being when attributed to subject he is self conscious being. This beginning state of the Absolute Spirit is also called Universal Subjective Spirit. Let us denote this as S spirit or Supra Light Spirit. This is also the concept of Time- Space. We have to remember that at this stage there is neither actual time or space but only the concept or idea of it. We have seen that mind has both a subjective, consciousness, ideal or internal aspect and an objective, energy or external aspect or in better words energy or matter aspect is the form of this universal subjective spirit. Time is the subjective or consciousness aspect and space is the objective or essence of energy aspect of the Universal Subjective Spirit.. As we explained earlier the nature of this universal spirit is pre reflective mind and the form of this mind is essence of Energy or unexcited Strings So the second state begins with the Absolute spirit as Universal subjective spirit.
As we told earlier this second state is the descend of the Absolute Subject into the state of the Absolute Spirit. Now this second state is the state of pre reflective mind or passive mind or internal knowledge. Knowledge internal to the Absolute Spirit so that even if there is distinction between the three aspects of Knower-Knowledge-Known there is also Unity and they are not separated and there is no external manifestation. Here it is the one and same Absolute Spirit making different relations with his numerous predicates thus forming or developing into the different essences or spirits. This way he is limiting himself in knowledge. As this is the state of pre reflective mind and not that of external existence there is no separate individuals or beings in this state .The same Absolute Spirit knows himself as the universal spirit, or as universal mind or as animal spirit or as human spirit. In the second state there is only one Absolute Spirit so only one Subject which is the internal aspect and one essence of energy which is the external aspect of this Absolute Spirit. So there is only one Being and no beings and this is Absolute Spiritual Being. So in second state one Subject is the subject of all spirits like human spirits ,animal spirits plant spirits. Like this even though there are innumerable predicates in this state there is unity in each and every predicates. Predicates like knowledge, life, will etc are also undivided in this state. If we take the predicate Life as an example this means the same life is present in plant spirits, animal spirits and human spirits with out Life it self undergoing any division or distinction. So while there is unity of Subject and Being and also unity of each predicates what gives rise to distinction among these innumerable spirits like plant spirits, animal spirits and different human spirits is only the proportion of the predicates of each spirit. Now this is a result of the limitation in knowledge. This means The Absolute Spirit's limitation in knowledge gives rise to these distinctions of spirits. So the Absolute spirit is the spirit of all these essences and spirits. The separation is only in mind as consciousness or knowledge and not in being . So these individualities are only in mind as in this state there are no separate beings or existences. So unlike in the second plane in this second state all these spirits are dependent This is because the one Absolute Spirit is the spirits of all these essences. So in this state they depends on the Absolute Spirit for their reality. There is distinction between the spirits but no division. So there is Unity between Knower-Knowledge-Known in this state. There is also no division in the predicates. Predicates like Life, Knowledge also present in all these spirits without undergoing division. There is only the limitation of subjectivity of the Absolute Spirit in various essences due to the various relation with the predicates. So these spirits have neither beings nor existences of their own. This is what Ibn Arabi says 'the permanent essences have not smelt the smell of existence'. being or existence comes to the essences only in the second plane-The Absolute World.
Now if we look into this second state of Absolute Spirit as a whole we can see three aspects in it. First there is the Subjectivity or internal aspect of the One Absolute Spirit as subject of all the spirits. Secondly there are the innumerable predicates of the Absolute Spirit which due to various relations giving rise to unique and different spirits depending on the expressing of the particularity and proportionality of the predicates of the spirit. These are the plant spirits, animal spirits, different human spirits etc. Thirdly there is the objective aspect or Being of the Absolute Spirit-the form of the Absolute Spirit-this is passive nature ,the external aspect of the spirits-the essence of energy or passive energy. So we can symbolise the Absolute Sprit as a determinate form with a spirit as the subjective aspect of all the essences or spirits, a mind which is the internal aspect of the essences, predicates like knowledge, life, will, power etc ,different relations of the predicates so as different particular minds, and a body as the external aspect of the essences-as passive nature or passive energy. Here we can see the subjects of all the particular minds is the one and same Absolute Spirit as subjective spirit of these minds and the body of all these particular minds is the passive nature of the essences as one Being and Existence. As there is no separation into different existences in this state there is no separation of the spirits in this state. The one and same Absolute spirit forms particular relation with each and every spirit according to the predicates assigned to it and this differentiation is only in consciousness and not in actual and external existences like the second plane-that of Absolute world. This is the state of Unity-Unity in plurality.
So this is the state of the Subject with His predicates or essential attributes or qualities or universal ideas. The predicates are innumerable and infinite. The Principal predicates of this Subject are Being (Existence, Life) Knowledge (Thoughts), Love (will, desire) and Power. If we take Being as an essential state of the Absolute Spirit-pre reflective mind as subject or as Subjective Being the remaining three Predicates- Knowledge( wisdom), Love (will, desire) and Power are called the fundamental attributes or predicates of the Subject. But the predicates are his own essence or essential attributes and they are his own consciousness about himself. So in a sense these predicates are Himself because it is his own essence, but in another sense not himself because He is the Subject and as the subject he is the source of these predicates. So he is the One and the predicates are the Other. but his own other. So this is the state of Subject and Object. Subject distinguished from the object and the object as its own other or His own knowledge or thoughts. So this is the state of One and Other.
This second state can be roughly compared to the mental or intellectual world of a man. Suppose a man as a subject (comparison with first state of Absolute Subject) thinks of himself as so many things like some animals, plants etc( formless thoughts-concepts of things, not imagination with forms-which is the second plane) and thinks himself further as these animals and plants in action like running, reproducing and flowering (comparison with second state as Absolute Spirit). Now here it is apparent that there is only one subject and all these activities are really the result of the intentions of the subject. This is why it is said that there is only one essence and one existence. Secondly the existence of these animals and plants which is only a shadowy existence cannot be equated with the existence of the man which is real existence. So there is both unity and difference. Thirdly when this thinking activity is over all these animals and plants disappear and the man alone remains. That is why it is said that the first state or the Absolute Subject is independent of both second state and second planes-Absolute Spirit and Absolute World. The defect of this comparison is even as subject we are in the realm of mind while Absolute subject is beyond the realm of mind.
Ibn -Arabi call this state Al-Wujud (The Being) or Al-Dhat (Essence) descending in to his own Knowledge. The state of Dhat and Sifat (attributes). Ibn Arabi says in Fusus that the cause of the manifestation is Love -love of perfection. The Absolute who is perfect in himself as Absolute being and Absolute Knowledge loves the perfection of Becoming and relative knowledge. Ibn Arabi call this second state The Unique (AL-Wahid). State of Divine Names (Ism Ilahi). State of 99 names. State of Permanent Essences (Ayan-al-Tabitha), The bewildered World. The eternal spirits of this state he calls the permanent essences or divine names (Ism Ilahi) and the worldly beings of second plane he calls worldly names (Ism Kauni). He also calls this second state Reality of realities (haqiqat al haqaiq) and Universal Reality. The eternal spirits or the Divine Names (second state) he calls the Lord (Rubb) of the worldly names or slaves (Abd) of second plane.
The Absolute Spirit of this plane when viewed from the angle of manifesting all these divine names or spirits or as the inherent Subject of all these essences he calls by the Divine Name Al-Rahman (The Compassionate). The objective aspect or being of this Absolute Spirit as essence of energy which is the external aspect of the essences-passive nature he calls Fine Dust(haba) and the shadow of the Absolute Spirit. This Being as Universal Nature the material or substance of the shadow, External existence as Light (second plane) by which the shadow becomes visible and permanent essences as the projecting surface of the shadow in manifestation (second plane) and the Absolute Spirit as the person on which this shadow depends for its being and existence. In this second state, before manifestation the shadow is potentially contained in the Absolute Spirit. In the Absolute Spirit pre reflective mind as subjectivity predominate and objective aspect or passive nature or essence of energy is concealed. Passive nature is considered as a shadow of the Absolute Spirit. At this stage the passive nature is potentially contained in the Absolute Spirit. Here the relation between the Absolute Spirit and the form as essence of energy or passive nature (objective aspect ) is like a shadow to the original. In the absence of external projection (manifestation in second plane) the shadow is potentially contained in the original. So the external aspect of these essences - the essence of energy or passive nature is nothing but the shadow of this Absolute Spirit which is its internal reality and which is the inner controller of it. This is because as we explained energy or matter is nothing but mind itself-it is only the form of mind.
The Absolute Spirit as the spirit or subjective aspect of all these essences Ibn Arabi calls al-janab al-ilahi (Divine side), The predicates Knowledge, Will, Power and its subcategories (the internal aspect of the essences) or what we called eternal spirits or the mind of the Absolute Spirit as particular minds he calls haqiqat al-haqaiq (Reality of Realities) and the external aspect of the spirits -what we called the form or being or body of the Absolute Spirit as essence of energy (passive nature) he calls tabiat al-kull (Universal Nature) or Fine Dust (Haba) and symbolizes second plane of external Being and existence (Absolute World) with Light. Ibn Arabi also call this being of the Absolute Spirit or passive nature External Being (wujud khariji). Ibn Arabi describe the development of the second plane of Absolute World from the second state of Absolute Spirit as Nafs al Rahmani (the Breath of the Merciful). Here breath is the passive energy or nature and during expiration the essences or spirits are forming the souls and beings of the world in this passive nature
Shah Waliyullah and Imam Rabbani call this form of pre reflective mind or Absolute Spirit as essence of energy or passive energy Self Unfolding Being (wujud munbasit).
In Jewish Kabala the subjective aspect of the Absolute Spirit is called Chokmah and the objective Aspect-essence of energy is called Binah. Chokmah is also described as Abba (father),wisdom,force and mercy and is the masculine aspect. Binah is described as Ama (mother),understanding,form and wrath and is the feminine aspect. This second state is called Atziluth-world of Archetypes-Divine world.
Sankara call this subjective aspect ,Brahman as Self , Purusa(the real) (Samkhya term denoting the masculine aspect of the absolute) and the objective aspect (essence of energy) as the Non Self, The Unreal( Maya, Avidya) ,the undifferentiated -a compound of three major Gunas (predicates, attributes)-Satwa, Rajo and Tamo Gunas. This is Prakrti or Pradana (The feminine aspect of the Absolute) and this is called the power of Brahman. When Satwa guna predominate there is jnanashakti which is the cause of knowledge and when Rajo and tamo gunas predominate there is kriya shakti (power of action). This has two powers, namely, the concealing power (avaranashakti) and the power of projection (vikshepashakti). Concealing power cause ignorance by the veiling of Maya of the true nature of Brahman and Atman. Projecting power is the creative power by which Maya create the phenomena and superimpose this unreality on the real. So Maya serves as the limiting adjunct (upaadhi) for Brahman. According to Sankara Brahman with the satwic aspect of Maya due to limiting adjunct becomes Iswara or Saguna Brahman (Absolute with Qualities). As the predicates are in reality the Subject himself distinguishing himself from himself Sankara calls this aspect Maya-Unreal or Illusion. According to Sankara only the Nirguna Brahman (Subject without predicate Sat-Cit-Ananda,Absolute Subject) is Real while Saguna Brahman( with attributes) is unreal. So According to Sankara this Absolute Spirit or Saguna Brahman is a lower stage of the Absolute.
We can equate this second state with the plane of Samkhya Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha is the subjective consciousnesse aspect and Prakrti is the objective energy aspect. This second state is called the Anandamaya Kosha (Blissful Sheath) of Brahman. This is a modification of Prakrti or Maya. This is the Turya state of Vedanta. The Human spirits of this plane is called Jivatman in Vedanta.
In Kashmir Saivism The Subjective aspect of this state is Siva Tatwa (Adam or I, masculine) and the objective aspect is Sakti Tatwa (Idam or This, feminine). Further from Siva and Sakti, Sadasiva tatwa then Iswara tatwa and lastly Sadvidya tatwa evolved. They are Iccha Sakti or will, Jnana Sakti or knowledge and kriya Sakti or power of action respectively.
Hegel describes this as Absolute Idea, The Absolute in and for itself. Absolute Subject With his predicates. The Notion implicit developing into explicit Notion. The self development of the Absolute. The unmediated, indeterminate Absolute or The Absolute in its immediacy (Pure Being) going to mediation, the mediated or determinate Subject. The complete development is through three stages or moments. This development is through three major categories of Being, Essence and Notion. The Absolute or Thought first as Being passes through the subcategories of Quality, Quantity and Measure and develops into Essence. The Essence is Being reflected into itself. Essence through the subcategories of Ground of Existence, Appearance and Actuality develops into Notion. Notion through the subcategories of Subjective Notion, Object and idea develops in to Absolute Idea. This is thorough the subcategories of Idea as Life, Cognition (Thought & Will) and at last in to Absolute Idea. Absolute Idea is the Thinking and Willing Subject who realize himself as the Subject and all the other categories as His predicates. This whole process is not evolution but only development. Even Being is implicitly Notion. The only difference is Being is Absolute not knowing himself as self or Subject but thinking as pure Being. The Absolute in its immediacy aware as not thought but as Being. So in reality Being is nothing but Thought. According to Hegel the Absolute differentiate in to self and non self or subject and predicates only at the last stage of Absolute Idea. The idea which thinks itself or thinking idea. The idea in itself and for itself. The unity of life, cognition (intelligence) and will. The idea which distinguish itself from itself so that itself divided into Self and NonSelf. Subject and predicates. So at this stage all the preceding categories of Being and Essence becomes the content of Subject. This is the Absolute Idea which contemplates its contents as its own self. It is its own content, because it distinguishes ideally itself from itself. So one of the thing distinguished is a self and the other content or attributes. But as the knower, knowledge and known is the Absolute itself there is only internal subject object distinction at this stage. Absolute Idea not as Knowledge alone which take the world as it is but also as Will which make the world as it ought to be. Idea as accomplished and accomplishing itself.. The idea not only as finished and produced but constantly producing it self. The idea as determinative of the content or as Thinking Will. Now this Absolute Idea contain all the categories of Pure being and Essential being. This means the Absolute Idea contain all the categories of manifestations.
Hegel call this second state as Absolute Spirit The state of Notions or Concepts. Absolute Idea Developing through nature and finite mind. As nature through Mathematics (Space, Time, Matter), Inorganic Physics (Mechanics, Elementary Physics, Physics of Individuality), Organic Physics (Geological Nature, Vegetable Nature, Animal Organism) and as Philosophic spirit through Subjective spirit (Soul, Consciousness, Spirit,) Objective spirit (Law, Morality of Conscience, Social Ethics) and Absolute Spirit as Philosophic Spirit (Art, Religion, Philosophy).
One of the difference between Hegel and Ibn Arabi here is According to Hegel Absolute Idea and Absolute Spirit are two different stages. Absolute Idea is the eternal nature of the Absolute before the development of nature and finite mind. Absolute Spirit is a later Development of Absolute Idea through nature and finite mind. But According to Ibn Arabi Attributes are also Divine Names. So when Absolute descend into mind which is His predicate and develops into innumerable predicates which are really forms of this mind these are also Divine Names which simultaneously gives rise to Worldly Names. So when the Absolute Subject descends into pre reflective mind of the second state as Absolute Spirit these spirits simultaneously give rise to the second plane or Absolute World of beings.. The second difference between Hegel and Ibn Arabi and other Mystics is according to Hegel we can have absolute knowledge of this Absolute Spirit not only as our own essence and spirit but also can have absolute knowledge of all other spirit's essential and absolute nature. But according to Ibn Arabi each divine name is Unique so no one can replace another. It is true that every name is the same Absolute Spirit and the same Being but each name is a particular relation of the absolute spirit with the predicates so each has a unique significance. Every name denotes a particular aspect of the Absolute Spirit and this is the essential truth of that name.
The completed phase of this stage in Sufism is called the stage of Wahidiyath(Unity in Plurality).The Essence with attributes.The principal attributes are Wujud or Hayat(Being or Life),Ilm(Knowledge),Iradat(Will),Kudrat(Power),Samh(hearing),Basr(Sight) and Kalam(Speech). This is also called the stage of Lahut.
This is the realm of conceptions of Socrates. This is what is called the world of Ideas or Ideal world by Plato-the famous Platonic Ideas-Eternal Ideas..This is what Plato says "God made the world out of the nature of the One and the Other". Here the Other means the predicates. This is the pure form,as antithesis to pure matter of Aristotle.In Neo Platonism this is the second sphere of Nous or world spirit.
This second state is the Immanuel Kant's Noumenon (Ding un Sich)-Things in Themselves.And this is the realm of Ereignis in Heidegger's experience of Being where there is belonging together of Dasein and Being. This is what Heidegger calls the experience of Being as the unity of all beings in Being. This is not a personal plane but pre personal according to Heidegger.
This is the Holy Ghost of Christian Trinity. This is the Brahma or creator of the Trimurthi of Hinduism. In the category of Universal, Particular, Individual this represent particularity. This state is the Alaya-Vijnana of Buddhists. This state is also called the third Logos.Both first and second higher states together are called Creativity by Whitehead. The state without any character.
The difference between the first state-Absolute Subject and this second state-Absolute Spirit is ,as we told earlier that the first state is the Transcendental plane and independent of the worlds so cannot be attained or realised fully by any created or finite beings so beyond the full apprehension of even the greatest mystics and on the contrary all the succeeding states and planes depends on the Absolute Subject for their reality. When one reaches the first state it is not as an individual because here he loses self consciousness and the experience of the first plane is as Absolute Subject Himself. But this second state is a dependent state, depends on the world or related to manifestation or worlds. Absolute Spirit and Absolute world depends on each other. The world depends on the absolute spirit for their essences or spirits and the spirits depends on the world for their manifestation. So each depends on the other and the one cannot exist without the other.
This second state -The Absolute Spirit as the spirits of these essences is the pre reflective mind or spiritual mind. These spirits are permanent or eternal spirits so they can never transcend this nature so never attain the first state as it is the state of Absolute Subject. This second state is also eternal or rather it is beyond time and eternity. This is because Time and Space even as a concept or notion only develop in this state. This second state is the ultimate aim and the last station of the Mystics. When the mystics attain this state they will have the realization that the One and only Absolute Spirit is the reality of themselves and all the other spirits. But as Ibn Arabi says each Divine name (spirits) is Unique so one spirit cannot know other spirit essentially-so Absolute knowledge of other spirits are impossible even in this state. At this realised state one will have Absolute knowledge of himself but can attain the knowledge of the essences of other spirit only as much as his capability and depends upon the station on the spiritual hierarchy. As I explained else where All human spirits are at a higher level than all other spirits because human spirit contains all the predicates or essences but every human spirit is also unique and distinct due to the different proportion of the predicates pertaining to each spirit.
The First plane as Absolute with the first state of Absolute Subject and second state of Absolute Spirit are the higher states of the Absolute. They are the eternal aspects of the Absolute. All philosophic systems describe these as the eternal and immutable states of the Absolute.
Now when the second state of Absolute Spirit is fully developed with human spirit or rather with Perfect human spirit the nature of Absolute Spirit is as Subject with four potentialities in it. Here the self is not seen as universal subjective spirit alone like in the beginning but a combination of universal subjective spirit, universal mental spirit, subtle material spirit (universal imaginary spirit) and universal gross material spirit. As we can see this is not a separate stage but a state of the Absolute Spirit. In Sufism this state is called Wahdat. The stage of Unity. This is the state of the Absolute with four potentialities in it. These are Being (Wujud), Knowledge (Ilm), Self-Love (Nur) and Power (Suhud). Sufism sees this Absolute Sprit as a unity of Being , Knowledge, Love (will, desire) and Power (potentiality of Action). This is the Being with Thinking Will and Power of actualisation. Sufis calls this state Haqiqat al Muhammed (Reality of Muhammed). In Christian Trinity this is Son. In Hindu Trimurthi this is Vishnu the sustainer. This is also called Second Logos.
So these three states of the
first plane of the Absolute are eternal states. They are represented
by the Trimurthi in Hindu puranas. I Logos the destroyer Shiva, II Logos the
sustainer Vishnu and III Logos the creator Brahma.
But now if we reflect on this two states of the Absolute as Absolute Subject of the first state and Absolute Spirit of the second state we can see that they are really two aspects of the Absolute of the first plane. The immediate and mediate aspect of The Absolute. As we explained earlier in The Absolute both exist simultaneously. There is no real or ontological priority of one state over the other. There is only a logical priority of the state of Absolute Subject over Absolute Spirit. Further reflection will reveal that this is nothing but the limitation of mind itself. The limitation of logic or knowledge. Mind can conceive mediation only after immediacy or spontaneity, undifferentiated prior to differentiation, indeterminate state prior to determination.. But this logical priority is not at all a priority with respect to the Absolute. But the Absolute is simultaneously in both planes so these two aspect cannot be separated . Absolute Subject and Absolute Spirit is in a Unity. Neither has precedence over the other. The notion of the Absolute is in their Unity. In it's ontological structure The Absolute is both Absolute Subject and Absolute Spirit. When we consider this first plane from the aspect of mind only this occur as eternal alternation of passivity and activity as we explained earlier The Absolute Subject is the rest or sleep of the Absolute. The manifestations-the plane of Absolute Spirit and Absolute World is the wakening or active state of the Absolute. The state of mind. In Hindu philosophy this eternal alternation is described as the Pralaya .(dissolution ) and sristi (creation). Rest is followed by activity- transcendence is followed by immanence.-Absolute Subject is followed by Absolute Spirit and Absolute World .Here the Absolute is one reality with two aspects and eternally alternate between these two states. We have explained earlier that Absolute has two aspects immediate and mediated aspects. The Absolute is Absolute Subject and Absolute Spirit simultaneously. It has both immediacy and mediation simultaneously. This means when there is manifestation there is no absence or diminishing of the plane of Absolute Subject. As we explained earlier even at the state of mediation Subject remain as Absolute. All these states are only that of human perception. This is the eternal recurrence described by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche and Whitehead.
So the real nature of the Absolute is He is transcendent and immanent simultaneously. We have described the Absolute Subject and Absolute Spirit as different states or as higher and lower states for convenience of describing these states. In reality these two states cannot be separated. So he is nothing of the world and everything of the world simultaneously. Due this nature of God world is described by mystics as 'it is neither God nor something other than God'.
The nature of the first plane of The Absolute as transcendent state of Absolute Subject and the immanent state of Absolute Spirit as pre reflective mind or spiritual mind and the descend into this second state of mind as Absolute Spirit developing into subject and predicates and the nature of this Absolute Spirit as mind and the form of this mind as energy is really at the root of the main two doctrines of the nature of reality. Monism and Dualism. This is also the cause of describing the fundamental nature of Absolute as dual in eastern and Persian philosophy and as triune in western and Christian philosophy. We have seen that the The Absolute of the fist plane has dual nature-transcendence and immanence. Only in this sense we can say God is dual nature. The transcendent state of Absolute Subject as unknowable is beyond any dual or triune nature. When we consider the second state of immanence as Absolute Spirit which is pre reflective mind or spiritual mind this is also as dual nature because the nature of mind is consciousness and the form is energy. Matter is in reality mind itself and it is only the form of mind so matter has no independent reality. Mind always contain matter. Energy or matter is the existential or experiential aspect of the mind and consciousness is the internal nature of mind. So mind as Absolute Spirit has dual aspect. Consciousness and matter. Mind contain matter. There is no mind without the form of energy there is no energy whose reality is not mind. It is this dual aspect which is expressed in vedanta as purusha and maya, in Samkya as purusha and prakrti, in Kashmir saivishm as Siva (male) and Sakti (female) in Persian Zoroastrian philosophy spentomainyush (light) and angromainyush (darkness). This is also expressed in philosophy by division of reality as self and non-self, mind and matter, being and thought, subject and object, one and other, positive and negative, masculine and feminine. In reality the predicates are the Subject Himself. Subject Himself is his own object .Self becomes object. The other is His Own Other. Like wise when we consider the triune nature of Absolute as Father, Son, Holy Spirit the transcendent state is symbolised by Father. The immanent state of Absolute spirit when viewed as the inherent subject of all the spirits and also in the special state of perfect human spirit containing all the four potentialities of being, knowledge, will and power is symbolised by Son. The Absolute Spirit when viewed as each and every particular unique spirit is symbolised by Holy Spirit. In Sufism these three states are called Ahadiya, wahadath and wahidiya respectively. Ibn Arabi name these three states as Allah, Rahman and Rubb respectively. In Hindu Philosophy this states are called Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma respectively. If we consider the transcendent state beyond any designation ,even the state as Father then the immanent state it self is seen as triune nature. We have earlier seen that spiritual mind or pre reflective mind is dual nature as consciousness and energy ,subject and object, knower and known. Now if we look at the mind in it's triune nature this is subject of consciousness, consciousness itself and object of consciousness; knower, knowledge and known; thinker, thought and thoughts. As we explained earlier as pre reflective mind or spiritual mind there is unity between these three aspects so there is no separation or difference between them but only an inner distinction. So they are three and one simultaneously. Some Christian mystics like Nicholas of Cusa identify the Trinity concept with this triune aspect. He names them Oneness, Union and Equality respectively. When we consider the dual nature of the Absolute in His transcendent and immanent state both monism and dualism can also be explained. We have seen that there is only one ultimate essence which is unknowable and mind is a lower form of this essence and matter is only the form of this mind and every knowable reality is different form of this mind. This is monism. We have also seen that transcendent state is an higher state and always remain unknowable and immanent state which is a lower form of the Absolute is as pre reflective mind or spiritual mind. This immanent state is the root of all creation, hence the created can never be equated with the Absolute. This is dualism.
When the seeker reach this state of spiritual mind the experience is totally different from the worldly experience. There are those who momentarily experience this state and those who are firmly established in this state. The attainment of this state is what we call self realisation. When one reaches this state both his subjective and objective experience undergo total transformation and it is as if he is transported to a completely unknown and inexperienced realm. This is because in unrealised state our subjectivity is limited to our body. Even if we can think of our family or loved ones as our own and like wise some can include the whole creation in his self this remains only an intellectual knowledge and not an existential experience. This becomes evident when we cannot feel the emotions of others like pain or pleasure in the same intensity as experienced by them even if we think and love them as ourselves. Secondly because this is not an existential experience to act as if every one is our own self becomes a constant struggle. What happens when one reaches the second state of spiritual mind is there is an expansion of the subjectivity so it envelops the whole creation. Unlike intellectual knowledge this is an existential experience. Here what happens is Absolute Spirit manifests through that man so that he has the realisation that there is only one subject and he himself is not different from the Absolute Spirit. This will make him existentially experience his own subjectivity permeating the whole creation without losing his own individuality. As we have explained earlier even though the subject is one, every spirit is unique due to the proportion of predicates pertaining to it ..Secondly as the objective aspect of the Absolute Spirit is essence of energy so that there is only one Body or Being which state is entirely different form our ordinary state which is manifested energy and also multiplicity of beings. This will result in the experience of the whole universe as his own body and the nature of this essence of energy which is totally unknowable to us in ordinary state and cannot be experienced by any kind of speculation or imagination will give rise to what the mystics describe as the blissful state (ananda). This subjective and objective experience which is totally alien to the worldly creatures makes the realised man an entirely different category from normal human beings and action from a universal perspective proceed from him without any struggle or effort. It is also reported by mystics that one who attains to the spiritual mind the whole past and future history of the cosmos is revealed.
II: Absolute World
A. Soul World (Space-Time)
i: Universal Spiritual (Subjective) Soul.
Now as we explained above in the second state the beginning of Absolute Spirit- which is a result of Absolute Subject of the first state becoming pre reflective mind, an object to Himself, so that being becomes a predicate of the subject and when this being is attributed to the Absolute Spirit he is subjective being or self conscious being or universal subjective spirit. (supra light spirit). Here in the second state Universal subjective spirit whose objective aspect is essence of energy as a manifestation of power due to increased concreteness of mind or due to external movement or frequency, energy with the least frequency is formed as the second plane. This is called Universal Spiritual Soul (supra light soul). This is what we call active mind in the form of conscious reflective mind.
As we explained earlier the subjective or internal nature of this universal spiritual soul in the second plane is pure individual subjectivity as particular and individual independent external being and the external nature of this universal spiritual soul is as supra light wave (radio,tv, micro). So both are one and the same thing -mind itself as conscious reflective mind ,only the form is that of energy. So supra light soul with its internal aspect of subjectivity and the objective aspect as supra light wave is one and same thing. (Here a word of caution. When I say radio, micro or gamma rays it is not in the literal sense of complete identity with these electro magnetic waves but to convey the idea of physical manifestation beginning with minimal frequency).
So at this second plane identity as one Absolute Spirit or pre reflective mind is lost and become conscious reflective mind. This manifests as a subjective aspect of consciousness and an objective aspect of external body. This combination is the cause of all manifestations. This is the cause of Absolute Spirit's identity as individual beings. This is the cause of separate particular Individuality. So this is the beginning of individual beings .Here there is the beginning of the distinction and difference between subjective and objective aspect so that the internal unity is broken. The Unity of Knower-Knowledge-Known of second state is lost. As we explained earlier the cause of external manifestations is transformation of love into power. So the worlds are the Power aspect of the Absolute.
Now all manifestations can be viewed from two angles or there is two angle of vision. One is the internal nature or subjective aspect This is from the side of pure consciousness. This is the interior aspect of the manifestations. The second is the objective or energy aspect. This is the external aspect of manifestation. Physical view or angle is from the side of energy. The form of mind appearing as energy or matter or body. The external existence or body of the individual soul. This will produce physical or material aspect of the beings. This is the exterior aspect of the manifestations. This manifestation of both interior and exterior aspects constitute both beings and world. Such numerous worlds and beings are called existences.
Now all the worlds and beings whether soul mind, subtle mind or material mind constitute these two elements. One interior or the aspect of consciousness as subjectivity and the other physical or material aspect. Either of them have no independent reality or existence apart from the other. As we have explained earlier objective aspect as either energy or matter is only the form of mind. Mind cannot exist without the form of energy and energy has no independent reality apart from mind.
So this subjective aspect (consciousness) and Objective aspect (body) of the manifested beings are not two separate realities. They are one and the same thing now looked through subjective aspect of mind as consciousness and now looked through as the form of this mind as energy. The reality or existence of one depends on the other. They are depending on each other for their existence and for their reality. One cannot exist without the other. They are one and the same thing viewed from different angles.
Now as we told earlier at the beginning of manifestations in the second state the Absolute Spirit is in a state of pre reflective mind as pure subjectivity or as a combination of maximum consciousness as pure subjectivity and minimum consciousness as objectivity.. We called this Absolute Spirit, by the name Universal subjective Spirit or Supra light spirit. All the succeeding spirits are the result of the decreasing pure subjective aspect and increasing objective aspect or as combinations of decreasing pure subjective consciousness and increasing consciousness of subjectivity identifying as object up to the fire spirit and later combinations of maximum objective aspect as energy or matter and increasing pure consciousness or subjective aspect and culminating in the spiritual mind as a subjectivity of a combination of maximum pure consciousness and maximum matter as human spirit. Now the Absolute Spirit or Creative Spirit who is in a non dual state of unity or without subject object distinction in the second state are manifested externally as particular and individual beings with dual aspect or with subject-object distinction due to this combination. These worldly beings of the second plane are dependent and depend on their spirits in the second state for their reality and existence.
As we explained earlier as a result of Absolute Subject of first state becoming the pre reflective mind in the second state the Absolute Spirit in the beginning identify as Universal subjective Spirit. This is as we explained the predicate being attributed to the subject or as self conscious being.. This is the state of Universal I or Ego. Here the Absolute or Creative Spirit fully identified with the wisdom or knowledge aspect of the Absolute. Here the Creative Spirit identify itself as full of spiritual essence or full of self consciousness. As wisdom aspect this is pure subjective or spiritual or self consciousness. This is the state of pure I or Universal Ego or Universal subject or Universal subjective Spirit. Here self or spirit is identified with pure subjectivity. As pre reflective mind is passive mind this is a state of internal knowledge so there is only internal frequency or motion.. Self awareness without any movement. Let us call this Universal subjective Spirit or supra light spirit (S spirit) as full self conscious spirit by the Divine Name Radio Spirit or S1 spirit. This Radio Spirit is the conceptual level or notional level in the second state.
The other aspect is from the soul mind or world or in the second plane. This is as we described earlier is the conscious reflected mind. The second plane is manifested when the love of the Universal subjective spirit as radio spirit in the second state develops into power or mind becoming more concrete so the second plane is manifested. Here in the second plane Universal Spiritual Soul or Radio soul is formed. Now the internal nature of this radio soul is consciousness as Individual universal independent subjective soul. Externally the concreteness of mind manifest as slight vibration or beginning of external frequency in the essence of energy. This active mind manifest externally as slight vibrations or frequency in the essence of energy. As a result externally energy with the lowest frequency is manifested. This is Radio Photon. So internally and externally this is universal subjective soul or Radio soul or S1 Soul.( radio photon). So both internal and external aspect is one and the same thing. This Universal spiritual Soul or Radio Soul in the second plane corresponding to the Divine name or concept or Notion which is Radio Spirit in the eternal second state. This is the beginning of Soul World. In the Soul World the dual aspect is the internal subjective individual radio soul and the external objective radio photons or body. What we have to remember is there is neither temporal succession nor logical succession in the manifestation of Universal Spiritual Soul as Radio soul in its internal nature as subjectivity and external nature as energy or body as radio photon. They appear together because as we told earlier they are one and the same thing viewed from two different aspects or angle of vision. Now in external manifestation being aspect as Radio photons are prior and apparent and as Radio soul or spiritual soul are hidden and reveal later only to intuitive mind. So in this sense we can say Universal Spiritual Soul as radio soul is the internal reality of this Radio Photon.
Further this division of mind as pure consciousness and pure being or as active spirit and passive nature is only due to internal distinction in the second state as Absolute Spirit , which means only in the consciousness of the Absolute or Creative spirit. But the pre reflective mind contain both subjectivity and objectivity or self consciousness and non self consciousness. So here passive nature or essence of energy or matter is also mind, but as other of self consciousness. It's own other-Self and it's own other. A sentient spirit or active spirit and insentient nature or passive nature. So the manifested Universal Spiritual Soul as Radio soul in the second plane has an active internal nature as consciousness and external nature as radio photon or passive nature. So first development is Absolute or Creative Spirit with maximum consciousness and minimum pure being. As we told earlier this will manifest on the second state Absolute Spirit thinking as pure self consciousness spirit as Universal subjective Spirit(S1 spirit, radio spirit) and on the second plane of soul world as Universal Spiritual Soul(S1 soul, radio photon)
This is the second plane and the world of manifestations. This is the beginning of external manifestation as spiritual soul or radio photon. This is the beginning of the soul world. In other words The Universal Subjective spirit as Radio spirit, Which is the second state as Absolute Spirit or pre reflective mind, due to further limitation of mind becoming more and more concrete by developing into to power manifest the second plane-Absolute World as conscious reflective mind. The first manifestation in this Absolute world is the Universal Spiritual Soul or radio soul in Soul World.. This is the world of external manifestations. From the internal aspect this Radio Soul is consciousness as pure subjectivity and from the external aspect this is Radio Photon. In external manifestations passive nature as Radio Photon is apparent and the subjective aspect of this Universal Spiritual Soul is hidden or concealed. As we explained earlier This Radio Soul is nothing but the active thought of the Radio Spirit (second state) as a separate and individual ,independent self-conscious being or Soul. This Radio Soul or Radio Photon in the second plane is controlled by the Radio spirit of the second state and which is its inner reality. This Radio Soul is like a shadow to the Radio spirit, which is its internal reality and which is the inner controller of it from the second state So this Radio Soul is the form of the Radio Spirit .
According to modern physics electro magnetic radiations are emitted by the particles. We are not denying this fact but proposing that prior to the formation of subatomic particles or even other elementary particles (like fermions-eg: Quarks, Leptons or other Bosons ) there was a state at which energy existed as lowest frequency electromagnetic waves. So according to us this Radio photon is the basic physical unit. This is a mass less boson with minimum quanta of energy or with the least frequency. According to string theory basic unit of matter or plank quanta has only length but no position. Radio photon due to its dual nature also fit this description.
In this external Universal Spiritual Soul as Radio Soul which we call(S1) wisdom predominates so this soul is complete spiritual essence or full of self-consciousness. This is also called Universal Spiritual Soul or Universal Ego, which is the source of all further manifestations.
Hegel identify this Universal Spiritual Soul or Radio Soul with Space in its external nature as radio wave or photon and this is the abstract ideal Object and internal aspect and Spiritual thought or subjectivity he identify with Time and this is abstract ideal Subject. So here the Space is this abstract externality or objectivity as Radio Photon and Time is just this intuition of becoming-Pure Subjectivity as radio soul.
This Universal Spiritual Soul is also called Space-Time. Space is the external being aspect as radio wave and Time is the internal subjective aspect of this radio soul or spiritual soul. So this is the beginning of space-time. So the concept of Time-Space begins in the second state as Radio Spirit and Space-Time manifest in the second plane as Radio Soul.
After some logical time the love of the Absolute Spirit as Radio Spirit in the second state develops and makes thought more concrete-more motion of thought or internal frequency increases in Creative Spirit as Radio Spirit. What this mean is the proportion of Absolute Spirit's knowledge as pure being increases and as pure thought decreases. In the eternal second state or from the aspect of pure consciousness this will make the Creative Spirit or Absolute Spirit as Radio Spirit(S1) lose some active awareness as pure spiritual essence or full of self-consciousness. As a result Creative Spirit gradually identifies itself as Spirit with Will aspect or medium self-consciousness. This is emotional or discursive self consciousness. Let us call this Universal subjective Spirit as TV spirit or S2 spirit. As before when this love develops into power there is further motion or concrete thought in TV spirit or what is the same love of self-expression and power of manifestation produce TV Soul or TV photon in the second plane. So in the second plane TV photon is manifested out of Radio photons with higher frequency. Let us call this S2 Soul, As we explained earlier TV Soul in its internal aspect is Individual subjectivity (mind) and external aspect TV photons..
By a similar process after some logical time, losing further self consciousness Absolute Spirit as TV spirit identify itself as spirit with Power aspect or minimal self-consciousness or Micro spirit or S3 spirit on the eternal second state. This is sensuous self consciousness. In the second plane or in soul world, power dominated Micro spiritual soul or Micro photon with higher frequency is manifested out of TV photons.
As we explained earlier The internal or subjective aspects of these individual Radio or S1, TV or S2, and Micro or S3 spiritual Souls and the external or objective nature as Radio ,TV and Micro Photons are one and the same thing. So these two aspects are one and the same thing. These are the fundamental three divisions of Universal Spiritual Soul or Supra Light Soul. So what we have to always remember is the Subjective knowledge of this Universal Spiritual Soul as his mind and the Objective aspect as the external Radio, TV or Micro Photon as his body is one and the same. Both are only one Thought. One thought whose nature is knowledge and form is as Energy.
What we have to remember is the difference between these three spiritual souls(radio,tv,micro) are not one one of nature but only the degree of content. All three are only universal spiritual or subjective soul (supra light soul). In radio soul or S1 there is maximum self consciousness as the attribute of Wisdom predominate so full of pure spiritual subjective self consciousness.S2 soul moderate self consciousness as this is the Love or Will aspect so discursive reason or emotional self consciousness. S3 soul minimum self consciousness as this is the Power aspect so sensuous self consciousness..
From the spiritual perspective-in the second state as Universal subjective spirit, this spiritual realm is also the beginning of spiritual time. We have seen that in spiritual realm thought is directed towards the essence itself or there is only internal knowledge and there is unity of knower-knowledge-known so here time is present as pure duration. Here past abide in the present and future is an open possibility. Spiritual realm is an eternal now. Here events unfold from moment to moment. What J. Krishnamurthy described as moment to moment existence. There is change and movement without any division. So the second state is the plane of Time and space as a concept. or notion. As we have seen earlier the beginning of Universal subjective spirit is itself the concept of Time and Space. Subjectivity is the time concept and essence of energy is the space concept. So the second state of Absolute Spirit is eternal as the concept of time itself begins in this plane..
From the physical perspective or in the second plane of Radio soul this is the beginning of physical substance, time and space. We already told Radio photon as basic physical unit. This is same as Strings-the basic of both matter and Energy. Physical time also begins with the existence of Radio wave. Time is the internal individual subjectivity of the radio soul. Space also begins with Radio photon, rather Radio photons itself is space. Radio wave has dual nature and behave both as particle and wave. In the beginning there exist only Radio wave, so this existence of Radio wave is space. Time and space both change as Radio wave is partly replaced by TV wave then by micro wave etc. First logical calculation of time is the duration between the appearances of Radio wave to the appearance of TV wave. Due to the existence of TV photon space also changes and TV photon becomes part of space. So time and space are co-related and exist from and with the beginning of Soul World.So we designate thus time interrelated with space and as a fourth dimension Space-Time.. Hegel describe Time as the negativity of Space.
In Sufism the second state of the Absolute Spirit as the Spirit of all these essences is called Ism Ilahi (divine names). The Universal subjective Spirit or supra light spirit (radio, TV, micro) is called by the Divine name Hadi (creator). Universal Spiritual Soul or supra light soul in the second plane is called Aql Kull (Universal Reason) ,Qalam i Ala (exalted Pen). Ibn Arabi call this Universal Spiritual Soul the First Intellect. He also calls this Haqiqat al Muhammediya (Reality of Muhammad)(futuhat-ch-3&6).(some Sufis also denote haqiqat Muhammediya with state of Wahdat-Absolute Spirit with four potentialities).
ii: Universal Mental Soul.
Gradually after some logical time in eternal second state due to love the internal frequency of Creative Spirit or Absolute spirit as Micro Spirit increases. This means thought becomes more and more concrete and intensity of thought increases. As this increases Creative spirit's knowledge as Micro spirit is lost and identify itself as Universal Mental Spirit or Light spectrum spirit(M spirit).The beginning is mental spirit with Wisdom aspect. So this is the spirit with spiritual or divine thoughts. Let us call this Infra red mental spirit or M1 spirit. Further concrete of thought or as a result of power Infra red mental Soul is formed in the second plane. On the Soul world or second plane as we told earlier internally individual, independent subjective aspect of the infra red mental soul and externally frequency increase in Micro photon and Infra Red Photon with higher frequency manifested out of Micro photon.. As we explained earlier this also have the same two aspects. one internal subjective thought aspect and external objective physical aspect. This is individual IR mental soul with body of infra red photons This is the beginning of Universal Mental Souls or Light Specrum Souls.
By a similar process infra red(M1) spirit, in the second state or spiritual realm losing more self consciousness think as mental spirit with Will aspect or visible light(M2) mental spirit in the second state. So this is temporal thoughts. On the second plane or Soul World visible light soul or visible light ray with higher frequency is manifested out of infra red mental Soul as with internal subjectivity and external infrared body or photons. This is M2 mental Soul .
By a similar process again later light spirit identify as Mental Spirit with Power aspect and Ultra Violet mental spirit or M3 spirit in second state or spiritual realm and UV mental thought as sensory knowledge (power aspect) emanated. So this is sensual thoughts. As earlier out of Visible Light mental soul manifest UV soul with higher frequency consisting of internal UV subjectivity and externally as UV body or photon. This is M3 Soul. These M1, M2 and M3 Mental Souls are the three fundamental groups in Universal Mental Soul or Light Spectrum Soul.
As we explained all mental soul have the mental essence but in M1 there is maximum essence because as it is Wisdom attribute full of spiritual and divine thoughts. ,M2 moderate mental essence, the Will aspect and so temporal or worldly thoughts. and in M3 minimum mental essence, the Power aspect and sensuous thoughts. As we explained earlier mental soul and mental photons are one and the same thing. One is looked from the internal subjective aspect and the other from the external objective aspect.
Ibn Arabi call this Mental Soul Universal Self. Sufis call the Universal Mental Spirit in the spiritual realm or in the second state of Absolute Spirit by the divine name Baith (Cause) and Universal Mental Soul in the second plane by the worldly name Nafs kull (universal self) .This is also called Lawh i Mahfus (Preserved Tablet).
iii: Universal Material Soul.
a: Subtle Material Soul (Imaginary or Astral).
Now after some logical time the thought become more concrete or the internal frequency of the Creative spirit as Mental Spirit - UV spirit in eternal second state increases and the thought of Creative spirit as UV mental spirit is reduced and lost and Creative Spirit become aware as Astral or imaginary Spirit or Infra Light Spirit(A spirit).The beginning is astral spirit with wisdom aspect or X-ray subtle material spirit or A1 spirit .This is the spirit of spiritual desire and imagination (wisdom dominated). Similarly in the second plane externally X-subtle material Soul or astral soul or X-ray manifested out of UV mental soul or UV ray. As we explained earlier the internal aspect of this X astral soul is imagination and external aspect is X-ray photon or being or body. This is the beginning of subtle material Souls.
By a similar process when the thoughts of Absolute or Creative Spirit in the second state as X-astral Spirit becomes more concrete it think as Astral spirit with will aspect or Gamma astral spirit manifested and egoistic desire or images (will dominated) emanate from it. , Similarly Gamma astral soul or Gamma ray with higher frequency is manifested out of X-ray or X-astral soul. This is A2 astral soul or Gamma Soul..
Like this due to further concrete thought Gamma spirit identify as astral spirit with Power aspect or Cosmic astral spirit. This is A3 astral spirit and sensual desire or images (power dominated) .Similarly Cosmic astral soul manifested out of Gamma Soul or Gamma ray. This is Cosmic Soul or Cosmic ray or A3 soul.
These A1, A2 and A3 subtle material or imaginary or astral Spirits in the second state of Absolute Spirit and Corresponding X, Gamma, Cosmic astral Souls or Photons in the second plane of Absolute World are the three fundamental groups in subtle material spirit and soul.
b: Gross Material Soul.
After some logical time the internal frequency of the cosmic astral spirit or essence in eternal second state or spiritual plane increases or thought become more concrete. From the Absolute spiritual aspect at this the thought of subtle material or astral spirit as cosmic spirit go on increasing and astral spirit become aware as material spirit with wisdom aspect or as sub quark1 material Spirit or P1 material Spirit and material thought (wisdom dominant) emanate out of P1 Spirit This is thought or thinking as pure matter. In the soul world Sub Quark1 material Soul is manifested with internal subjectivity and external SubQuark1 basic particle. This is seen Externally as a process. The frequency of cosmic rays goes on increasing and a critical point is reached. At this point there is almost infinite or very high energy and frequency. At this critical point due to interaction of these high frequency rays and other rays like Radio, light and gamma rays fundamental particle sub quarks are formed. This is manifestation of SubQuark1 material soul or particle. This subquark1 consists of internal subquark1 subjectivity and external Sub Quark1 Body or particle. This is Gross Material soul with wisdom aspect or P1 material soul. This is the beginning of gross material Souls.
Similar to subquark1 spirit subquark2 spirit as material thoughts (will) is formed in eternal Absolute spiritual realm. So this is thought as moderately pure matter due to the Will aspect.Subbquark2 material soul is manifested out of subquark1Soul. This is material soul with will aspect or P2 material soul.
Like this sub quark3 spirit is developed out of subquark2 spirit with power aspect in second state. This is thought as impure matter. subquark3 material particle is formed out of subquark2 in the absolute world.. This is material being with power aspect so this is P3 material Soul.
According to quantum field theory by instantaneous and local interaction of different energy fields basic particles can be formed. So this is the way the sub quark is formed. According to modern physics Quarks are the fundamental physical building blocks. Sub atomic particles are formed by combination of different types of Quarks. According to our theory Quarks composed of three Sub Quarks. These sub Quarks are the basic physical units. There are three basic types of Sub Quarks. Sub Quark with Wisdom aspect or P1,Sub Quark with Will aspect or P2,Sub Quark with Power aspect or P3.
Sufis call the Universal Gross material Spirit in the Spiritual plane by the Divine Name Akhir (The Exterior) and Universal Gross Material Soul in the Soul World by the worldly name Jauhar i Haba (Essence of Matter).
This complete Soul world wth universal subjective soul, mental soul, subtle and gross material soul is called Alam Arwah and also as Alam al Jabarut.
As we can see spiritual Soul(S) and mental Soul(M) differs from Material Soul in that they have no material nature hence Shah Waliyullah calls them Ruh Malakut.(Angelic Soul). As human soul contains whole soul world or SMAPs (souls) it is called a tied soul. In this Human soul SMs (souls) is called the angelic soul part and the APs (souls) is called the rational part of the human soul.
As we explained earlier in the second eternal state as Absolute or Creative Spirit due to the unity of Knower, Knowledge and Known there is only an internal distinction between active nature and passive nature or in other words internal as subjective thought and external as thought in the form of passive energy or essence of energy. We have seen that the reality of both is thought and they are one and the same thing. so passive nature is the form of the very same thought. So in Universal subjective Spirits(S1,S2,S3),Universal Mental Spirits(M1,M2,M3),Universal Subtle material Spirits(A1,A2,A3) and Universal Gross Material Spirits(P1,P2,P3) these distinctions are only internal as they are in this eternal plane and the passive nature is as essence of energy or passive energy. Even if there is internal distinction we have seen that both are one and the same thing. internal as pure thought and external as form of thought. But in the Absolute World or second plane of temporality this unity is broken in thought and there is division of knower, knowledge and known. So there is external distinction. These Universal subjective Souls(S1,S2,S3),Universal Mental Souls(M1,M2,M3),Universal Subtle material Souls(A1,A2,A3) and Universal Gross Material Souls(P1,P2,P3) consider their subjectivity distinct from their external nature or object. So these Photons of the physical aspect they consider as their bodies. But as we told earlier the souls and photons are one and the same thing. One looked as pure thought and the other as form of thought. As these are the forms of these same subjective thought the subject cannot exist without this form. They are one and the same reality considered from two aspects. One cannot exist without the other.
The above Soul world consists of Universal Spiritual, Mental, imaginary and gross material Soul manifestations are known as principal manifestations. These four Universal Souls and the corresponding Spirits represent four fundamental attributes of the Absolute Subject. Wujud (Subjective Being), Ilm (Knowledge), Irada (Will) and Qudrat (Power) respectively. From these S1,S2,S3 is known as Universal Spiritual Soul or Subjective Being, M1,M2,M3 Universal Mental Soul or The Wise, A1,A2,A3, Universal Subtle Material Soul or Universal Nature or Imagination or Willer and P1,P2,P3 Universal Gross material Soul or Universal Matter or essence of matter or Powerful. These Souls are Individual, Particular and Independent Souls Unlike their Spirits in the second state of Absolute Spirit where all the spirits are one and the same Absolute Spirit forming different relations so that the individual spirits have no independent existence apart from the Absolute Spirit.. But all the Souls as we explained earlier depends on their Spirits in the second state for their reality and in turn those spirits in the eternal spiritual plane depends on these souls of the world for their manifestations. so they depend each other. All other separate and individual spiritual, mental, astral and material souls and all spiritual ,mental, astral, and material Beings are derived ultimately from these Four Universal Souls.
What we have to remember is this Soul world is the plane of pure self consciousness and not consciousness or thought of any objects. There is no other consciousness at this plane than self consciousness. Spiritual soul is knowledge of self as pure subjectivity, mental soul is knowledge of self as mental essence(knowledge of predicates), subtle material soul is knowledge of self as imaginary essence and gross material soul is Knowledge of self as material essence or matter.
. These Four major manifestations are beginning of the temporal and mutable aspects of reality. Pythagoras describe them as the temporal l tetrad. In jewish kabbalah this plane is decribed as lower triad This consists of Chesed,Geburah and Tiphareth.If we include the invisible sephiroth Daath this also becomes a tetrad.Daath is equated with Knowledge, Chesed with Love,Geburah with fear and Tiphareth with beauty.This plane is called Briah and this is the world of creation.This is represented by Arch Angels.Semitic religions describe them as four Archangels. Other religions also describe them as chief devas or prajapatis.
This soul world can be compared to the Vedanta's cosmic sleep-consciousness (Susupti), in which the Brahman has for its upaadhi the cosmic causal body.This soul world is the Mahat plane of Samkya.This is also the Vijnanana maya kosha(knowledge sheath) of Brahman. This is the chitta plane of yoga philosophy.This human soul is the casual body (karana sarira) of the human spirit (jivatman )of the second state.All created beings contain one or some of the souls.In our solar system only human beings contain allthe four souls.It is the peculiarity and uniqueness of the the human beings that his soul is a combination of spiritual, mental, subtle and gross material souls (SMAPs).
Mystics describe these four stages as the process of creation or emanation. So they transcend our created material universe. Ibn arabi in his later work Fusus describe these as the higher superior angels who transcend both subtle and gross material nature but still depending on universal nature (passive Nature of the Absolute Spirit) as they are individual spirits.They are described as Malai Ala(higher angels)
If we are only concerned with our solar system here we can symbolise them as Pluto (Universal Spiritual Soul)), Neptune (Universal Mental Soul) and Uranus (Universal Material Soul).
When we are fully self conscious or when we are completely absorbed in our subjectivity without any other thoughts we are in contact with this plane. In our unrealised normal human state we can only experience a very limited and distorted knowledge of this plane.When we reflect on our subjectivity or when we try to go deeper and deeper into ourselves we will understand that our self or subjectivity or I consiousness cannot be identifeid with our body.Like this this subjectivity is also beyond mind or ego. What I mean by ego here is our concept of ourself identifying with our nation,sex,profession ,religion and family etc thus forming a definite personality.It is true that every one is a unique individual subject with unique proportion of the predicates and particular capacites.But this individuality is different from persanality.In pure self consciousness we are only aware of this individual,limted subjectivity.The concept of personality or body we introduce into this subjectivity by thoughts and then identify with it.With this identification all our further thoughts and emotins ,feelings and actions are coloured so we think,feel and act in this egoistic way.
When ever we reflect on our subjective consciousness we becomes aware that what ever be the content of consciousness at any moment it is always particular and an individual subjective consciousness. Any content of our thought, imagination or sensation is coloured by our own individuality. So even pre-reflective consciousness is arising out of this subjective or self consciousness. When the pre-reflective consciousness is about this subjectivity this is self consciousness. So Sartre is wrong in saying that we cannot know but only experience this pre reflective consciousness-rather here knowing and being is same ,in other words in subjective or self consciousness our being is as knower.
B: Material World
i Subtle Material world or Beings
a: Universal Mental Being (The Universe-Quark)
Now in the eternal second state the Absolute Spirit or the creative spirit thinking itself as the universal gross material spirit or sub quark3 spirit loses further self consciousness or the thought or knowledge becomes more limited or concrete. This will produce loss of self consciousness as material spirit or as sub Quark3 spirit and loses pure soul consciousness and identify himself as spirit with mental faculty or spirit of discursive thoughts This is the realm of Consciousness .This spirit is called Universal Mental Spirit. Let us call this Quark Spirit or 'm' Spirit. This means consciousness as subquark3 spirit is lost and identify as Universal mental spirit. As we explained earlier due to the love and power aspect of Absolute spirit as Quark Spirit knowledge is further limited or become more and more concrete .This abstract thought and reduced self consciousness or this power manifest in the second plane or in the Soul World. So the Material World as Subtle material beings are manifested out of combination of groups of sub quarks soul in the second plane .we call the first of these Subtle mental being or Quark Being.. Now as we told earlier the internal aspect of this Universal mental being is the subjectivity and the external aspect or the form of these thoughts is the combination of sub quarks forming Quarks with higher frequency. We call this Universal Mental being Quark Being or 'm' Being. As this Subtle Mental spirit contain various Quark sprits like quark1,quark2 and quark3 so these thoughts in this plane contains all the three groups of thoughts like predominance of wisdom, love or power.
This is the realm of thoughts or consciousness . Pure self consciousness of the soul world is replaced by consciousness or discursive thoughts. This is the beginning of Material world as Subtle material world. . Again they distinguish their subjectivity as Mind and the Quark particle as their body. but as we mentioned earlier this quark is nothing but the
form of these subjective thought. So these internal and external are one and the same thing and they have no independent existence.
What we have to remember is this plane is the mental plane or plane of mental faculties so these beings are aware primarily as mental beings with discursive thoughts. Similar to all planes three group mental or thinking faculties are found. This is the realm of discursive thoughts -the most abstract and spiritual thoughts or the Wisdom aspect and thoughts with will aspect or temporal thought content and thoughts with Power aspect so with sensual thought. so there are m1,m2 and m3 Spirits and Beings. This is also the realm of feelings and emotions
In Sufism the Universal Mental Spirit in the eternal spiritual second state is called by the divine name Zahir (The Exterior) and the Mental Being in the world by the worldly name Jism i Kull( Universal Body). This we can be symbolised by the whole created Universe or Cosmos. The Plane of Quarks.
The willing faculty (quwwat Azimah), The intellectual faculty or cognitive faculty (quwwat Mufakkirah), Estimative faculty (Wahamiyah) of the Nusma belongs to this Plane.
In terrestrial Angels and Jinn the nature of this Universal Mental being is predominant so their nature is called terrestrial angelic or jinn soul.
This is represented by te elemental Fire.In Alam Misal or Alam Kayal (world of similitude's or imagination) this is called the higher astral world. The beings and happenings of this plane is a copy and represent more of the above soul world than the material world so that the dreams or visions coming from this plane is always true.The beings and happenings of this stage is not liable to change so firmly established .This is represented as Devachan (abode of gods) .Ibn Arabi also calls this Alam al Qalb(World of Heart) or Lauh al Mahfuz (Guarded Tablet) and the domain of Absolute(mutlaq) imagination
b: Universal Imaginary Being-Astral Being (Galaxy-Sub atom).
By a similar process in the eternal second state the Absolute spirit as Quark spirit loses consciousness as universal mental spirit due to love and limitation in knowledge and identify itself as imaginative faculty and think itself as Universal imaginary spirit or 'a' Spirit or Sub Atom spirit. As there are various types of sub atoms like protons, neutrons and electrons so these imaginary spirit contains spiritual imagination, worldly imaginations and sensual imaginations. This is also the realm of desires ,passion and world of forms and images. As above explained due to love and power of the sub atom spirit or due to increased concreteness of thought on the subtle material world similarly out of combination of Quark mental being Sub atom is formed with higher frequency or mass. We call this imaginary being Sub Atom Being or a Imaginary Being or simply 'a' Being. So there are a1,a2,a3 Spirits and Beings.
Sufis call the imaginary spirit in the eternal plane by the divine name Hakim (Wise) and the imaginary being of the world by the worldly name Shakl i Kull (Universal Form).
This can be symbolised by the Galaxy System which has a definite form. This is the formation of three main types of subatomic particles-Proton, Neutron and Electron.
In Vedanta universal mental being and universal imaginary being together is called the manomaya kosha (mental sheath) of Brahman.
Faculty of imagination (Khayal), Common Sense (Hiss Mushtaric) of the Nusma belongs to this plane.
In the nature of Animals this plane is predominant so this nature of them is called Animal Soul.
This is represented by the elemental Air..In Alam Misal this is called the lower Astral world.The beings and happenings of this plane is a copy and represent more of the below material world so that the dreams and visions coming form this plane may not be true. This plane constantly undergo changes.This is called Kama Loka(Desire World).Ibn Arabi calls this Alam Nafs or Lawh al Mahw al Isbath(world of effacement and establisment) and domain of limited(muqayad) imagination..
c: Universal Living Being (Solar System-Atom).
Now the Absolute spirit in the second state as sub atom spirit or 'a' Spirit due to Love and limitation in knowledge becomes aware of its life nature and develops into Universal living spirit or' p' Spirit or Atomic Spirit. By a similar process out of these spirits in the subtle material world Universal Living Being or Atom Being is manifested by the combination of sub atomic particles. This is 'p' Atomic Beings.Similar to above there are p1,p2,p3 Spirits and Beings.
Sufis designate the subtle living spirit in the eternal spiritual plane by the divine name Muhit (Encompassor) and their counterpart in the world as subtle living being by the divine name Arsh (Throne of God).
This can be compared in a macrocosmic level with our solar system and microcosmic level with the formation of basic atoms. Various atoms are formed by the combinations of subatomic particles.
In plants and vegetation this universal living being is predominant so their nature is called vegetable soul or growing soul.
In Sufism the vegetative faculties (nutrition,growth,procreation) and moving faculties (muharrikah) of the Nusma are identified with Universal Living Being.
In Vedanta Pranamaya kosha( Vital sheath) of Brahman is identified with this being. This Kosha consists of Prana (life) and 5 Karmendriyas (working senses-Power to express, grasp, move, procreate and excrete).This is represented by the elemental Water.
These plane as a whole (subtle material world) differs from the soul world or self consciousness in that this is Objective thoughts either as life, imaginative faculty or mental faculty
What we have to remember is this subtle material world is not the plane of self consciousness or soul world but the plane of consciousness. So here in this plane there is no knowledge of self but knowledge as discursive thoughts or in the form of imagination or in the form of subtle matter or life energy.. So this is just knowledge or consciousness but not self knowledge or self consciousness.
This subtle material World we can compare with Vedanta's cosmic dream-consciousness (Swapna), in which Brahman has the totality of cosmic subtle body as its limiting adjuncts (upaadhi).
Like Soul world is the casual body (jiva, human soul) of human spirit (jivatman) this subtle material world is the subtle body (suksma sarira) of the human spirit. This consists of Samkya- manas,indriyas(5 jnanendriya (knowing senses+5 karmendriya),5 tanmatras (subtle matter).
Like soul world corresponds to the divine attributes of Being, Knowledge, Love, Power These three subtle material world corresponds to the the three Divine attributes Hearing (Mental world), Sight (imaginary world) and Speech (living world) respectively. Ibn Arabi call these plane the higher realm of Imagination. Sufis call this plane Alam Barzak or Alam Mithal(the world of Similitude's) Alam Kayal(world of imagination)..This is also called Alam Malakut.
The earlier lower tetrad or Soul world , which are Universal Spiritual Soul, Universal Mental Soul, Universal Imagination or Astral Soul and Universal Material soul, and the lower triad or subtle material world , which are Universal Mental Being, Imaginary Being and Universal living Being forms Septinary or Septad. These seven are considered as the seven Main Dhyanichohans or Prajapatis or seven principal Angels in religions. The eternal upper triad (Absolute Subject-as Ahadiyath,Absolute Sprit-as both wahdat and wahidyath ) and the temporal lower septad together form the Decad. Decad is the complete mystic number for Pythagoras and Jewish Kabala. Decad is 10 major planes of theAbsolute.
What we have to remember is both the soul world and subtle material world are the planes of Universal Beings. So they are not individual particular beings like the following gross material beings which derives their beings from these higher beings. So these higher seven Beings are always designated as the main seven angels or devas.
According to modern physics big bang point is the point of singularity. At this point there is infinite energy and temperature and hence the universe has infinite mass and minimal or zero size. After big bang explosion the temperature go on decreasing and four forces and elements are formed out of basic particles and quarks. According to us this big bang point is not a material state but the point of formation of other bosons and fermions.
The sub quark produce quarks and then the boson graviton is formed. At this point there is super symmetry so there is only one force which itself is a force carrying basic particle. This single force can be compared to graviton which is a neutral ,mass less boson.. After the formation of graviton the process is reversed and the energy and frequency go on decreasing and a critical point is reached. At this point there is symmetry breaking and four forces are formed. This facilitates the formations of elements and molecules.
Now the combination of these sub quarks produce quarks. The combination of these quarks produce all the sub atomic particles like neutral mass less particles and charged mass particles. So Graviton spirit and corresponding Graviton is formed. similarly other Bosons, Fermions and sub atoms formed.
Now if we consider the whole material Universe The Universal Mental Being is symbolised by the whole universe consisting of billions of galaxies and Universal Imaginary Being is symbolised by Galaxy like our milky way galaxy and Universal Living Being is symbolised by solar systems.
ii:Gross Material World or Beings
1: Celestial Beings. (Subtle Beings):
Now if we consider our Solar system the further development of the Universal living spirit or Atomic spirit is development of Spirits of Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon. What we have to remember at the outset is that these beings should not be completely identified with the gross material planets or star or satellites whose evolutionary stage is below these planes at stage of fire, air etc but as the beings of an atomic nature who are associated with these celestial bodies. The second thing to remember is all the beings of Gross material world, whether celestial or terrestrial is a manifestation of a plane or combination of the above two planes-soul world (self consciousness) and subtle material world (consciousness) in different proportions. So both celestial world and terrestrial world is a combination of SMAPs(souls) and mapb(beings) The only difference between celestial world and terrestrial world on the one hand and the the different beings of these world on the other is in each being except human being only some aspect is expressed while the other aspect remain dormant or hidden.
i: Higher Soul Beings
We have seen that in the eternal spiritual plane Absolute spirit is as Atomic Spirit or Universal living spirit or 'p' spirit. Now in the spiritual plane this Atomic Spirit Due to further limitation in knowledge develops into higher soul spirits like Pluto, Uranus and Neptune spirits and correspondingly in the second plane soul beings like Pluto ,Neptune etc is formed..
Now if we consider the development of the higher planets Pluto, Neptune, Uranus in the eternal plane as spirits these spirits mainly manifest the soul world or SMAPs. Each succeeding spirits have decreasing quantity of the spiritual soul (S) of the soul world (or we can symbolise this as S1,S2 and S3 souls). This means these planets manifest the different aspect of self consciousness like wisdom, love or power. So these higher planets when considered with the influence on human consciousness is often associated with collective consciousness or transpersonal consciousness. What we have to remember is these soul, mental, imaginary and subtle material planet beings are not the material planets as such but the beings what we call angels in religious terminology inhabiting these planets. The planets and the sun are symbolised by these beings.
a: Pluto
Now at first the Absolute spirit as Universal living spirit due to limitation in knowledge become gradually conscious of its dormant soul world. Now out of the subtle living spirit Pluto spirit is developed. We can see that this Pluto spirit contains 'SMAP's (souls) or self consciousness. Correspondingly in the second plane or world plane Pluto planet is manifested out of Atomic Being.
Sufis designate this spirit in the eternal spiritual plane by the divine name Shakur (Appreciator or Grateful) and the Being in the world by the worldly name Kursi (Seat). Ibn Arabi connect this with the mental faculties.
b: Neptune:
In the eternal spiritual plane the Absolute spirit as Pluto spirit loses some knowledge of spiritual soul due to limitation of knowledge and there is development of Neptune Spirit with less spiritual soul essence (S).. Corresponding to this Neptune Planet is manifested in the world.
Sufis designate this spirit by the divine name Ghani (Independent) and the being by the worldly name Falak al Manfazil (Crystalline Sphere or starless sphere). Ibn arabi describe it as the inhabited House and connect with faculties of heart.
c: Uranus:
In the eternal Plane due to further decrease in spiritual soul essence of Neptune Spirit and Uranus Spirit is developed. Similarly Uranus Planet is manifested in the world.
Sufis designate this spirit by the divine name Muqtadir (Powerful, Determiner) and the Being by the worldly name Falak ul Buruj (sphere of fixed stars). Ibn Arabi describe this as the spirits and their capacities.
So these Pluto, Neptune and Uranus planets are symbolised by beings with self consciousness of SMAPs (but decreasing spiritual soul knowledge).
ii: Middle Mental Beings
As we explained earlier at this stage of middle mental beings and lower imaginary beings self consciousness is dormant and only consciousness is expressed. This means SMAPs is not expressed but only mapb is expressed. So the spirits of these planes are various expression of 'mapb'. So when discussing the influence of them on human consciousness unlike the higher spirits they are identified with personal or ego consciousness. Here as with the higher spirits with the lower planets this mental consciousness also go on decreasing ( symbolised in the order of spiritual thoughts, worldly thoughts, sensual thoughts) and more expression of imaginary and living consciousness so that when we come to the level of Moon there is only 'apb' (imaginary and living thoughts or thought as imagination and life). This mean they manifest different aspect of wisdom, love and power.
d: Saturn:
In the eternal second spiritual state Absolute Spirit as Uranus Spirit due to limitation in knowledge loses completely the soul essence and develops into Saturn Spirit . Corresponding to this Saturn Planet is manifested in the world.
Sufis designate this Saturn Spirit by the divine name Rubb (Lord). Worldly name Zuhal. This is the supporter or Nourisher. Ibn arabi describe it as source of knowledge and breath. Neo-Platonists identify with the mental power of forming conclusions.Jili connects it with reason.
e: Jupiter:
In the eternal spiritual plane Absolute spirit as Saturn spirit due to limitation of knowledge loses some knowledge of mental thoughts (consciousness) there develops Jupiter Spirit . Then Jupiter planet is manifested in the World.
Sufis call this Jupiter Spirit by the divine name Alim (Knower). Worldly name Musthari. Ibn Arabi describe it as the mental function of Memory. Neo Platonists identify this with the power of effectiveness of the will. Jili also connects it with will power and the angel Michael.
f: Mars:
In the eternal spiritual plane like above due to further decrease in mental thoughts there develops Mars Spirit. correspondingly Mars Planet is manifested in the world.
Sufis call this spirit by the divine name Qahir (Dominant). Worldly name is Marrikh. Ibn Arabi equate it with the intellectual function of Mind. Neo- Platonists identify this affections and impulses.Jili connects this with power,majesty and guess and the angel asrail..
g: Sun:
In the eternal spiritual plane due to further limitation of mental thoughts develops the Sun Spirit. In the world the Sun Star is manifested. The Sun also have a central position in not only living and imaginative world but also in the mental world.
Sufis call this spirit by the divine name Nur (Light). Worldly name is Shams. Ibn Arabi describe the sun as the faculty of Reflection. Ibn Arabi gives a central position (heliocentric) to sun in respect to the three above and three below planets. Neo-Platonists identify this with sensation, opinion, and imagination.Jili connects this with the heart and the angel Asrafil.
So these Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Sun are symbolised by beings with consciousness as 'mapb' or discursive thoughts, imagination and living essences but decreasing mental or discursive thoughts (in the order of spiritual thoughts, worldly thoughts, sensual thoughts).
ii: Lower Imaginary Beings:
As we explained earlier at this stage consciousness contain only (apb). So the spirits of these planes are apb. . Like we explained earlier in this plane this Astral consciousness also go on decreasing (symbolised in the order of spiritual imagination, worldly imagination, sensual imagination) so that when we come to the level of Terrestrial beings or Fire there is only Ps or living self consciousness and 'pb' consciousness ( living thoughts or thought as life. So these spirits represent aspects of wisdom, love and power.
h: Venus:
First in the eternal spiritual plane Absolute Spirit as Sun spirit due to further limitation of knowledge loss mental or discursive thoughts completely and develops in to Venus Spirit.. similarly Venus planet is manifested out of Sun planet.
Sufis call this spirit by the divine name Musavvir (Form giver). Worldly name is Zuhra. Ibn Arabi connect it with illusory imagination and animal spirit. Neo Platonists identify it with sensuous desires aiming at the particular.Jili conncts it also with will and desire and imagination..
i: Mercury:
Now in the eternal spiritual plane the Absolute spirit as Venus spirit loses some properties of imagination and develops in to Mercury Spirit. This is in the world Mercury Planet.
Sufis call this spirit by the divine name Muhsey (Recorder) and the worldly name is Utarid. Ibn Arabi connect it with imagination (Khayal).Jili connect it with knowledge and Rumi with Intelligence.
j: Moon:
Now in the eternal second state the Mercury Spirit loses further imaginary thoughts and develops into Moon spirit. In the world Moon satellite is manifested.
Sufis call this spirit by the divine name Muhaymin (Guardian) and the worldly name is Qamar. Ibn Arabi connect it with sensory faculties. Neo-Platonists connect it with the power of production.Jili connects this with life and imagination.
As we can see in this lower imaginary plane both the astral soul essence and imagination faculty also go on decreasing so when the moon is reached there is minimum astral essence and maximum material essence.
This Celestial plane need some clarification. What we are referring here is not the present state of the planets as gross material beings. This present state is the condensed state of the planets after further evolution like, Fire, Air. Water etc there by forming the solid gross objects. What we are referring here is as explained earlier these celestial beings in their Atomic state. The rarefied state of these planets in their subtle material state before the development of Fire, Air, Water etc. As we explained this is the plane of the Atoms or elements and there is not yet the development of molecules or compounds. So at that evolutionary state we are describing this is really subtle material plane. The second point to remember is these celestial beings can manifest both the higher planes-soul world and subtle material world. This means the celestial spirits have both self consciousness and consciousness. But what we have to remember is when they are conscious of their self as spiritual mental, astral &material soul essence these self knowledge or self consciousness is from the plane of the Soul world. Like this their consciousness or thoughts as discursive thoughts or imagination or matter are thoughts or knowledge from the subtle material plane. But even though these beings have self consciousness they have no separate individual self consciousness like human beings but self consciousness of species and sub species like animals.Second point to consider is these planets or beings consider their self consciousness and consciousness as their subjectivity or mind and the subtle atomic body as their objectivity or body. But as we explained earlier the internal aspect of subjectivity and the external aspect of objectivity is one and the same thing looked from two different perspective. The external body is nothing but the form of these subjective thoughts as mental ,astral and material essence. They depend each other for their existence.
In religious terminology these celestial beings are called Angels or Devas. In Sufism these Celestial Beings are called Superior Fathers and they have an influence in the evolution of the terrestrial beings which are called inferior mothers.
2: Terrestrial Beings.
As we can see the beginning of the terrestrial plane is a descend of the celestial plane. So the beings of the terrestrial plane contain potentially both soul world (self consciousness, SMAPs) and subtle material world (consciousness, 'mapb') but they becomes an actuality only in human beings.
What we have to remember is the elemental and inorganic realm of terrestrial plane (Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Minerals) have both self consciousness (but only Ps or material soul )and consciousness (only 'pb' thought as life). So this is 'Ps+pb' . But here in these realms even this living consciousness is not expressed as life externally but only as matter. but as we explained earlier the internal aspect of this matter is nothing but living consciousness. This is one of the reason why mystics always consider everything in the world endowed with life. Like all the above planes we explained here also there are three groups depending on the manifestation of wisdom, love or power aspect.
Now the formation of this Material being out of Atomic being is the combination of minimum consciousness as pure thought and maximum consciousness as pure being or matter. Now this is the out come of the most concrete form or extreme limitation of knowledge so that Creative spirit thinks only as Pure material being. This is the opposite of Radio Spirit as S1 or corresponding Radio Soul where it was a combination of maximum pure thought and minimum pure being and which was the least concrete or most abstract thought of Creative spirit thinking as maximum pure consciousness.
a: Fire
Now the Absolute Spirit in the second eternal state thinking itself as the Moon spirit due to further limitation of knowledge loses more self consciousness and consciousness so that knowledge of imaginary soul and imagination is completely lost and think itself as only gross material essence. This is Fire spirit. correspondingly in the second plane or material world out of non visible subtle atomic elements manifest partly visible elements with higher mass. This is Fire
Now as we told the formation of Fire is the state of minimum as consciousness and maximum as pure being or matter. This Fire we can represent as Universal Material being because all the succeeding beings receive their material being from this being. From now on every succeeding stage is the state of maximum as pure being and also increasing level of consciousness. So this is also the beginning of the most concrete thought becoming more and more self conscious so that Creative Spirit also thinks more and more as pure consciousness. This means Absolute spirit in the succeeding manifestations of the spirits reveal more and more its self in other words there is more and more self revelation in the succeeding spirits. This means all the succeeding manifestations like Air, Water, Earth ,Minerals are implicitly a combination of Material and also some imaginary being even though explicitly this is noticed only in Vegetable Kingdom.
Sufis designate the fire spirit by the divine name name Qabid (Curtailer of Life) and worldly name is Nar
b: Air
Now in the eternal second state the Absolute Spirit as the fire Sprit which is with maximum concreteness of thought begins to become self consious in other words Knowledge which was the most limited as fire spirit start losing its limitation little by little so that there is more and more self revelation. So the Absolute or Creative Spirit as Fire spirit due to delimitation of knowledge or due to more self revelation identify itself as Air spirit.. In the second plane or world Air is formed out of Fire. As usual there are three groups of Air depends on wisdom, love or power aspect.
Now the formation of compounds and molecules like hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen etc can be compared to Air.. Sufis designate the Air spirit by the divine name Hayy (Life) and worldly name is Hawa.
c: Water
Similarly further delimitation of thought or self revelation in Creative spirit as Air spirit in the eternal plane make it aware as water spirit. Water is manifested out of Air in the world.
Sufis call the water spirit by the divine name Muhiyy (Life Giver) and the worldly name is Ma
d: Earth.
Similarly more self revelation in Creative being on eternal plane produce in water spirit awareness as earth spirit. Correspondingly in the world plane earth planet is manifested out of Water.
e:Mineral Being:
By similar process
due to more delimitation of knowledge in the spiritual plane
earth spirit becomes aware as Mineral Spirit. Correspondingly in the
second plane or in the
material world Minerals manifested out of earth.
So all these beings (fire,air,water,earth,minerals) are 'Ps+pb' so they contain both material self consciousness and living consciousness expressed only as external matter. How they differ from each other is the preponderance of the P1,P2,P3 elements in their being. Not only each represent a particular group but even in every beings (e.g.: mineral) there contains all the three groups.
These Fire, Air, Water, Earth and Minerals constitute the gross inanimate matter and this is what Hindu Vedanta denotes as the cosmic waking-consciousness (Jagrat), which is conscious of the totality of concrete existences and in which Brahman is limited by the cosmic gross body.
Sufis designate the Mineral spirit by the divine name Aziz (Exalted) and the worldly name is Maidan
f: Plant Being:
Now due to more delimitation of thought in the eternal spiritual plane Absolute spirit as Mineral spirit become aware of the dormant astral or imaginary soul essence (As) and astral thoughts (imagination, 'ab'). As these awareness increases the mineral spirit reveal or identify itself as plant sprit. Due to to active thought of this plant spirit in the material world plants manifested out of minerals .
So plants are APs+apb or they have self consciousness of having both imaginary and material soul and possess the faculties of both imagination and material thoughts. But as we know there is in plant kingdom ranging from unicellular and multi cellular rudimentary plant types to highly developed plants like having reproductive organs in different plants like Dioecious plants e.g.: Nutmeg .This means there are three different groups of plants depending on the predominance of wisdom, love or power aspect. So there will be different combinations of A1,A2,A3 and P1,P2,P3.
Sufis call the plant spirit by the divine name Razzaq (Providence, Feeder) and worldly name is Nabatat
g: Animal Being:
Now due to further delimitation of knowledge the Creative spirit as plant spirit in second state become aware of the dormant mental soul essence (Ms) and also mental or discursive thoughts (mb).. As this awareness increases Creative spirit identify as animal spirit and living ,imaginary and rudimentary discursive thoughts emanate from animal spirit. Due to active thought on the material world animal with maximum external materiality and imagination but minimum mental faculty manifested out of plants . In animals imaginary or astral being is manifested as sensory knowledge and desire and mental being as rudimentary discriminative knowledge and weak will. Presence of mental being in animals enables domestication and taming of them. The Animal being can be considered as manifesting predominantly the universal imaginary being and this is called the animal soul and human beings receive animal soul from this being.
So animals are MAPs+mapb or they have self consciousness of having both mental, imaginary and material soul and possess the faculties of both discursive thoughts, imagination and material thoughts. But as we know there is in animal kingdom ranging from unicellular and multi cellular animal with only rudimentary senses to animals to highly developed having high mental faculties like Ape, Dolphins, horses and Dogs.. This means there are three different groups of animals depending on the predominance of wisdom, love or power aspect. So there will be different combinations of M1,M2,M3;A1,A2,A3 and P1,P2,P3
Sufis call the animal spirit by the divine name Muzil (Abaser) and worldly name is Haywan.
h-Terrestrial Angelic being.
Now the Absolute Spirit in the second eternal state as animal spirit due to further delimitation of thought passively aware of its spiritual soul essence with power aspect and full mental faculties and identify itself as Angelic spirit.. Externally in the second plane or material world angelic beings are manifested. The material essence of these angels are mainly Subtle matter so they are normally invisible. From the four elements constituting these beings (Fire, Air, Water, Earth) the light aspect of Fire is predominant in them .Apart from the difference that they are subtle beings they also differ from human beings in that they have not complete spiritual soul essences (Ss) like human beings and also they have no individuality like humans but exist as species and subspecies like animals. So they can be symbolised by S3 spiritual soul.
Sufis designate the angelic spirit by the divine name Qawi (Powerful) and worldly name is Malayak
i: Jinn
Similarly the Absolute Spirit as Angelic spirit when becomes aware of its spiritual soul essence with will aspect it is jinn spirit. In the material world jinn is manifested out of angels. From the four elements the proportion of fire and air is more in jinn so they are created from smokeless fire and they are also subtle material beings.Due to excess air they can assume any form and due to fire they are immaterial and subtle and they seek dominence,pride and might. The difference of these Jinn being is not only that the spiritual essence(S1) is not manifested in them they also have no individuality like humans but exist as species and subspecies.
Sufis designate the jinn spirit by the divine name latif(Subtle) and worldly name jinn .
j. Human
Being:
Now the Creative Spirit as Jinn spirit becomes aware of dormant S1 soul essence also so the human spirit is developed.. As this awareness increase human spirits formed in the eternal plane. material&living, imaginary, discursive and spiritual thoughts emanates from the human spirit. Due to active thought on the material world Human being is manifested.
So humans are 'SMAPs+mapb' or they have self consciousness of
having both spiritual mental, imaginary and material soul and possess the
faculties of both discursive thoughts, imagination and material thoughts. They
have both self consciousness (soul world) and consciousness (subtle material
world.) But as
we told there are three fundamental groups of spiritual
soul-S1(wisdom)S2(love)S3(power) so there are three groups of human with
different nature. Those who have S1 spiritual soul have predominant spiritual
nature and those who have S2 spiritual soul have predominant rational nature and
those with S3 spiritual soul
is man with predominant passionate nature.. In human beings Soul World are manifested as self consciousness. Now this
Human being is the maximum pure consciousness and maximum pure being.
Hegel in his philosophy of Spirit describe this human existence in different stages of the development of the Human Spirit. He describes the developments in three stages as three main Notions or Concepts. Subjective Spirit, Objective Spirit and Absolute Spirit.
a: Subjective Spirit
:
This is the form of self relation. Subjective Spirit develops through the following subcategories of Soul, Consciousness and Spirit.
Soul is as Spirit in nature. It is the ideal life of nature. So soul is the sleep of spirit. Soul develops through three stages or notions. physical soul ,feeling soul and actual soul.
Physical Soul is the natural soul. Its modes are only natural life. So this physical soul refers to what we called living soul as external material spirit or P in SMAPs. So besides humans this physical soul is common in animals, plants, minerals, earth, water, air and and Fire..
Feeling Soul or soul as sentiency is the simple ideality or subjective side of sensation. This corresponds to A in SMAPs. so besides humans this is present well developed in plants and animals.
Actual soul is the stage where soul becomes the subject and body the predicate. Here body represents the soul or the soul's sign. So besides humans this is also present in highly developed animals.
At the stage of consciousness Spirit reflect into itself and other things. Here the immediate identity of soul is raised into ideal self identity and the contents of soul becomes its object. So consciousness makes soul its object. This is the stage of ego and non ego .Non ego is the relative other and as independent object. Conscious internal subject and external object. Consciousness develops through three main stages or notions ;Consciousness proper, Self consciousness, Reason.
Consciousness proper is the stage where ego is the internal subject and non ego is the external independent object.
In self consciousness ego itself is the object. Self consciousness is the truth of consciousness. Here consciousness of object is also self consciousness. Because in this stage object is self's own idea so self is aware of the object as its own and in it self is aware of it self. Here there is no distinction between subject and object. It is the identification of self consciousness and object consciousness.
Reason is the existent and real unity of consciousness and self consciousness. The existent universality and objectivity of self consciousness. At the stage of reason object which was in consciousness is now universal permeating and enveloping the ego and the ego is the form which also overlaps and envelops the object. So it is the identity of the subjectivity of the idea with its objectivity and universality.
Spirit is the truth of soul and consciousness. Spirit makes consciousness its object. Spirit is neither subjective nor objective but the awareness of the substantial totality of subject and object. Spirit is the stage of concrete unity. Spirit develops through three main stages or Notions; Theoretical Spirit or intelligence, Practical Spirit or will and Free Spirit.
First is theoretical Spirit or cognition as being where Spirit finds in itself something which IS. Cognition is the elevation of the nominal knowledge to definite and conceptual knowledge through stages. This culminate in thought as free notion. Here cognition is a mode of being. This passes through three stages of intuition (intelligent perception), representation (mental idea) and thinking
The second is practical Spirit or will. Here the being as its own. Here Spirit make it its own . Will is the stage at which Spirit is aware that it is determinative of its content and the author of its conclusions .Passing through stages it develops into a thinking will ,to give itself the content which it can only have as it thinks itself. This passes through the three stages of practical sense (feeling), impulses&choice and happiness.
Free Spirit is the unity of theoretical and practical Spirit. Free Spirit is the Spirit which knows itself as free and wills itself as this freedom as its object. This free Spirit is the actual Spirit.
This is Spirit in the form of reality. Spirit realised in a world produced and to be produced by it . In this world freedom presents as Necessity. The reality in general where free will has existence is Law (right). This passes through three main stages and notions, Law, Morality of conscience and Moral life (social ethics).
Free will as immediate so as a single being, the person. Existence which the person gives to its liberty is property. The right as law is abstract right. In law the free individual is considered as a person. This develops through three stages of property, contract and right verses wrong.
This is will reflected into self .So it has inside existence. This is the right of the subjective will. Here the free individual is considered as a subject. This develops through three stages of purpose, intention&welfare, and goodness and wickedness.
Here free will is the substantial will .Actual in the subject and conformable to its concept. This is the ethics of actual life in family, civil society and state. Moral life is the perfection of objective spirit .The consciously free substance, actuality as the spirit of a nation. Spirit as the ethical substance. This develops through three stages. First family, objective Spirit as natural Spirit. Second is civil society relation of individual as independent persons to one another in a formal universality. Second is the state as self conscious ethical substance .Here Spirit developed into its organic actuality.
This is the unity of Spirit as objectivity and Spirit as ideality and concept. The essential and actual Spirit and which for ever produces itself. Spirit in its absolute truth. The unity of subjective and objective Spirit. It has three stages or Notions, Art, Religion and philosophy.
In art the absolute idea is as a unity of nature and spirit. The immediate unity in sensuously intuitional form. Spirit as a natural Spirit. This is external in point of form and substantial content, become many separate shapes. In art there is immediate vision and it is the subjective's inward retreat.. This is S3s Humans with power nature in their complete self realisation. This is Artistic Spirit.
Here the Absolute Spirit is in point of content the actual spirit of both nature and Spirit and in point of form absolute Spirit is presented to consciousness as a mental representation. This quasi -pictorial representation gives the elements of content a separate being. Religious Spirit separate the absolute Spirit into parts and opens it out in mental picture. This religious Spirit is the objective and external revelation presupposed by representation. Religious Spirit is the subjective movement of faith .This religious Spirit is represented by S2s or humans with will nature in their complete self realisation..
This is the unity of art and religion. The notion of
philosophy is the self thinking idea. The truth aware of itself. The syllogism
of philosophic Spirit is logic which divides
into Spirit and nature . Here logic is the self knowing reason the absolutely
universal. Spirit is the philosophic ideas pre supposition subjective activity and
nature is philosophic idea's universal extremity and objectively and implicitly
existing idea .The self judging of the philosophic Spirit into its two
appearances charecterises both as its (self knowing reason) manifestation and in
it there is a unification of the two aspects. The eternal idea in full frutation
of its essence, eternally sets itself to work, engenders and enjoys itself as
absolute Spirit. In our system this is represented by S1s or human spirit
with wisdom nature in their complete self realisation..
Let us explain this with some example. We begin with Soul World. This is the first plane in the world. This is the world of self consciousness.' S' self consciousness as spiritual soul, 'M' self consciousness as mental soul 'A' self as Imaginative soul and 'P' self consciousness as living & physical soul. As we explained earlier Subjective aspect of the soul and the objective aspect are one and the same thing or the objective form is nothing but the form of this very subjective thought. So whether we say soul or photon it is the same thing. Now suppose that there are 12 Radio Photon (spiritual soul) in the beginning. This S1 is the Universal Spiritual Soul because this S1 is the inner reality of all 12 Photons. Now one remain as S1 and 11 become TV Photon or S2 then 10 become micro photon or S3 then 9 become infra red or M1. This M1 is the Universal mental Soul. M1 is the root mental essence and the inner reality of all remaining 9 souls. Now 8 become visible light or M2, then 7 become UV or M3, then 6 become X-ray or A1. This A1 is the universal nature or subtle material soul because A1 is the root astral essence and the inner reality of all remaining 6 photons. 5 become gamma ray or A2 then 4 become cosmic ray or A3 then 3 become P1 or subquark1 Now P1 is the universal gross material soul because all 3 beings receive physical essence from P1 soul. 2 become subquark2 or P2 then 1 become P3 or subquark3.So this soul world is the world of SMAPs (souls)
Now we come to the second worldly plane. The Subtle Material World. As we explained earlier this is the plane of Consciousness and not Self Consciousness. This is the formation of Quarks or Universal Mental Being (mb), Sub atoms or Universal Imaginary Being (ab) ,and Atoms or Universal Living Being (pb). What we have to remember is Ms, As and Ps which are self conscious souls by the combination and formation of Quarks, Sub atoms and Atoms loses its self consciousness in this plane and manifest as consciousness or thoughts. So we have seen that these beings are Beings of thoughts. 'mb' mental discursive thoughts, 'ab' Thoughts as imagination ,desire and passions and 'pb' thoughts as life and matter. So these essences are thoughts but as they are primary beings we denote them with a capital 'B'. As we explained in the soul world These subjective thoughts and their objective body as Quarks, Sub atoms and Atoms are one and the same thing. These bodies are the forms of these very thoughts. So either of them have no independent existence.
Now we comes to the second plane of the world. The gross material world. First we consider the Celestial beings. If we look at the higher soul beings we can see that they are SMAPs and if we look at the middle mental and lower imaginary beings they are 'mapb' They are beings with a small letter 'b' because they have manifested out of the subtle material Beings which are primary Beings. Now these celestial beings are evolved after both the soul world and the subtle material world so this mean they contains both the soul world and subtle material world in themselves. This means they have both self consciousness and consciousness. In higher soul beings the subtle material world is dormant so they predominantly express the soul world and in other beings soul world is dormant and subtle material world is expressed.. But what we have to remember is when they are self conscious that thought is from the soul world and when they are conscious as thoughts it is from the subtle material world. Now let us look at the subjectivity or mind and objectivity or body of these beings. We have seen that they are Atomic beings. When they are self conscious as a combination of spiritual, mental, astral and physical essence or souls this self consciousness is due to the activation or delimitation of knowledge of the earlier dormant spiritual soul (radio,TVor micro photons) mental soul (infra red, visible or UV photon), astral soul (gamma, X, or cosmic ray) material soul (sub quark 1,2, or3) in their Atoms. As we explained earlier these subjective self consciousness and the objective body of photons and sub quarks are one and the same thing. Like that when they are merely conscious as discursive thought or imagination or life&materiality these subjective thoughts or mind and these Atomic body is one and the same thing, because this Atomic body is the form of these same thoughts. One cannot exist with out the other. But when they are just conscious of their self ,in that self knowledge these consciousness or atomic body can be considered as something separate or as a body to the soul. When we say the higher soul beings have self consciousness this is not individual self consciousness like human being, but self consciousness of the species.
Now we come to the terrestrial beings. We have seen that Fire, Air, Water, Earth and Minerals are 'Ps+pb' beings. As we have seen they have evolved out of soul world and the subtle material world and celestial world. This means they have in themselves both self consciousness and consciousness. but as we told earlier the thoughts of self consciousness is from the soul world and consciousness that of subtle material world. So when they are self conscious as material souls this is the activation or delimitation of knowledge of the dormant sub quarks in these Fire, earth, minerals etc materials. But when they are conscious as the living material -fire or earth or minerals these subjective thoughts or mind is same as the objective or body as fire, earth, minerals etc. Form these it is apparent that all these beings are not inert and unconscious as the modern science thinks but they are conscious beings in their own way. The only difference is their nature of consciousness is different from the human consciousness. The second difference is the consciousness is not confined to individual or particular material but in the form of universal only. This is why the mystics describe every thing in the world as living things.
When we come to the plants and animals. They are 'APs+apb' and 'MAPs+mapb' beings. So they have a self consciousness as a combination astral and material essence or mental souls and also they are conscious as material being with living, astral or and mental faculties.
Now we come to the human beings. We have seen that they are 'SMAPs+mapb' beings .This means they are conscious of their self as a combination of spiritual ,mental, astral and material souls. So these self consciousness or self nature is thoughts from the soul world. As we explained earlier this self consciousness and the corresponding photons or sub quarks are one and the same thing. But besides this self consciousness they have also consciousness as mental faculty or discursive thoughts , life & imagination and materiality. As we have seen that man is manifested as the last of the beings he inherits the consciousness of jinn, angels, animals, plants, minerals etc up to subtle material beings. We have explained earlier that these consciousness or subjectivity or mind and the corresponding objectivity or body are one and the same thing.
The human constitution can be broadly explained as follows.We have seen that the root or base or ground of all beings is the first plane of Absolute Subject or in vedanta Paramatman. As we have explained earlier the human spirit which is on the second state have no individual subjectivity nor individual separate being. Here the Absolute Spirit is the Subject and Being of the human spirit as the Absolute Spirit manifest itself as human spirit. In Vedanta this human spirit is called Jivatman. This second state of the spirits is the Anandamaya kosha (Blissful sheath) of the Paramatman (Absolute Subject). This is the Mahat plane of Samkya.This is compared with the fourth state of consciousness (Turya). This is the major difference between the human spirit and the Absolute. While human spirit originates in this second state Paramatman has still higher plane-the fist plane of Absolute Subject.
Now as this second state of the human spirit have no separate being or existence it always depends on the second plane (Absolute world) for their being and existence. So they always depends on each other. The spirits depends on the world for their being and existence and the world depends on the spirits for their reality. So in the second plane the spirits have Existence so they becomes individual subjects and individual beings. Now if we consider human spirit we can say generally it has three beings. The human spirit always exist either with these three beings or at least one being. Human spirit cannot exist without this being. The first being of the human spirit is from the soul world and this we can say soul being. The human spirit with this soul being is what we call human soul. As we explained this is 'SMAPs'. Human soul consists of spiritual, mental astral and material soul.This means when a man is self conscious his thoughts are from the soul world and exist in the Soul plane. Now this subjective self consciousness and the corresponding objective photons& subquark body is one and the same thing or in other words this body is the form of this self consciousness. This objectivity is the form of of the subjective soul consciousness and one cannot exist without the other. This human soul or soul being or the first being of human spirit can be called the first body of human spirit. This human soul is called Jiva in vedanta and it is called Karana sarira (causal body) of Human spirit.(jivatman). This is also called the vijnana maya kosha (knowledge sheath) of jivatman (human spirit). This is the Ahankara(ego) plane of Smakya. This is the individual aspect of cosmic sleep consciousness (Susupti). So the experience of this causal body is called individual sleep consciousness (pragna). and experience is just self consciousness. .This is compared with the third state of consciousness-deep sleep. This is the plane of pure self consciousness and at this plane there is no awareness of any physical or spiritual faculties of the spirit. The human spirit always exist with this being of human soul as this is the cause of individuality and in this sense we can say human soul is eternal and permanent. Unlike other beings or bodies of the human spirit this human soul does not change with time nor the human soul depends on the earthly material body for its development or sustenance like other beings of the spirit. So every individual human soul is particular and unique.
The second being of the human spirit is subtle being. This being is formed from the subtle material world and consists of whole three beings-universal mental being, universal imaginary being and universal living being (mapb). A we explained these discursive thoughts ,imagination ,life and the corresponding subquarks, subatoms and atoms are one and the same thing. These matter or being is the form of these thoughts or they are thought forms. This is called the second body of the human spirit. This is called the suksma sarira(subtle body) of jivatman in Hindu philosophy.This forms the manomaya kosha(mental sheath)and pranamaya kosha(vital sheath) of jivatnman. This constitute manas,indriyas(5 working senses&5 knowing senses),Tanmatras(5 subtle matter) planes of samkya philosophy. This is compared with the second state f consciousness-dream sleep consciousness (Swapna).This is the individual aspect of cosmic dream consciousness (Swapna). So the experience of this subtle body is called individual dream consciousness (taijasa) in which the experience does not depend on any thing external. This subtle body is the bearer of all the physical and spiritual faculties of the human spirit. Unlike the human soul which exist prior to the material body and which can also exist indefinitely after leaving the material body the subtle body is formed only when the human soul comes into contact with the material body. As we explained the subtle body is developed and maintained from the quarks,subatoms,atoms during earthly life from the food & nutrition of the material body. As at the time of physical death our nutritional supply is cut off the subtle body becomes weaker and weaker and at last after a long long time this subtle body completely vanishes leaving the human soul again in an independent existence.
We have seen that the subtle body consists of subtle material world-universal mental being,universal imaginal being,universal living being(mapb).So the subtle body consists of three parts or divisions or layers. The First part coming from universal mental being and consists of most subtle Quarks so least depend on the body for its survival. This is the seat of estimative faculties,intellectual faculties and willing faculties. This is the last one to develop during earhly life and perfected during adolescence and adult hood and and this is the last one to disappear after death and take much longer time than the animal soul and with this the subtle body completely disappears.When a man is thinking abstractly or form less thoughts either temporal or spiritual matters these thoughts and the corresponding, Quark body is the same thing and we can say he is on the plane of higher Animals, terrestrial angels or jinn.As we explained earlier this subtle mental body has connection with the subtle mental being so the dreams and visions coming from this plane is always true as this is connected to higher or absolute imaginary world.
The second part coming from universal imaginal being and consists of less subtle subatoms. This is the predominant nature of animals so philosophers call this animal soul or kama rupa(desire form).The second and first part together forms the manomaya kosha(mental sheath) of the jivatman and consists of 5 knowing senses and manas. This is what Hegel calls Feeling Soul .This is the seat of common sense&sensations,imaginations,desire and passions.This is the second one to develop and perfected during child hood and this is also the second one to disappear after death. It may take countless years for the disappearance of this part depending upon the individual and the strength of this body but at last this also disappears.When the one's thoughts are always directed to desires ,passions and the senses like seeing, hearing ,eating ,indulging in sensuous and bodily pleasures etc or imagination, these thoughts and the corresponding sub atomic body is same thing and he is on the plane of lower animals. This subtle imaginal body has connection with subtle imaginal being so that the dreams and visions coming from this plane is colored by the earthly plane so may not be true.
The third part coming from universal living being and consisting of least subtle atoms. This third is the predominant nature of plants&vegetables so philosophers call this by the name vegetative soul or growing soul (the name soul is a misnomer as we explained subtle body is not soul body of spirit). This is the first one to develop during earthly life and also the first one to vanish after physical death.This is the prana maya kosha (vital sheath) of jivatman(human spirit). This consists of nutritive faculties, reproductive faculties, growing faculties, moving faculties etc in short life and 5 karmendriys(working senses). when man thinks himself as mere living thing his spirit is focusing on this part of subtle body and this thought and and corresponding life is the same thing and he is on the plane of plants. .
The third being of the human spirit is earthly material being.This is called the material body of of human spirit.This is what Hegel describe as Physical Soul. This is what Sankara describes as the Gross Body (stula sarira) of jivatman(human spirit) This is the individual aspect of cosmic waking consciousness (Jagrat). So the experience of this state is called the individual waking-consciousness (visva) In which the experienced is mainly the external world of senses. This is also the individual aspect of the universal Annamaya Kosha (gross body sheath).In samkya and yoga philosophy this consists of 5 mahabutas(gross matter)-Akasa,fire,air,water and earth. .This also comes from universal living being(atoms) .Here this is formed by the aggregation and combination of atoms so that life is unable to express externally so manifest in the form of matter.So when a man thinks himself as this mere physical body his spirit is focusing on this material being and these thoughts and the corresponding body is one and the same thing and he is on the same plane as that of Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Minerals, etc.
[This is not strictly a Sankara's vedantic classification because Sankara include both Ahankara (Ego) and Buddi or Mahat in Subtle body and include Vijnanamaya maya Kosha in subtle body and Ananda maya Kosha as Causal Body. But according to Vedanta and my view Vijnanamaya maya Kosha (ahankara (ego) as Causal body or Soul world or individual Jiva and Ananda maya Kosha (bliss body) second eternal spiritual state or Absolute as Absolute Spirit].
So if we consider the Human Spirit as the the Subject these all planes are objects or Bodies.We have seen that all these planes are that of consciousness &self consciousness and the subjective thought and the corresponding body are one and the same thing.
Now let us explain this with Human's physical death. We have seen that all the planes (of self consciousness and consciousness) are in a unity and at the same time man can be in any of these planes when he is conscious of that plane. At the time of death the human spirit leaves its attention on the material body and the dead body gradually join their respective planes of universal material plane. Now as we explained the mind (subjectivity) and body (objectivity) is one and the same thing so what this mean is when the material plane is lost the consciousness of material body is also lost. As human spirit with causal body and subtle body survive material death so even after death self consciousness (soul) and consciousness as mental faculties and imaginative faculties and living faculties or the corrsponding photons,subquarks,quarks,subatoms,atomic bodies remain. Now even after some time if the living faculties imaginative faculty and the mental faculty (Quark, Sub atom, Atomic body) separate and join their Universal plane the self consciousness (Soul plane) or the Photon &sub quark body exist independently irrespective of these changes. So the soul plane is eternal in the sense that time or eternity as we have explained begins from the soul plane as Radio photon.
As we told earlier all manifestations after Quark, Sub Atom, and Atomic Beings (Subtle material plane) like celestial beings and terrestrial beings up to human being is a combination of either some or all of the material, astral, mental and spiritual souls( self consciousness) and mental faculty, imaginative and material thoughts (consciousness).
What we have to bear in mind is this is only a symbolic representation. This does not mean every passionate, rational or spiritual nature contain besides S3, S2 and S1 only corresponding Ps, As and Ms Souls.. All type of combination can occur. What we mean is all human beings can be basically reduced to three groups. One with maximum essential revelation or wisdom nature, second medium self consciousness or will nature and third minimal self consciousness or power nature. In human beings this S3MAPs can be S3M1A1P1s,S3M2A2P2s orS3M3A3P3s which corresponds to power aspect or passionate nature or what we call artistic being. Like this S2MAPs can be S2M1A1P1s,S2M2A2P2s or S2M3A3P3s as will aspect or rational nature or religious being with representational thinking. Like this S1MAPs can be S1M1A1P1s,S1M2A2P2s or S1M3A3P3s as wisdom aspect or spiritual nature and what we call philosophic being. Now this is only a summery of the evolution of the world. Actually every category of non-living things and every species and subspecies of living things, which distinguish one group from another, have their own essence. This is the case up to human beings. Up to man the world is a manifestation of group or species or sub species essences but in the case of man it is different. In human beings every individual is represented by his own essence and spirit. Each and every one is unique and represents a particular, individual and separate spirit.
III: Absolute Man.
Now we come to the forth plane -that of Absolute Man. Strictly speaking this is not a new plane. This plane differs from the second plane or the Absolute World mainly in two ways. The first is only in Absolute Man the first plane or Absolute Subject is manifested. As we explained earlier as this plane is beyond knowledge the mystics will lose self consciousness at this plane and the manifestation differs depending on the potentialities in the nature of the individual. All the knowledge and experience of this plane is about knowledge itself as conscious subject since nature of subject is beyond knowledge.The second difference is only in Absolute man there is conscious manifestation of the second state.When man reaches this plane he can consciously manifest the Absolute Spirit or the second spiritual state completely in their human manifestation. We have seen that Absolute Spirit as human being is 'SMAPs+mapb'. This means man contain all the worlds preceding him in himself-the spiritual world ,the soul world, the subtle material world and the gross material world (both celestial plane and terrestrial plane up to Jinn). In other words as we explained human spirit with its three bodies causal body, subtle body and gross body. But in normal earthly life man is unconscious of the higher planes-he is totally unaware of the spiritual plane, he has only glimpses of the soul world and subtle world in deep sleep and dream sleep and in rare moments of his life. Ordinary man is not even fully conscious of his material world. This means he is in potentiality or implicitly aware of all these planes as Absolute Spirit and so explicitly he can manifest or actualise all these planes.
Now as we explained earlier when man is conscious or most of the time only identify himself with his physical body only the human spirit is mainly focusing its attention on the material body so the man is identifying himself with the material body which is but only one aspect of his whole being. As we explained this material consciousness and the corresponding body are one and the same thing or this material body is the form of this material consciousness. In Vedanta this is saying the man is engrossed more in his Annamaya Kosha (material sheath) and which is only the individual aspect of or derived from the cosmic waking or gross material consciousness. This is what Hegel describe as physical soul (remember this is different from our terminology of soul world but this is subtle material world). Like this when a man is most of the time conscious as only a mere living being this is his plant plane or he is in his vegetative soul or growing soul .Here he is only in conscious contact with the plane of universal living being of subtle material plane. (this is not what we mean by soul world but the subtle material world). What Vedanta says in Pranamaya Kosha (vital sheath). Like this when man is only engrossed in his external senses or in his internal senses as imagination this is what is called he is in his animal soul or what Hegel calls feeling soul. Here he is in conscious contact with only the universal imaginary being. Like this when man is only conscious of temporal matters and thinking most of the times about these with out reflecting into the self he is in plane of terrestrial angels and jinn. Here he is only in contact with universal mental being of the subtle material plane. This is what Hegel calls consciousness proper or subject object consciousness. Vedanta call the above two planes together Manomaya Kosha (mental sheath) and this is the individual aspect of cosmic dream consciousness and is the manifestation of subtle material plane so during dream man is in this plane. Prana maya and Manomaya together forms Subtle body (linga sarira).This consciousness is due to the human spirit focusing its attention most of the time on its subtle body. As told earlier this consciousness and the corresponding subtle body is one and the same thing.
From the above description we can see that in all the above plane man is only aware of his gross material plane and subtle material plane in other word he as consciousness is only aware of the material world (subtle&gross). This is what Kierkegaard explain as the first form or stage of individual existence-the aesthetic stage.
Now we have seen that man contain all the soul essences like spiritual, mental, imaginary and material essences. When one is conscious of this self and most of the time he is with this self consciousness so that all other thoughts becomes secondary to him this is nothing but he becoming conscious of his soul world. Now this soul world is the reason of mans individuality and uniqueness. His unique self consciousnesses is due to this soul world. In Vedanta this is called Vijnana maya Kosha(knowledge sheath) and this is the Causal body (Karana Sarira) because this is the cause for individuality (Ahankara-Ego). This individual soul is also called Jiva. We can see that this world is equated with the cosmic sleep consciousness and man is in this plane during deep sleep. When man becomes more and more self conscious he is more and more in conscious contact with this soul plane and there will comes a stage when man is always conscious of the self. What ever activities he is engaged he is conscious of his self and he sees all the world through his self consciousness. This is what Hegel calls universal self consciousness or Reason and what Husserl calls the phenomenological reduction. At this stage there is complete conscious manifestation of the soul plane in the individual. The individual is able to see the whole world reflected in his self consciousness. Here the human spirit is focusing its attention exclusively on the causal body. We have seen that in complete self consciousness the whole world is reflected into the self and the world has no independent existence from this self consciousness. But at his self consciousness plane or soul plane this is the consciousness of the individual or particular soul. So even when there is this universal self consciousness this remains at the theoretical or knowledge level and one is not able to correspond his activities to this level. This is because as we told earlier at existential level this is an individual soul and exist as an individual and different from all the other souls in the soul plane. But when one continuously try and act in such a way that he is able to forego his condition of this existential situation and make to correspond his knowledge of cosmic self consciousness with his activates this is a result of his seeing his self in the other. When one try to experience one's self in others and only one self in the whole world all his activities will be such a nature that his happiness and pleasures must correspond to the common good. This is what Kierkegaard explain as the ethical stage.
This is a painful experience because he is trying to dissolve his individuality but which is his reality as an individual soul at this soul plane. But when he is continuously try to experience this state of self in others by constant identification with the whole world even though this is a painful experience as he experience the dissolution of his ego and also as in actuality he is an individual soul so these activities of common good may not produce happiness or pleasure to his individual self. But when he persists in these experiences he is suddenly transported to the higher plane ,the plane of Absolute spirit or eternal spiritual plane.
Now we come to the next stage. Conscious manifestation of the Absolute Spirit or the eternal spiritual plane in human beings. Unlike all the other planes including soul plane described above which are attained by human effort this is a happening which is beyond human achievement by effort. But normally when man becomes more and more self conscious and if he is able to regulate his action according to his self consciousness the absolute spirit manifest itself as a normal out come of this endeavor .But still it is a giving or blessing which is beyond all human control We have explained earlier when dealing with the second state that one and the same Absolute spirit is the spirit of all the essences in the spiritual plane. When a human being manifest this spiritual plane he experience this oneness of the spirit in all beings. When one reaches spiritual plane there is only one Subject and so one Being-The Absolute Spirit. There is no individual I at this plane but only He. Every thing is a manifestation of Him. He is the Subject and Being of everything. This is the religious life of Kierkegaard. This is the 'jump into the abyss' of faith's 'seventy thousand fathoms'. Leaping into faith over aesthetic pleasure and ethical reason and duty.
This is the Anandamaya Kosha (blissful sheath) of Vedanta. As the Absolute Spirit or second state is a limitation of Absolute Subject or first plane in Knowledge this is a sheath (Kosha) hence a limitation. For human beings this Anandamaya is the ultimate station because human spirit orginates from this spiritual plane.This human spirit is what is called Jivatman. In Samkhya philosophy this plane is called Mahat. In transcendental experience this is the fourth state of Turya. Hegel describe the development of this manifestation of this Absolute spirit as human spirit as the development of Subjective Spirit, Objective Spirit and Finally into Absolute Spirit.
Then comes the last stage.This is the manifestation of the first plane or Absolute Subject.As we explained this is not as human being because in this plane one loses self consiousness as this plane is beyond self knowledge and it is the manifestation of Absolute Subject himself. Knowledge of this plane is as conscious subject so about knowledge itself since the essential nature of the Subject is beyond knowledge. All the essential knowledge of this plane is when one returns to the lower plane and roughly similar to the knwledge about sleep after waking.
Ibn Arabi and Sufis call the Absolute Man's spirit by the divine name Rafi ud Darajat((Elevator of Rank) and worldly name is Insan al Kamil (Perfect Man).
This is what Mulla Sadra calls self as Ilm Huduri (Knowledge as presence or Presencial cognition)
Heidegger describe this Dasein (Being there) plane of Ereignis. where Aletheia (unconcealment) takes place. The belonging together of Being and man. The lightening up of Being in Man.
This conscious manifestation of the second spiritual state is accompanied by the complete manifestation of all the other planes and potentialities in man. This because the other worlds like soul world ,subtle world and material world are the beings or bodies of this human spirit. This perfect state is described in various terms like divine man, illumination, self realisation. All these denotes this state.
Now we have earlier seen that there are three fundamental types of human spirits depending on the part of soul essence as S1MAP,S2MAP and S3MAP.Now Absolute Spirit as human spirit can manifest as these three fundamental types. Now S3MAP the human spirit with minimum essential revelation of the Absolute or the power aspect. This is what we called the passionate Nature. Hegel call this third type of human spirit the Artistic Spirit. Here spirit manifest as Natural spirit so the form of the spirit substantial and imaginative forms.So the artistic Spirit can experience Absolute only in his Being spect.In our terminology this is same as S3MAP where the spiritual soul essence is minimumWe have seen that in Sufism human soul is considered as a tied soul with angelic soul and rational soul in it. spiritual soul(S) mental soul (M) considered as Angelic soul and Subtle material or imaginary soul (A) and gross material soul (P) considered as the rational part of human soul. . Now when such a human spirit reach the eternal second state or Absolute sprit it can only annihilate and survive (Fana &Baqa) in the passive nature or passive energy of the eternal plane. We have explained earlier that in the eternal second state internal nature is as pure thought as sprit but external nature is the form of this thought as essence of energy and this is the knowledge as Being and Existence aspect of the Absolute Spirit. So when the human spirit with predominant Passionate nature attain the second state they identify the absolute spirit with the being and existence aspect and realise themselves as the whole being and existence of the world. We have seen that this is but external being (wujud khariji, wujud munbasit). Such human spirit as Absolute spirit is called Arif (Gnostic). As they identify the Absolute only with the underlying Being and Existence of the world they are called Wujudiya Ainiyah. This is same as Artistic Mind.
Now the second type is S2MAP human spirit with Love aspect or what we call rational nature. Hegel call the Absolute spirit as this human spirit the religious spirit. In religious spirit the content is Absolute spirit but the form is that of representation. Here due to this representation the religious spirit exclude himself from the Absolute Spirit. The religious spirit experience like an other experiencing this Absolute Spirit. In other words human spirit as religious spirit does not come to the comprehension that this religious spirit itself is the Absolute spirit.
In Sufism we can describe this spirit as some predominance of angelic soul (SMs) over rational soul (APs). So here the Absolute Spirit is not identified with Being or Existence alone which is only the form of the spirit or external aspect but identify with the subjective or internal aspect and comprehend being and existence as the passive energy or only form of this very thought as Absolute spirit. They are called Hakim (man of taste and wisdom). These are called Wujudiya Waraiyah. The religious spirit among this group while knowing the Absolute Spirit as religious spirit deny any real existence to the spiritual plane of Absolute Spirit as plurality of spirits thus denying their own religious spirit only apprehending the Absolute in its independence. So according to them there is only one essence but two existences, the real existence is that of the Absolute and the existence of the spirits is only shadowy existence. They are called the people of Wahdat al Suhud and Imam Rabbani is one of them.
Now the third type is S1MAP human spirit with wisdom aspect or what we call spiritual nature. This is spirit with maximum self or essential revelation. Hegel call this human spirit as Absolute Spirit the philosophic Spirit. The spirit or self as universal self which comprehends it's own self in the other.
In Sufism this is the higher stage of the Wujudiya Waraiyah where the Angelic soul is like a form and rational soul is like matter to it. They say that there is only one essence and one being or existence. All the planes are due to the descends of the absolute in his knowledge. So every plane has reality or essence and being or existence in that plane, So not only the Absolute Subject or first plane has reality but the Absolute spirit or spiritual plane has also reality according to that plane because the essence and being of all plane is one essence and being. This is called Wahdat al Wujud (Unity of Subject ) and Ibn Arabi is the Grand Master of this group.
This spiritual plane, the Absolute Spirit need some more clarification. As we explained earlier human beings are SMAPs+MAPB beings. They have both self consciousness (soul world) and consciousness (subtle material world0. As we explained earlier their soul contain not only M, A and P but also S1,S2 or S3 or spiritual souls. Now as we explained earlier when a man is active with his external senses or when his thoughts are most of the time about the external physical world he has only consciousness but no self consciousness. This is what we called the individual aspect of universal waking consciousness and this is from connection with the universal living (material) Being of the subtle material world plane. This happens through the material or mineral being, Plant being [what philosophers call mineral soul, vegetative (growing) soul, ) parts of the human beings. Like this when most of the time a man's internal senses are active or he is imagining or when he is dreaming in his sleep this thoughts are also only consciousness or from the universal imaginary being of subtle material world .This is what we call the individual aspect of Universal Dream consciousness and this is due to connection with subtle material being of the subtle world. This happens through the parts of the animal being, angelic being (animal soul, ) of the human being. similarly when man thinks about various thing or form less thoughts this is still only consciousness and comes from the universal mental being of subtle world. Now even when a man withdraws his external and internal senses from every thing and withdraw from all particular thoughts we are stll subjective consciousness or there is pure self consciousness so we are in the soul world and as we explained earlier the form or external nature of this soul is as photons&sub quarks (radio, light etc) and every one is an individual soul ,this means there is a definite number of photons in each individual soul thus distinguishing himself from all others. This means as soul we cannot get rid our limited subjectivity which is our real nature as soul. This pure self consciousness or reducing ,withdrawing everything to the self is what Husserl call phenomenological reduction. When withdrawn from every thing or with out any content this consciousness looks like empty so Sartre term this consciousness as nothingness. But it is clear from the above discussion that even though for this self consciousness ego is not an object like reflective consciousness this self consciousness itself is individual subjective or ego consciousness. So what is common to all these experiences whether self consciousness or consciousness is the firm ground of individuality is intact due to the forms of these thoughts as photons, sub atoms or other grosser forms.
But when a human being attain this second spiritual state the experience or knowledge is entirely different from this worldly experience or knowledge. This is because this second state is beyond the second plane or world. So this experience cannot be comprehended or compared with any of the worldly experience as an individual. So when a man realise this spiritual plane his consciousness or knowledge go a complete transformation.This is because his knowledge of limited subjectivity is lost at this eternal plane. This is due to two factors. One as we have explained earlier in the spiritual plane one and the same Absolute spirit is the spirit of all the essences. So when one reach this eternal plane he will have the realisation that individual self or spirit was an illusion and the self or subject or spirit or ego or I is in reality the Absolute spirit which is the same spirit of all the beings. Secondly as we explained the external aspect or the form of this knowledge is as passive nature or passive energy or essence of energy-this means energy before any external frequency or particularization. This fact will make the realisation that the Being and Existence of all beings is one Being or Existence hence there is no division or individuality in this aspect also. So there is complete identity with all beings in both respects. But what distinguishes one from the other is only the specific relations of the predicates. We have seen that what distinguishes Human beings from all other beings is while all other beings contain only some of the predicates or most of the predicates human beings contain or the synthesis of all the predicates. Now what distinguishes one human being from another is only the quantity or intensity of the different predicates in each human being. The various relations of the predicates determine the potentialities and capabilities of each spirit. We have seen that in the predicates Power depends on Love or will and this in turn depends on Knowledge as we cannot will what we do not know. So ultimately the proportion of knowledge make the hierarchy of human beings. Now this knowledge in the last analysis is nothing but the self revelation of the spirit. So in whose essence there is maximum knowledge there is the maximum essential or self revelation of the Absolute Spirit. Now when this realisation completely dawns on the human spirit in the eternal spiritual plane that even though there is only one spirit or self and also only one existence or external being due to this particular relations of the predicates one is only able to know essentially oneself and one can know the essential nature of other spirits only as much as his potentialities and capabilities enable him. This is why Ibn Arabi in Fusus says every one is unique and represent a particular and unique Divine Name and there is no repetition of the Divine name in the world. This realisation will make him acknowledge that I do not exists but only He (Absolute Spirit) exists so I and all beings are the expression of Him. So at this final stage even though there is realisation that the same Spirit and Being of one Subject is the spirit and existence of all the world due to this uniqueness of every spirits&beings there is no knowledge that I am everything or I am the whole world or I am God But He or the Absolute Spirit is every thing or the whole world or He is God.
So the last or final development of the human being is the attainment of this second eternal spiritual state as Absolute spirit as a premanant state.This is because the first plane or The Absolute Subject is a transient or temporary state. One is always compelled to return to one's identity and individuality as the essence of man is from the second state. This permenance is what we call the the Mystic Spirit or The Absolute Man. Actually there is no difference between the Absolute Spirit of Hegel and the the Mystic Mind.- So there is no real difference between the speculative reason and existential experience. Speculative reason is really the organic movement of the notion within itself reaching to the final stage of Absolute Spirit. This speculative reason is not something we can gain by reading philosophy and making concepts. Knowing the state of the absolute spirit by forming concepts is not the same as the experience of it. In real speculation the whole being as notion moves from lower to higher stage .So here the experience of Being and knowing is not different. There is unity of knowing and being.So this speculative reason and existential experience is one and the same thing.So the Absolute Spirit of Hegel and the Experience of Being of Heidegger in the final analysis is one and the same thing. In the perfect man or in the mystic mind there is no conflict between thought and will. There is sublation of both thought and will. This synthesis will produce the living experience of self realisation.
We have earlier said that this is the Mahat of Samkhya philosophy and Anandamaya of Vedanta. The human spirit of this plane is what is called Atman. According to Sankara Atman realises it self as Brahman at this plane. But as we explained earlier the first plane or The Absolute Subject is a transcendental state not permanantly but only transciently attainable by human being .This is because as we told earlier this is unknowable because the Subject has not descended into the plane of knowledge.The second state or eternal spiritual plane as Absolute Spirit is not unknowable but knowledge as subject so the internal aspect or content is thought and external aspect or form of this thought is as passive nature or passive or essence of energy. As we explained all the spirits in this plane are permanent and eternal so human spirit can never transcend this nature. But it is true that human spirit as Absolute Spirit is Absolute Subject Himself with the limitation of this second state or the descend of the Absolute Subject in Knowledge as Absolute Spirit.
As we explained earlier according to Hegel Absolute Idea itself is not Absolute Spirit ,but the Idea later descending and developing through nature and finite mind into Absolute Spirit.This Absolute Spirit as philosophic spirit can have Absolute Knowledge so the Absolute Subject is completely knowable to Philosophic spirit. We have seen that the Absolute spirit is a limitation of Absolute Subject So even as philosophic Spirit Absolute Subject remain unknowable. Similarly According to Hegel This Absolute knowledge covers all being so the whole world. We have seen that as every being is unique so even as Absolute Spirit there can be no complete knowledge of other beings but each know other depending on ones potentialities and capabilities. This is what Kant says Ding un Sich-The Thing in Itself (Absolute) and things in themselves (beings) always remain unknowable .Third difference is in Hegel's system Absolute Spirit as philosophic spirit is complete Subjectivism in that the philosophic spirit sees his spirit as the Absolute spirit so the Thought is "I am Absolute spirit". We have seen that the focus shifts from I to Him so that it becomes He (Absolute Spirit) is the reality of all beings.
This second spiritual state of the Human Spirit is what Heidegger calls experience of Being. So according to him complete authenticity is only reached in this second state. This plane is described as the realm Ereignis where there is appropriation of Dasein and Being-the belonging together of Dasein and Being. Realisation of this pane is described as Aletheia (unconcealment). This Happens only in human being because human being is Dasein (Being there) means human is the opening or lightning place of Being. Aletheia as unconcealment is the opening of Being in Dasein or the arrival in and as Dasein in the form as the historical space time play of the fourfold (earth, sky, divinities, mortal) and Language. Here there is no subjectivity or Ego as the focus shift from Dasein to Being. Dasein is the shepherd as the opening place of Being. The nature of Aletheia is such that Being conceals in this unconcealment it withdraws in this arrival of beings. So there is always an Unknowable aspect of Being. This is what we say the Transcendent Absolute Subject.
Chapter 2: The Eternal and the
Temporal
In reality the one and only Absolute when viewed in its Transcendent First plane is called The Absolute Subject and when viewed in second eternal spiritual state is called The Absolute Spirit and when viewed in its second plane of temporality is called Absolute World. Now as we explained earlier at the plane of Absolute Spirit the spirit or subject is one but the predicates, or attributes and qualities are numerous. The spirits (subjective spirits, mental spirits.. up to human spirits ) in spiritual realm are nothing but the particular and specific relations of the Absolute Spirit with attributes and qualities. In spiritual realm the One Absolute Spirit forms multiple spirits. These spirits have no separate being or existence of their own but depends on the Absolute Spirit for their being and existence. We can say at the plane of Absolute Spirit individual spirits exist as only the mental existence of the Absolute Spirit. The one Absolute spirit becomes the being of each and every spirit and act through these spirits itself. In Absolute Spirit spirits are only a possibility. Spirits are dormant or potential at the stage of Absolute Spirit. There is only distinction but no division in the attributes and qualities of the Absolute as Absolute or Creative Spirit. Attributes like life and knowledge are one and inseparable from the subject or in Absolute Spirit without undergoing division. . This is the state of unity in diversity. This is the Eternal aspect of reality. This Absolute or Creative Spirit is the eternal and immutable aspect of reality.
The second aspect is the plane of manifestations or the Absolute World.. As we told earlier there are two major manifestations-soul world and material (subtle &gross) world. As we told earlier this manifestation can be viewed from two angles or two aspects. One is the internal aspect or as Thoughts and the other is the external or physical aspect or the form of this same thoughts. As already explained both are one and the same. So internal aspect or self consciousness and consciousness of souls & beings like spiritual thoughts, mental discursive thoughts, imaginary thoughts, material thoughts which emanates from these spirits &beings and external aspect or physical &material bodies like radio, TV, micro bodies (spiritual); infra red, visible light, UV bodies (mental); x-ray, gamma ray, cosmic bodies (astral); and sub quark bodies (material)&sub atoms, atoms, molecules, compounds, other gross material bodies are also one and the same.
At this second plane of manifestation the One Absolute or Creative Spirit is manifested as multiple beings. The one Absolute Spirit which is internal thought on manifestations become separate and individual beings due to externalised and more active thoughts and as explained earlier due to more concreteness of thought as Love and in turn due to Power and this manifest externally as energy with frequency which are the causes of its manifestation. All physical and material manifestations are either active thought or active imagination of the Absolute Spirit. Now one being is differentiated from another in manifestation by separate being and existence while as Absolute Spirit the predicates or attributes are distinct but undivided due to one Absolute Spirit being the spirit of all. As we told earlier the manifestation of Absolute Spirit into particular and individual souls and beings is possible only by a combination of both internal aspect or consciousness and external aspect or being and existence. So all the spirits in the eternal plane and all the corresponding souls&beings in the worldly plane are a combination of Absolute Spirits internal aspect as thought and external aspect as essence of energy or pure being. The proportion of consciousness go on decreasing from maximum and the proportion of being go on increasing from the minimum through spiritual, mental, astral, and material souls (soul world) ,then through subtle material world and gross material world till it reaches Fire which is Absolute Spirit's thought as minimum consciousness and maximum being. This is the stage of involution or descent. From then on consciousness also go on increasing till it reaches human being as Absolute Man and in this as S1MAPor philosophic spirit which is Absolute Spirit's thought as maximum consciousness and maximum being. This is the stage of evolution or ascent.
Now we have explained that the Absolute Spirit as
spirits in the second eternal state or
in spiritual realm have an internal aspect or content that of thought or
knowledge and an external aspect or form of this very thought as essence of
energy. So they are one and same thing looked from internal and external aspects respectively. All the spirits, and the plane of
all these spirits is the second eternal spiritual
realm. Like this all the souls like
spiritual, mental, astral, material &beings of the subtle material &gross
material world also have these two aspects in the physical realm. The internal
aspects of these beings as subjectivity and mind and the corresponding external
aspect is the form of this thought as body is also one and the same thing. So both minds and
the corresponding bodies are one and same being looked through the
attributes of thought and attribute of extension respectively. So all these
manifestations both spirits and corresponding spiritual thoughts, discursive
thought, imaginations, emotions, feelings and the corresponding physical and
material existence like light, gamma photons, quarks (beings and bodies) are
two sides of the same thing. So there is no soul world without this
photons and sub quarks and no subtle Beings without the corresponding Quarks,
Sub atoms and Atoms. Similarly no
mental ,emotional and imaginative faculty without corresponding physical and
material existence and no physical and material existence without corresponding
mental and imaginative faculties.
Now the second plane or the Absolute world as soul world ,subtle material world and gross material world entirely depends on the second eternal spiritual state or Absolute Spirit or Creative Spirit for their manifestations. The Absolute Spirit as permanent and eternal spirits are the reality of the Absolute World. They are the external expression of the spirits which are their internal reality. These manifestations of world have no separate initiative or power until the creative spirit as spirits act through them. The eternal spirits as subject are the inner controller of the manifested world. The real existence is that of spirits as subjects. All other existences and manifestations are derived from these subjects. Now the comparison of the world to its eternal spirits is like a shadow to the original. The spirits are real and eternal but the world is shadow and transient. Manifestations is the reflections of the spirits.. When one manifestation comes to an end a similar one replaces it. When we say the manifestation is the shadow of the essences it does not mean they are unreal. What we mean is they are only part of the real, which are the spirits.. They are the partial expression of the spirits. In this sense they participate in reality.
According to Ibn Arabi from the perspective of the Absolute Subject both the Absolute spirit and the Absolute world are the Shadow of the Absolute.
The spirits depends on the world for the manifestation of existence and being and the world depends on the spirits for their reality. Actually each depends on the other and one cannot exist without the other. The revealed part of spirits is world and the concealed part of the world is the spirits. The only thing is the manifestation goes on changing while the spirits are eternal and permanent. This is what whitehead call the eternal objects The Absolute Spirit as spirits are eternal in the sense that Time itself as a concept begins in this eternal second state. But they are not eternal or everlasting in the same sense as the Transcendent Absolute Subject because they also last only one cosmic cycle. At end of one Cosmic cycle the Absolute Spirit as spirits also dissolve and Absolute Subject alone remains.
Chapter 3: Creative
evolution and dissolution
Now the Absolute Subject is full of perfection. Perfect in both Being and knowledge. Absolute Being and Absolute Knowledge. This is perfection in essence and internal perfection.. Manifestation is nothing but the self expression of love for perfection. So the motive power of manifestation is love. Love of self expression in all its perfection. This is the expression of all perfect attributes. This is perfection in becoming. The perfection of becoming and relative knowledge.
Radio Spirit and Radio Soul is the beginning of this evolution or development and the Soul World is evolved out of the Absolute Spirit as Radio Spirit's Soul. Since the Radio Spirit cannot express all the perfection further evolutions or developments are necessary. Here the Micro Spirit evolves out of Radio Spirit.
The primary cause of this evolution is the love of the Absolute Spirit for self expression who is the real being of the micro spirit. This evolution also depends on the attributes and qualities of Radio spirit. Micro spirit cannot express all the perfection of the Absolute Spirit but partly restricted by the preceding Radio spirit and its attributes. So Radio spirit is the secondary cause out of which this evolution takes place. Every new Spirit and corresponding being is a result of the Absolute Spirit as its spirit which is its real and primary cause and the preceding spirit which is its secondary and contributory cause.
As we told earlier as Absolute Spirit predicates and attributes are multiple but only one Subject or Spirit and also one external Being and existence. This Absolute Spirit is not external to the attributes but the internal being of the predicates and their inner reality.All the evolution proceeds according to this law. The primary cause of evolution is the love of Absolute Spirit for self expression. The evolution is contributed or limited by the preceding spirit out of which this evolution takes place.
As we told earlier the Spirits are eternal and immutable when compared to the world which is temporal and mutable and which depends on the their Spirits for their reality and existence.. What comes with time must dissolve with time. This universal dissolution is what is called pralya in Hindu philosophy. Before this universal dissolution individual things are perishing continuously. Whenever one thing is perished they are replaced by similar ones by their Spirits. But we have to remember that unlike human beings other animate and inanimate beings have no individual spirits but only species and subspecies spirit. After universal dissolution also the world again begins to evolve out of their Spirits which are in seed forms in the Absolute Subject. This is what is called cyclic evolution and dissolution in Hindu philosophy and eternal recurrence by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer.
This view of an external transient but stable world is from the view of the ordinary humans or from discursive consciousness. From spiritual perspective or from the view of the self realised man all manifestations, means the world is nothing but active thought and active imagination of the Absolute Spirit which think or imagine through the spirits itself and not external to it. This is what idealists mean when they say world as an idea or imagination. Not only the external manifestation a cosmic imagination of the Absolute Spirit through the spirits the entire manifestations are renewed at every moment. Every moment one world is annihilated and a similar one is manifested. The instant of annihilation or dissolution coincides with the instant of manifestation. There is no temporal interval between manifestations but only a logical succession.
In modern physics this event is described as the subatomic event. According to quantum field theory in the subatomic realm by the instantaneous and local interaction of different quantum fields sub atomic particles are created. In the subatomic realm at each moment subatomic particles are annihilated and created. According to modern physics this subatomic particles are the ultimate unit of matter. So this world is created and annihilated every moment.
In Hindu philosophy this is symbolised by the Nataraja or dance of Shiva. In Buddhism in the Sarvastivada of Hinayana this is described as the replacing of mental, astral and material dharma every moment by similar ones. In Islamic philosophy Ashiri's describe this as the incessant renewal of the world. In Sufism Ibn Arabi describes this process analogous to respiration. At each in breath or inhalation a world is annihilated and at out breath or exhalation a similar one is manifested. Creation and dissolution as exhalation and inhalation of Divine Breath through the Spirits or Essences themselves.
Chapter 4: The living world
As we explained in the beginning every thing is Thought and matter is only the form of this Thought.As we told earlier everything in the world is a manifestation of their spirits. These spirits are nothing but the special relations of the Absolute Spirit with attributes and qualities. So every spirit is fully conscious of its own nature. In this sense every thing in the world is conscious. I do not mean conscious like humans. Since every spirit is conscious of its own nature its manifestation is also conscious in its own way. So there is nothing in the world what we call dead matter. Everything is conscious in their own natural way. They are conscious because they are the expression of one Absolute Spirit who is conscious. This is what primitive society means by Animism and what philosophers like Plotinus, Schopenhauer, mean by Panpsychism. What Whitehead call Prehension.
Now up to mineral kingdom there is no external manifestation of consciousness. This is because as we explained minerals have only material self consciousness (Ps) and consciousness or thoughts as matter so they appear as unconscious in manifestation. This means there is no apparent sign of consciousness. The plants contains both gross material and subtle material(imaginal) self consciousness and consciousness. The material as physical body and both physical and physiological activity. The astral or imaginal manifest as life, crude form of sensations, reflexes and instincts. The last ones are unconscious desire.In animal Kingdom besides material and astral there also present a little mental self consciousness and consciousness.The astral produce sensory knowledge and desire while the mental produce crude discriminating knowledge and weak will. This makes it possible the domestication and taming of animals. The human beings contains spiritual, mental, astral and material self consciousness and consciousness.. Physical body and physical and physiological activities are produced by thought as matter . Astral produce sensory knowledge and desire. Mental essence produce rational knowledge and partial will. Spiritual essence produces spiritual consciousness and spiritual thoughts. Like this the self consciousness of man is a combination of all these essences or SMAPs. Now besides this what distinguishes man from all other beings is he alone is capable of manifesting his spiritual plane as Absolute Spirit which is his innermost reality. This is the realm of Absolute or Free will.
Chapter 5: Conscious
evolution
Now in the process of evolution we can see that up to mineral kingdom the spirits are manifesting their full nature from the beginning of existence. In plants and animal kingdom the spirits are manifesting their full nature only during the life span of the organism.
In humans there is a further difference. The human spirit is not fully expressed naturally during one’s lifetime. There is the possibility of conscious evolution in man. Those in whom the spirit is fully expressed during their lifetime are called self realised men, perfect men or mystics. In perfect man besides his consciousness and self consciousness (Soul&subtle material world) there is also full expression of spiritual plane and Absolute Spirit or forst plane itself manifest in him according to his capacity.. In perfect man all the potential of the spirit becomes actual.
We have seen that all manifestation is the out come of love for self expression of perfection of the Absolute. World is a result of love for self expression. In manifestation also every physical activity of the organism is an activity of the spirit as an act of love for perfection through self expression. Here also consciousness or knowledge is transformed to love or will before transforming to activity.
Now take the case of plants. The plant spirit, which is material and astral essence is transformed to love in imaginary or astral plane before producing physical and physiological activity in material existence like self preservation and self expression. In plants this love is identical with instincts and reflexes so these instincts are unconscious love.
In animal also the sensory knowledge is transformed to love in imaginary plane of subtle material plane before producing activity in material existence. In animals this unconscious love is desire.
Now take the case of human beings. If passionate nature predominates in the Human Spirit(S3MAP) in the spiritual plane the self is identified with passionate nature in soul world, this produce sensory knowledge in mental plane, desire in imaginary plane and sense gratifying activity in material existence. As we told earlier this desire is unconscious love.
When rational nature predominate in spirit(S2MAP) this produce rational self consciousness in soul world reason in mental plane, partial will in astral plane and egoistic activity in material existence. This partial will is partly conscious love.
When spiritual nature predominate in spirit(S1MAP) there is spiritual self consciousness in soul world, wisdom in mental existence, this produce spiritual desire and will in astral existence and transformed to duty bound activity irrespective of self interest in material existence. This spiritual will is full conscious love.
Now in perfect man or self realised man the perfect or complete nature of the spirit due to the manifestation of spiritual plane give him universal knowledge. This will make him identify his spirit with the Absolute Spirit hence with the whole creation. The perfect man ensouls the whole creation. This produces unconditional love in astral existence and transform to activities, which augment the whole evolution in material existence.
Chapter 6: The unique human
spirit
Now there are some basic differences, which distinguish the human beings from all other beings. The first difference is unlike other beings the human beings can fully manifest all the essences, which are spiritual, mental, astral and material essences. This means human being contain the essences of all other manifestation from Radio wave to animal kingdom. Besides this what distinguishes humans from all other beings is he can manifest his eternal spiritual plane. While in all other manifestation the Absolute Spirit is not fully conscious of its complete perfection, in human beings there is the possibility of full self expression for the Absolute Spirit. This is what J. Krishnamurthy means when he says in all other beings reality is expressed as perfect object but in man it becomes also subject.Besides all this Absolute Subject or first plane also maifest in him according to his capacity.
This we can compare with the light spectrum. While all other beings can be compared to individual rays like UV rays or blue rays or a combination of some of them like indigo and blue rays human beings can be compared with complete light spectrum. As there is a difference between the frequency and energy of individual rays but the velocity of all the rays are the same there is a difference in the nature of every beings though the same Absolute Spirit is the reality of all essences. White light is a combination of all the light rays so its frequency is that of individual rays in it and its energy is the total energy of the individual rays. Like this there is a difference between human and other beings. But as the velocity is same of all electromagnetic rays the underlying essence and Spirit is the one and the same in human and all other beings.
The second difference of human spirit is while all other beings are represented by group soul& spirit human beings are charecterised by individual soul& spirit. This means every individual is unique due to his unique soul&spirit. We have told that human beings contain all the essences. So the quality of human essences are same in all but the quantity may be different. We have seen that all manifestation is self revelation of the Absolute Spirit. The one in whom the degree of self revelation is more will have more essences than the one in whom the self is less revealed. This means the degree of self revelation differs in every individual. According to this rule we earlier classified three types of human beings. Those in whom self revelation is maximum there is full self consciousness. In this group wisdom dominate over will and power. We call this spiritual nature and earlier denoted by S1MAP.This is the philosophic sprit of Hegel. Those in whom self revelation is reduced there is reduction in self consciousness. In this group will dominate over wisdom and power. We called this rational nature and earlier denoted by S2MAP.The religious spirit of Hegel. Those in whom self revelation is minimum there is only minimal self consciousness. Here power dominates over wisdom and will. We called this passionate nature and denoted by S3MAP.The artistic spirit of Hegel.
The one in whom the self revelation is more will be superior to one in whom it is less even though the essence is one and the same in both cases. This is because will always depends on wisdom. We can will only what we know. Like that power always depend on will. Because only will give rise to power and action. So wisdom is always superior to will and power. This superiority or hierarchy is similar to the hierarchy between plant and animals on the one hand and animals and man on the other. This can be explained by our analogy to sunlight. Even though the white light has same individual rays, velocity and frequency everywhere the intensity and energy differs according to the distance from the sun, which is its source. Light, which is nearer to the sun, has more intensity and energy, which means more number of photons than the light, which is far from it. Like wise the one in whom more self revelation will have more essence than the one in whom there is less revelation.
In reality there is only one Absolute Spirit behind all these spirits and it is the same Spirit which becomes the multiple beings in manifestation, according to the function and capacity of the spirits. So in reality all humans are equal since their Absolute Spirit is one and the same in all. The same law is applicable to sex, race and nations. In human spirit there is no distinction of sex, race, or nationality. During gradual evolution of human species and progression of history it is possible that the spirit of a higher nature manifested more or exclusively in a particular sex, race or nation. But this cannot be generalised, as the spirit has no distinction of sex, race or nation. The manifestation of higher or lower nature in a particular sex, race or nation mainly depends on historical time, geography and the surrounding society. Ultimately the manifestation of the spirits depends on the possibility of its transformation from potential to actual means its possibility of full self expression.
As we told earlier the degree of self revelation is different in each and every spirit. Every individual is different. According to this rule every one is unique. No one can replace another. This is what Ibn Arabi says in Fusus that Divine Names never repeat itself . Each one has different capacity and different function. As we told earlier human species contain all essences, so all humans contain all three natures means spiritual, rational and passionate nature. These classifications are based on the predominance of one nature over the other natures.
Now you can understand that each one is unique and represent a particular spirit. This is what Sufi Ibn-Arabi means when he says that each one represent a particular divine name. Each name is equal to all other names in essence but differs in its particular significance.
The third difference of human spirits are while in all other beings the essences are fully expressed during their existence like minerals or during their life time like plants and animals the human spirit is naturally not fully manifested during a man’s lifetime. This means while in all other beings the evolution was unconscious in man there is the possibility of conscious evolution.
As we told earlier every manifestation is an act of self expression and the motive power is love of self perfection of the being. Every physical activity is also an act of self expression. Whether the act is conscious or unconscious they are the result of self expression. Even the activity of self preservation is an act of self expression. We feel fulfilled only when we can express ourselves completely. For complete self expression self realisation is needed. All the frustration in life is due to false self identity or inadequate self expression. We feel root less the whole life without full self expression.
For complete self expression we have to know the nature of our spirit. This means only by manifestation of our spiritual plane we will have true self identity and authentic self expression. Only after self knowledge self expression possible. Inadequate self identity leads to inadequate self expression. As we told earlier action depends on knowledge. Here it means knowledge of one’s own nature. This nature is nothing but the reality of one’s own spirit.
Partial knowledge produce incomplete action or expression hence despair and discontent. Total knowledge produce full self expression hence serenity and contentment.
Chapter 7: The path of the
seeker
The complete self expression depends on knowledge of the real nature of our spirit. Self realisation means complete awareness of one’s essential nature. Only by self realisation complete self expression possible. In other words self realisation itself produce spontaneous self expression.
The real problem is we do not know the nature of our spirit or its potentiality and capacities. So we need some method or device so we can aware of our own spirit and which further leads to complete self realisation. Here comes the necessity of the Master.
Master is one who is a perfect man. He is the one who not only realised his own self but can also lead others to self realisation. Like Osho Rajneesh’s words he can point you the moon and even this pointing is an immense blessing and help. The way to the self is full of obstacles and pitfalls and it is almost impossible to travel it without guidance.
The master is the one who had traveled the path before and know all the subtleties of the human mind. The benefits of a living master on the way is immense and beyond description. A living master is absolutely necessary for self realisation and the exception to this rule is so rare that they can be neglected. Now apart from the presence of a living master who constantly watch and guide along the way the method consist the following.
The nature of our own spirit we cannot realise by contemplating on the external world or by sensory experience, imagination or by rational thought. Internal contemplation of the spirit is only possible if we know the full nature of our spirit. But we do not know the full nature of our spirit because a perfect spirit in manifestation is represented only by a self realised man.Our own master is a perfect symbol of fully manifested spirit. So by the contemplation of our master as our Self we can contemplate on the nature of our own spirit.
Whenever we contemplate our master as our self, the knowledge we receive will be from our own spirit. It is not from our master. This is analogous to a mirror. Whenever we look at a mirror what we see is our own face. We will not see the mirror. The function of the mirror is to manifest our own form. The master is also a spiritual mirror. In this computer age we can also compare the function of master to the interface in a computer. When we contemplate our master as our self this is a soul activity in soul world. Here we identify our spirit with our master. By conscious and continuous contemplation of our master as our self we become aware of the nature of our own spirit and gradually attain self realisation. So the method consists of conscious and continuous contemplation of our master.
As we told when we continue our contemplation we slowly become aware of our own nature. As we already mentioned human spirit is a combination of material, astral, mental and spiritual essences and our foundation is the spirit in spiritual plane and it manifest both the soul ,subtle and gross material world.. As we mentioned these essences are responsible for three natures of all human beings, which are passionate, rational and spiritual nature.
When we contemplate the master in and as self consciousness or in soul world first of all we become aware of the material and imaginary part of our soul(APs). The self identify with passionate nature in soul world and produce sensory knowledge in mental plane, desire and passion in astral plane and sense gratifying activity in material existence.
This material and imaginary self consciousness in excess is responsible for sense gratifying activity like excess drinking and smoking, excess food, sex, and sleep, visual and auditory pleasures, inertia and laziness. Passionate nature needs everything in excess because passionate nature never feels fulfilled. This passionate nature is also responsible for narcissism like excess obsession with body and adornment of body with ornaments and costly dresses. This nature also produce excess anger, excess desire for material possessions. This passionate nature also yields to conditioning and indoctrination and is responsible for fanaticism, fundamentalism, intolerance, blind faith and blind conformity to social values.
At this first stage the one in whom passionate nature predominate is more effected than others. At this stage one is almost helpless because imaginal self consciousness can only produce desire in subtle material or imaginary plane. At this stage rational nature is dormant so this desire can be prevented only by fear. Only obvious disadvantage to physical existence or threat to one’s own interest will prevent this desire through fear.This is the way wild animals are trained and this is the rationale behind religious laws and civil and criminal laws of society.
But when we persist in our conscious contemplation and continue it we gradually become more aware of our mental part of soul(Ms). The self identify with rational nature in soul world produce rational knowledge in mental plane, partial will in astral plane and egoistic activity in material existence. As the contemplation continues the self more and more identify with rational nature and gradually over shadow passionate nature. At this stage besides sensory knowledge we will have a discriminating type of knowledge. This is knowledge of the essence of things rather than phenomenon. One result of this knowledge is conscience. In rational nature or when Mental part predominate in self consiousness desires are regulated by will. At this stage even those in whom naturally passionate nature predominate are able to regulate their desires and passions by partial will. This is the second stage of contemplation.
But this rational nature is a manifestation of mental part of soul.. So this is the state of discursive thought. This will give rise to strong sense of self and non self; hence ego and individuality. So this rational nature gives rise to egoistic activity like activity for power, fame, and money, which are the ways to boost one’s ego. At this stage those of passionate and rational nature are more affected than those of spiritual nature.
But as we continue our contemplation gradually we become aware of our spiritual part(Ss) of soul.. The self identify with spiritual nature in soul world, produce spiritual knowledge in mental plane and spiritual desire and free will in astral plane and duty bound and action out of moral sense irrespective of self interest in material existence. As this contemplation continues the soul or self consciousness more and more identify with spiritual nature and gradually regulate both reason and passion.
At first this spiritual nature will give rise to what existentialists called angst(anxiety) and despair. Spiritual nature first give rise to meaninglessness and emptiness and produce utter loneliness. We cannot identify the self with anything and self seems like nothingness. When all objective contents like material things through senses ,imaginary contents and discursive thoughts are removed self consciousness becomes an object to itself. Without any content or beings it experiences as Nothingness. This is what Sartre say consciousness as nothingness. This is what Heidegger calls beings coming out of nothing in Anxiety. Later spiritual knowledge will make him aware that separate being is an illusion of manifestation. At this stage egoistic activity is reduced and he will act more and more from an inner sense of right and wrong without considering personal advantage or disadvantage. Here partial will is replaced by free will, which give rise to selfless activity. At this stage those of passionate and rational nature are able to regulate it by free will. This is the third stage of contemplation.
This stage will continue till self - realisation is attained. Contemplation of the master as one’s spirit and identification of this spirit with spiritual nature and selfless activity and regulation with free will continue till self realisation is attained. This is an arduous journey. The activity accumulated during ignorance was made in to strong habits which need strong effort as continues contemplation. The transformation of blind will or desire to partial will or reason then again to absolute or free will is a long and difficult journey. Only continuous and constant effort as contemplation will produce result.
Usually this contemplation ultimately leads to self realisation. But this is not the actual cause of self realisation. Self realisation is a spontaneous happening. This total illumination cannot be guaranteed by any methods. There are multiple factors, which determine a man's self-realisation at a particular stage in his life. Besides these unknown and unexplainable factors contemplation usually leads to it. All this contemplation and meditation are at the level of soul world or self consciousness. But our foundation or real nature is as spirits. As we explained the knowledge, experience and plane of this eternal spiritual plane entirely different from the world plane. Self realisation is attainment of this second, spiritual eternal Absolute Subject plane and defy any kind of description..
Chapter 8: Wisdom, love and
power
We have seen that the principle predicates or attributes of the Absolute Spirit in the second plane are Being, Knowledge, Love(will) and Power. If we take Being as subjective being or self the main predicates are knowledge, will and power. The Second plane as Absolute Spirit is a plane of knowledge. This give rise to love of self expression. This again transformed to power of manifestation and as a result world is manifested.
In manifestation wisdom attribute give rise to soul world, love to subtle material world and power to physical and material world. In manifestation wisdom is identical with knowledge, love with will and power with action.
In soul world predominance of wisdom to S1, M1,A1,P1souls,Love toS2,M2,A2,P2 souls and Power S3,M3A3 and P3 souls. In Subtle Material World and Gross material world also there are three groups of Being or beings based on the predominance of Wisdom, Love or Power.
In humans S3MAP group: Here there is predominance of passionate nature in spiritual plane, so self identify with passionate nature or astral and material part(ASs) in soul world, produce sensory knowledge in mental plane of subtle material world, desire and passion in astral plane ,and sense gratifying action is material existence.
S2MAPgroup. Here there is predominant rational nature in spiritual plane, so self or soul identify with rational nature or Ms in soul world, produce rational knowledge in mental plane, partial will in astral plane, and egoistic action in material existence.
S1MAP group: Here there is predominant spiritual nature in spiritual plane, so Self consciousness as spiritual nature or Ss in soul world, produce spiritual knowledge in mental plane, free will in astral plane and selfless action in material existence.
So there are basically three groups of beings, one with maximum self revelation or wisdom nature, second medium self revelation or will nature and third with minimal self revelation or power nature.
We have seen that the second plane of worldly plane is subtle material world. This world as a whole is also called the world of imagination (Alam Kayal). We have seen that every thing as individual and particular has it's origin in the soul world and then it descends in the subtle material world and lastly to the gross material world. In this sense the subtle material world is not only more vast and include our material world but it is as real as this material world or more real. Every material activity taking place in our world is preceded by first it taking shape in the subtle material plane So Sufis call this world the world of patterns or similitude (Alam Mithal).
When a man turns his external and internal senses from everything temporal and worldly and continue in his contemplation of spirit as we explained this subtle material world is gradually opened to him. This is nothing but the expansion of his own consciousness. As we explained man's spirit consists of all the planes-soul, imaginal and physical. This we can illustrate with one looking at some event through a hole. When the hole is small the field of vision is small and if he looks through the hole at some one walking he sees the man and only a limited area at that particular moment. But if the hole is large he can see the event in a larger area so that what looked like past (before) and future (after) happening when looked through the small hole looks like happening simultaneously. A similar relation occurs between our material world and subtle material world.
We have seen that the subtle material world consists of universal mental being, universal imaginary being and universal living being. From this the universal mental being is called higher astral world or Absolute imaginal world (mutlaq). This is called so because this stage is more fine in nature and more resistant to change than lower stages. As this is more near to the soul world this stage is more a copy of the soul world and dreams and visions arising from this plane is always true. This is also called Devachan(abode of Gods) and Lawh al Mahfus(Guarded Tablet) and Alam Qalb.. What ever happens in the earthly plane is first formed here ,then it descends to the earthly plane so this is called original patterns.So what ever happens in the earth first happens here..
Universal imaginary being and universal living being together called lower astral world or limited imagination (muqadas). This is called so because this stage is more coarse than the higher stage and undrego constant changes.This limited imaginal world is also called the world of effacement and establishment (Lawh al Mahvi al Isbath). This means at every moment this imaginal world may undergo change so that there may be new pattern replacing the earlier one. As this plane is near to the earthly plane what ever happens in the earth is reflected here and influence the patterns. So this is also called reflected patterns. S o whatever happens here first happens in the earth and then reflected here. So the dreams and visions coming from this plane may not be true as they are colored by earthly elements. This is also called Kama loka (desire world) and Alam Nafs.
Now we can see that every thing is not only determined already but also determining each moment of earthly existence. This we will explain in detail. As we have already stated the potentialities and capabilities of every spirit or every one is unique and they are permanent and eternal. So one cannot change one's nature and one is only able to actualise fully one's capabilities and potentialities during earthly life. This is what is called conscious evolution. Now the potentialities and capabilities are descending from the spiritual plane or the plane of Absolute Spirit first into the soul plane and from this plane it descends in to the higher astral or absolute imaginary plane From here it descends into the lower astral or limited imaginary plane and then to the earthly plane or the world..Now this is only one side of the coin. Simultaneously every action in the earthly plane ascend to the lower astral plane and modify this plane so that it will have an impact on the future earthly actions. Again this will ascend from this lower astral to the higher astral so that it can have an influence on the overall possibilities descending from higher astral plane to lower one.Again this will have an influence on the highest soul world so that so it can have an influence on those descending from the soul world to the lower planes and to the earth. So there is not complete determinism in the sense that everything is fixed so that one is compelled to act in a determined way.
Take the example of man. As we explained his subjective or self consciousness is from the plane of the soul world and dicursive thoughts and higher emotions and feelings are from the plane of higher imaginal world and imaginations and passions are a from the lower imaginal world. We have seen that every word and action in the material plane is preceded by similar happenings in the higher planes.This means every action is preceded by thoughts and imaginations of the action.Every act first begins from the soul plane.Now the self consciousness of a man about his total potential in the soul plane depends on the potentialites actualised in the soul plane.Now we have seen that the activation of potentialites of the soul depends on the activites of the earthly plane so that one's self consciousness of himself at any moment is the result of sum of his actions and words in the world till that time.Recprocally whatever actions or words we make at any moment depends on the self consciousness of our capabilities at that moment and so we only act accordingly. Secondly when this self consciousness descends to the plane of higher imagination we contemplate about the action accordingly.Now this thoughts on the one hand depends on the higher soul plane from where it comes and secondly the intensity and practicality of this thought depends on the degree of development of that persons higher imaginary plane which not only depends on the soul plane alone but also the result of his activities on the material plane till that moment.When the thoughts are weak or when we decides not to pursue that action then we could not act or may not act. So here the action depends on this higher imaginary plane. Thirdly when this thoughts descends into the lower imaginary plane where this action takes place in complete form before it takes place on gross material plane ,this happening in the lower astral world also depends on the one hand on the higher astral plane and on the other hand it also depends on the degree of development of this lower astral plane.We have seen that every action in the earthly plane produce a reflected pattern after the action and influence the degree of development of the lower astral world. Now take the case of some one who has penetrated into the imaginal world or some one who has constant self consciousness. Now when he acts this is a copy of his act in the imaginal world but as the man is self conscious from moment to moment so that these are conscious acts because every moment he is shaping his thoughts and imagination so that his imaginal world is changing and accordingly his material or physical action. But the case of a man who is not self conscious in his acts or who is a slave to habits and desires and passion and whose acts are unconscious and automatic are different. As there is nothing new in his thoughts and imagination each moment but a repetition so that his imaginal world is firmly established and does not change much from moment to moment.
Chapter 10: Life & Death
As we explained human spirit of the eternal second plane is the base or reality of human being. When this is individualised and particularised it is the human soul in the soul world or the soul plane. Now in the soul world the spirit have only self or soul consciousness as combination of SMAPs. At this as there is not yet Subtle material world so there is no consciousness or faculties like mental ,imaginative, sensory or physical etc.
The human soul first develops faculties or become consciousness or come in contact with the subtle material world only when it joins the human sperm in the male body. There is no point in saying that soul is inside the sperm or external since soul in it's internal aspect is self consciousness and external aspect is as photons & sub quarks whose dimension may extend far beyond the sperm. Any way a definite connection is established so much that due to this contact soul's self consciousness is lost and identify it self as this sperm body. As we know this sperm contain the Universal living being of subtle material world but externally able to express only in the form of mineral essence or what philosophers call mineral soul. So at this stage human soul is not self conscious as SMAPs but only as dormant Ps+PB and this appear as material faculty or mineral soul as life is unable to express through it.As mineral soul it has the character of maintaining the form of the sperm. Human soul as mineral soul is the one directing this particular and individual sperm towards ovum and making fertilization. Now from fertilization till birth the fetus is getting food from placenta in the uterus. Due to this food universal living being of subtle material world is fully developed and expressed in the form of living essence or what some calls growing soul or plant soul. So here there is the development of nutritional and vegetative faculties in the soul. So at this stage the human soul is Ps+PB. Now from birth till adolescence or adult due to food human soul also develops universal imaginary being and universal mental being of subtle material world in the form of animal and jinn essence or what is called animal soul. This is the development of sensations, imaginations and mental faculty like intellect, understanding etc.so at this stage human soul is MAPs+MAPB.When the man reaches adult hood there is full realisation of self consciousness of human soul. Now we can see that at adult hood a human being contain self consciousness or or( SMAPs)+ Consciousness (MAPB) or (subtle material world+ gross material world). We have seen that during life it is the soul which keeps the subtle material body and gross material body in a unity with it and preventing it from disintegration. During Normal life the part of the subtle material world (imaginal world) like animal soul is only manifested. But during dream sleep and also in one who refined his subtle body by self consciousness the imaginal world manifest in greater glory. Like this the human soul is manifested normally as self consciousness and only during deep sleep and in self realised state it is manifested in its full glory. This imaginal world or its external form as subtle body is called "Nusma" by Shah Waliyullah.
We have explained in detail the human constitution before-the human spirit with its three main bodies-the first causal body or soul body, second subtle body (this has three parts-mental, imaginary, living) and third material body. Now when a man dies both the human soul and the subtle body leave its connection with the material body or rather this disconnection is what is called death. within a few hours or days the living part of the subtle body also disintegrates leaving the imaginary and mental part intact.We have seen that all the faculties like thinking, imagination and sensation is the property of the subtle body so that this is retained. Death is followed by a condition similar to deep sleep and after some time the human soul and subtle body (Nusma) woke up from the sleep. As we told earlier during normal life we are conscious of only the lower subtle( imaginal) world as animal soul during dream and also this is the world of his worldly desires and imagination. So after death also upon waking from deep sleep the Nusma will manifest this world to him. So the man will feel pleasures or pain according to the contents of his imagination in the next world. So this world is similar to our dream world so it will be a subjective world so whatever he sees happening in this state will have only a subjective aspect so it does not affect the objective world. This means this world is not shared by others in the dream and it will not affect them objectively. But to the person experiencing this state similar to the state of dream it will be very real and he feels the pleasure and pain accordingly. secondly this state will last longer than dream. In religious term this is called the stage of grave.
When further time passes the subtle body or Nusma becomes week due to non availability of food after death and also by the exhausting of manifestation of the animal soul all the desires and imagination accumulated as subjective dream (stage of grave).At this time the lower subtle body (imaginary body) also disintegrates and the human soul and the mental part of subtle body again go a condition similar to deep sleep. After waking from this sleep already weakened Nusma or subtle body is complete passive (because this is the stage after active stage as subjective dream) hence is able to manifest the mental part of subtle world completely. Here the human soul experience with the faculties of the mental art of subtle body the manifested subtle material world according to its merits during the life time. This is described as being in heaven or hell in religious terms. Unlike the stage of grave this is not a subjective experience but this is an objective experience. As we explained earlier subtle material or imaginal world is as real or more real than this material world.
Again with the passage of time the subtle body (Nusma) becomes weak and weak and at last a time comes when the mental part of the subtle body is also completely lost so that the human soul is transported to the soul world. With the loss of subtle body there is loss of all faculties like understanding. memory, discursive thoughts, imagination because all these faculties are carried by the subtle material body. So in soul world the human soul will have only pure self consciousness. This subjective or self consciousness depends on the degree of the development of the soul which depends on the potentialities and capabilities actualised during the earthly life.
Chapter:11 -The Concept of God
As we finish the first section we can see that the correct concept of God is neither seeing him in simple Unity nor in complete duality but the real nature of the Absolute is Unity in Duality. We will discuss this in detail concerning his essential nature, predicates and opposing nature of predicates.
We have seen that his essential nature is beyond mind so it is different from our mind because nature of our mind is Knowledge or Thought as Thinker or Knower while this Absolute Subject is Subject and knowledge is only his predicate or a lower form of this Subject so the complete nature of this Subject is unknowable. All the predicates like being, knowledge, energy are only potential at this state and nothing can be ascertained about them at this unknowable state.
Secondly when we comes to the predicates like Being, Knowledge, Will, Power etc in the second plane or its form like Spiritual world, Soul world, Imaginal world or Material world in the second plane there is duality because the nature of these predicates and worlds are different and opposed to the nature of Absolute Subject. But here also Unity includes this Duality because we have seen that all these predicates or natures like thought, imagination and gross matter are nothing but the lower form of this Subject. So here also there is Unity of Subject in this Duality.We have also seen that essence of energy or potential energy is only the form of knowledge or Thought in the second plane.So this is a lower form of this Subject and not a separate reality. So we have to see this dual ,opposing nature of mind and matter in Absolute Spirit itself but as knowledge or Thought is not only opposed to matter but overlaps and includes matter because we have seen that matter is only the form of knowledge.So there is Unity of Subject in this Duality.
Thirdly when we look into the opposing nature of the predicates like One and Other, Male and Female, Mercy and Anger, Love and Hate, Good and Evil, Infinite and finite, Truth and False, Heaven and Hell etc there is duality and opposition among the predicates. But here also Unity includes Duality because finite is a form of infinite, Other is a form of One, Mercy and Love include and overlaps Anger and Hate and when correctly understood they are nothing but a form of Divine Mercy and Love itself for our evolution. Good includes Evil and is a form of Good itself. Hell is a form of heaven and what is heaven for the mystics are hell to the uninitiated and the heaven of common folk like money, luxury, power and fame are like Hell to the saints. So here also there is Unity in this Duality.
Part
II: Mysticism, Metaphysics, Ethics
Chapter:
1: Mysticism:
Mysticism is the word used to denote complete self realisation or total illumination or the way of the Mystics.. One who realised the self as nothing but Absolute Subject is known as a mystic. To the mystic the first plane of Absolute Subject is manifested according to his capacity and the second eternal spiritual plane is revealed which is always hidden from common man even though this spiritual plane is the base and reality of every one. Complete self realisation and self expression also means full manifestation of spiritual, mental, astral and material essences. We told earlier that total illumination is a spontaneous happening. One who identifies his self with spiritual nature regulates his rational and passionate nature with spiritual nature. When one by conscious and continuous contemplation able to regulate his passionate and rational nature with spiritual nature self realisation or total illumination happens spontaneously. In this sense we can say contemplation leads to it. There is no single direct cause for self realisation.
After self realisation the first plane as Absolte Subject and second plane or the spiritual plane is expressed through the mystics.. The expression of this second plane is responsible for the ineffable experience of the mystics.Expression of first plane is also the cause of utterances like "I am God" I alone Exist" among mystics. This is the nirvana of Buddhism. These experiences are expressed as oneness with God or merging with God. The expression of Absolute spirit in spiritual second plane make him aware that there is only one Subject and every thing is a manifestation of that Subject. The one and same Being assumes different forms in manifestations. It is the realisation that the Subject can manifest its infinite attributes only as multiple beings, but behind all these phenomena the real being is one. At this stage he will identify himself with the whole creation. This is not an intellectual awareness but existential experience. This experience by mystics described as oceanic feeling or cosmic consciousness. Spinoza described this as seeing the world from the perspective of eternity or "sub specie aeternitatis." The awareness that a single essence and one conscious being behind all manifestation make him identify his self with the whole creation. The mystic ensoul the whole universe. This is the meaning of J. Krishnamurthy's famous sayings like "You are the world" "observer is the observed" and controller is the controlled. Besides indicating the state of conditioned self this is its deep and inner meaning. After self realisation what ever be the predominant nature of one's spirit one is able to regulate it and act from the perspective of the whole creation. When one's spirit is identified with the whole as creative spirit this spiritual knowledge is transformed to self love and compassion before transforming to activity. The motive power of action is not ego as in rational nature or sense of duty as in spiritual nature. The activity results from pure and unconditional love. There is the realisation that separate ego is an illusion and every thing is the expression of one cosmic self. Here there is no need for effort or will for activity. There is effortless and spontaneous action. He will never expect anything return for his action and never react to any unfavorable response. It is an action without any reaction. The mystic acts because he is overflowing with love and this action is his nature. His love and action will be for the whole creation. Behind every activity will be the love of the whole. This does not mean always turning the other cheek. This does not mean suffering all humiliation beyond human dignity oneself or advising others to do so. As a man readily amputate his cancerous or diabetic finger if it threatens his very life by going to spread all over the body the perfect man also take stern action if it is absolutely necessary for the whole evolution. This is the experience of unity in multiplicity.
This unity in multiplicity is the first stage in spiritual plane. Here one will experience his uniqueness and at the same experience the unity of all creation in its plurality. This is called the stage of wahidiyath in Sufism. After this there is the experience of Wahdath (Unity). Here unity dominate plurality and the multiplicity disappear in this unity. This is the state of Absolute Spirit with four potentialities-Being, Knowledge, Love (Will) and Power. This is the last station of the Mystics.The first plane or Absolute Subject is beyond knowledge and when one attain this state he loses self consiousness and self identity.Here it is the Absolute Subject Himself manifesting according to the capacity of the container.So this is the transient or temporary state and one has always return to the lower stage of Unity which is the permanant and last stage of Mystics.
Chapter
2: Being -Existence - Essence.
Being is defined differently by philosophers.As we explained earlier Being is used in the sense of an entity or subject with predicates.This is what Parmenides, Plato, Neo-Platonists & Heidegger mean by Absolute as Being. This is also the Wujud (Being) of Ibn Arabi and Mulla Sadra.Here they use the term Being for the Absolute Subject.
Secondly Being is used as a principal predicate of the Subject.Here being is the isness or tobe of the subject.So unlike other predicates which are unessential the idea of subject always involve it's being.When subject reflect on himself he becomes an object to himself. So here being becomes one of the predicates of the Subject. Here subject is not Being but subject has being. . Hegel uses being in this sense as a principle predicate of the Absolute.We have seen that this being when in the second plane is Thought itself as Knower or Thinker.
Thirdly being is used as opposed to thought.Now when being is considered as the essence of matter and opposed to thought and consciousness it is extension. Sartre use Being in this sense opposite Consciousness in 'Being and Nothingness'. Both Descartes and Spinoza use the term extension in this sense. When used in this sense being is synonymous with material or physical and is opposite to thought. Ibn Arabi also uses being in this sense as light.Here it is the external being like Absolute World(soul,subtle and material beings).Kant also uses Being in this sense. In his Ontological proof with the illustration of 300 sovereigns in mind and in pocket he argues the difference between Thought and Being. To Kant Being is something visible and material and having external existence and it is the opposite of Thought Here we can see this being is nothing but knowledge or thouht itself.As we explained this is the form of thought as either essence of energry or enery or matter.In all cases here being is the form of Thought and is the existential or experiential aspect as either energy or matter. Now we can see unlike popular belief Thought is not opposed to Being.So there is no thought without being and no being without thought. Being is the form of thought either as energy or as matter.
Existence is also defined in various ways. In one sense it is synonymous with Absolute Subject. So here The Existent is same as the The Being of first sense. Ibn Arabi,Mulla Sadra and most of the philosophers use Being and Existence as synonymous. Hegel Define Existence as the reflected Being. So here existence becomes one of the contents of essence or predicate of the subject like being. Like being philosophers consider existence also only in the external or material sense as external existence. But as we explained The first plane is the plane of the Absolute Subject or The Existent. In the second plane Existence is the external aspect or form of the thought of the Absolute Spirit as Passive Nature or essence of Energy. This we call Spiritual existence. Ibn Arabi says of this plane that 'these essences have not smelt the smell of existence'. What he mean is on the one hand here in this plane the spirits have no independent individual existence and on the other hand this plane is beyond external existence like soul, mental or material existence. Then there are external existences like soul existence of photons and sub quarks, subtle existence of quarks, subatoms, atoms and material existence molecules, compounds and bodies. From this description it is clear that Existence is not opposed to thought but is the form of thought and mind and imagination have their on existence in their plane.
Existentialists especially Heidegger use the term existence in other sense. According to Heidegger only man has existence or Dasein is Existence. Here Existence mean Man's special privilege of opening to Being. This is his spiritual plane as Absolute Subject. According to Heidegger all other beings like plants, animals, gods is but only man exists. . Secondly according to Heidegger while in all other beings essence precede existence while in man existence precede essence. Here what Heidegger mean is prior to his essence what makes him human is his existence-his special relation to being as opening to being. To Sartre also Existence is very important because like Heidegger he also says that man is the only being who is conscious of his own existence. According to Sartre also Existence precede essence but not in Heidggerian sense This is because according to Sartre consciousness is nothingness so without any definite content so essence is not fixed and man is absolutely free to make his essence. We have seen that this is a false notion because as spirit every man has a fixed determination and life is nothing but actualisation of this potentiality.
Now we comes to the third term, The Essence. In the definition of Essence also there is wide variation between philosophers. Essence is used to denote the Absolute in his immediacy so in this sense it is synonymous with Absolute Subject. Ibn Arabi uses The Essence(Al Dhat) in this sense. Ibn Arabi also uses the term permanent essences (Ayan al tabitah) for the spirits in the second eternal spiritual plane. According to Hegel Essence is reflected Being or Mediated Being. So in the stage of essence there is an internal and an external aspect. Here Being is the shadow of the Essence. Most of the philosophers use the term Essence for the specific contents of a being irrespective of it's Existence. So we can conceive Essence in two ways. one is the essence of being in itself and the second is when the same essence of a being is reflected by another or as concepts. In the first sense Essence always include Being or Existence as one of its contents this is because essence is nothing but the totality of the predicates and Being or existence is the principle predicate of the Subject. But when making concepts the essence does not include existence or being in itself but only has the imaginary or mental existence provided by the concept making subject.
Analysis:
We have seen that the Absolute Sprit in the second eternal plane as permanent essences also involves the idea of spiritual existence. But as we have explained earlier they have neither individual being or existence nor external existence in the world.. Like this the essences of soul beings, subtle beings and material beings also include their existence. Now when w human beings make imagination or concepts of material or spiritual objects these essences have beings or existence only if our thoughts corresponds with the cosmic mind or imagination. So in unrealised man these concepts or essences have no objective existence but only the particular mental existence of the individual.
There is a controversy among philosophers About the primacy of Being and Essence. The peripatetic (mashshayyah) argued that Being is primary (Asalat al Wujud) and essence or quiddity is only a mental abstraction or accident. They also maintained that the beings of everything is different in essence from the beings of others so there are difference in beings.. According to them there are different beings. Mulla Sadra also of the view of primacy of being but differs from them in maintaining that there is only one Being. Against this view illuminationists (ishraqiya) maintain the primacy of Essence (Asalat al Mahiyyah) and being or existence as an accident.
This controversy can be resolved from the philosophy of Ibn Arabi. Now what Mulla Sadra and Ibn Arabi calls Al Wujud (The Being) is the Absolute Subject itself. We have seen that at the first plane this is Absolute Subject. Now all the succeeding planes are the descends of this Subject or Being in Knowledge so all the planes are this Being Himself. So there is only one Being or Subject which only differs in its intensity in various planes of this being like spiritual being, soul being, mental being ,imaginal being or material being. This is what Mulla Sadra mean by gradation of being (Tashkik al Wujud). When we comes to the second spiritual plane-that of Absolute Spirit ,from the primacy of Being view this is the same Absolute Subject of the first plane with less intensification of being.This is the state where Knowledge as subject so the essence or nature of this subject or being is thought and the form of this thought is as essence of energy. Here both thought and it's form are in most abstract We have explained that at this spiritual plane these essences are the specific and particular relations of the subject with his predicates. So at this plane there is differences in essences but the Being or Spirit is one in all Now all the succeeding stages in the second plane (soul, mental, imaginal, material) the essences are the same as the second plane spiritual essences but the differences is only due to the gradation or intensity of Subject or Being in different planes having the least intensity of subject or being in material plane.So in Soul world the thought is more concrete and the form energy with less frequency and subquarks-in subtle world the thought even more concrete and the form as quarks,subatom and atoms and in material world thought most concrete and the form gross with elements and visible matter. So the essences are different because each spirit or divine name is unique in the spiritual plane but there is only one Being or Spirit or Subject which only differs in in intensity in each plane. Those who argue about the primacy of Being consider the entities in all these planes as Being so it is the same as their essences in these planes.If we view the Absolute spirit of eternal spiritual plane as multiple essences or spirits which have no existence in the sense of individual beings or external existence this is the view held by those of primacy of Essences. Here by existence they do not mean spiritual existence but external existence. But when human beings make conceptions of them it is apparent that these neither correspond to their essences in those planes nor to their being. So these essences as conceptions have no reality and here being is also a conception.
Chapter: 3:Philosophy
Philosophy cannot be defined easily. The word is derived from the Greek philo meaning to love and sofia meaning wisdom .So a simple definition is philosophy is love of wisdom. Philosophy is considered as the knowledge of world and life or in short philosophy is a scientific world view. This is a conscious interpretation of the world and life. So the task of every philosophy is the formation of a scientific world view. Philosophy is examination of things -subjects and objects in thought. It differs from empirical sciences in that it looks at the grounds of things –in it’s final principles. History of philosophy will show a relation between different systems as an organic whole and rationally connected system.According to Heidegger it is not world view but Being is the proper and sole aim of philosophy and knowledge of being is Ontology. According to Heidegger this is because philosophy is not concerned with beings but only with the Being of beings.
Philosophy is broadly divided into western philosophy and Eastern philosophy. Western philosophy in turn again broadly divided into Analytic philosophy and Continental philosophy. The basic categories of philosophy are Logic, Metaphysics, Epistemology, Aesthetics and Ethics. There are other categories like politics, philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language, philosophy of religion etc
Hegel and Philosophy.
According to Hegel philosophic spirit is the final and complete form of Absolute spirit. Here the truth is realized in thought and as free mind. Here the mind abandon the representational form of religion and becomes rational form. This is through philosophic spirit. The content of religion and philosophy is same but the container different In religion it is imagination and representation while in philosophy this is reason. philosophic truth is religious truth in the form of concept. It is realized truth. Here absolute spirit becomes perfect .Philosophy is the self development of the idea through history. The history of philosophy and individual philosophers are also stages in the development of Absolute idea as Absolute Spirit. According to Hegel the succession of philosophical systems corresponds to succession of logical categories in logic. They represent different categories.eg: Parmenides being, Heraclitus becoming etc. This culminate in Absolute idealism of Hegel as Absolute philosophic spirit
A: Continental Philosophy.
Continental philosophy is used in opposition to analytic philosophy. .This term is used by the English philosophers to describe philosophies like German Idealism, Phenomenology, Existentialism, Structuralism etc. It is broadly rest on the Kantian theory that Knowledge and experience have an a priori element.
There are some common features in all continental philosophy. First it reject Scientism-the view that natural science is the only correct method to understand life and world. They argue in an a priori element in experience beyond natural science. Secondly continental philosophers believe in Historicism .Unlike analytic philosophers who think philosophic truths are objective and independent like natural science they say philosophy is influenced by history , context. culture etc. Thirdly according to continental philosophy as experience is dependent on history, culture etc so conscious human action can also change the experience. So they see unity in theory and practice and their philosophy is concerned with personal ,moral and political transformation. Another trend in continental philosophy is emphasis on meta philosophy. Due to the success of natural sciences they redefine the nature and method of philosophy. German idealism and phenomenology hold the traditional view that philosophy is still the foundational a priori science .Others say that philosophy seek cultural or practical knowledge. Some others disagree with any traditional view of philosophy.
B: Analytic Philosophy
Analytic Philosophy is opposed to continental philosophy and become widespread in 20th century among English philosophers. Analytic philosophy stress on clarity and argument and believe in natural sciences for revealing knowledge and uses the method of formal logic and analysis of language.
The main features of Analytical Philosophy are first of all unlike the traditional view of philosophy as the highest science Analytic philosophy like positivism says that there is no specific philosophic truth and the aim of philosophy is only logical clarification of thought. So according to them philosophic knowledge is like natural science or subordinated to it. These logical clarification of thought is possible only by analysis of the logical form of philosophical propositions. Logical form of a proposition is by formal grammar and symbolism of logical system representing it to show it’s similarity with other proportion of same type. Analytical philosophers reject grand theory of philosophical systems and instead advocate common sense and ordinary language.
Most of the Analytical philosophers held the view that truth of logic and mathematics are tautologies .So according to them logic, mathematics and verifiable empirical date were the only way for meaningful judgments and every thing else like ethics and theology are nonsense.
As explained earlier they provide logical clarification of thought by an analysis of the language used. This Is by formalism and natural language. Formalism try to understand language and through this the philosophical problem by forma logic. This is by formalizing the way philosophical statement made. They also try to understand philosophy by close examination of natural language used to express it by emphasizing on using common sense.
Some argue that language is the only tool for philosopher. Philosophy consists in showing how language can be used. When language is used clearly philosophical problems automatically dissolves. This is called Quietism.
Analysis:
The view of the continental philosophers like knowledge having apriori element and also influenced by history, culture etc is nearer to truth than analytic view. The view that conscious human action can change the experience hence the unity of theory and practice is also more nearer to reality. We have seen that spiritual knowledge,soul knowledge and subtle material knowledge are all apriori knowledge. Even though this knowledge begins with experience these are not derived from experience. We have also seen that Absolute Spirit is a becoming thrugh history. So it is also true that Knowledge is modified by history, culture etc. We have also seen that the lower astral world (finite imaginal world) is constantly undergoing changes when there is conscious human activity in the material plane. This in turn ascend to the higher astral world and then descend to lower astral world and then to material world ,thus further changing the activity.
Chapter: 4: Metaphysics:
What we mean here by Metaphysics is the nature of ultimate
reality. The various doctrines can be classified in to monism, dualism and
pluralism
Some of the main issues discussed in metaphysics are
1-Mind and Matter. This involves nature of matter and mind and the relation ship between them. .The main theories are monism, dualism and pluralism.
2-Universals and particulars. Universals are common things like humanity, plants etc .Particular are individual objects having many universal as their predicates or attributes or properties.. Now what is the nature of particular object and it’s properties. According to some universals are abstract objects having some relation with particular objects while others maintain that particular object is only a collection of universals.
3-Identity and Change .Those theory which support some form of identity or permanence in tings are called Endurantism and those theory which ado vacate change is called perduranticism.
4-Cosmology and Cosmogony.-Cosmology deals with the whole world and cosmogony deals with the origin of the universe. It asks question about origin, cause, nature and whether it is necessary and reason for it’s existence .Whether world has a purpose for it’s existence etc..
4-Detrminism and Free Will.
A. Monism:
Monism is the view that there is only one single eternal substance underlying all manifestations. Every thing is the expression of one single reality.
Monism is broadly divided into idealistic monism, materialistic monism and neutral monism.
i. Ideal Monism:
Idealism in general is the doctrine that mind or spirit is primary and matter is secondary. Ideal monism believes in a spiritual or mental essence behind all manifestations.
Ideal monism is further subdivided into absolute monism and qualified monism.
a. Absolute monism:
According to absolute monism all that exist is one spirit or mind. What we call matter is either mental projection or some form of spirit or mind itself.
Hegel , Sankara and Ibn Arabi are proponents of absolute monism.
b. Qualified Monism:
According to qualified monism also there is only one spirit or mind behind all manifestation but manifestation is a different state and different entity. Here the relation is between the essence and its attribute. The proponents of qualified monism are Plato, Ramanuja and Suhudiya Sufis.
ii. Material Monism:
According to materialism the prime reality is matter. This is further subdivided in to dialectical materialism and mechanistic materialism.
a. Mechanistic
materialism:
Proponents of this materialism reduce mind into matter and life and thought into motion of atoms. Main exponents are Democritus, Thomas Hobbes, etc.
b. Dialectical
materialism:
According to this also matter is the prime reality and mind is a property of matter. Mind is the highest product of matter and qualitatively different from matter. Once evolved mind cannot be reduced to matter. This is the doctrine of Marxism.
iii. Neutral Monism:
There is a third type of monism, which is neither ideal nor material. According to this the ultimate essence is neutral. Neutral monism, identity theory and dual aspect theory represent this type of doctrine.
a. Neutral Monism:
This was expounded by William James and Russell. According to this spirit and matter or rather mind and body is one in its internal nature.It says reality is a single substance, which is neither mental nor physical, but is capable of mental and physical aspects or attributes. The difference is due to the different arrangement of a neutral substance. This neutral substance is not one entity but different entity like ideas and experiences but of same fundamental kind.
b. Identity theory:
This is a materialistic theory which state being in a certain state of consciousness and being in a corresponding neuro physical state is same. Mentalistic or physicalistic term describe the same event. But unlike behaviorism it says statement of mental events not synonymous or analysible into physical events or state.
c. Dual aspect theory
This states the basic essence is neutral and from one aspect it is mental and from another aspect physical. This is what Spinoza says as Thought and Extension are one and the same looked from different angles.
B. Dualism:
According to dualism there are two eternal substances. One is consciousness and the other is matter. Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Madhava and Ijadiya Sufis were dualists.
C. Pluralism:
Pluralism is not about the basic essence or type of reality, but the substances and attributes in manifestations. According to pluralism there are multiple substances. Democritus believed in a variety of atoms. Leibniz believed in the plurality of monads. Madhava believed every Jivatman or human spirit is different.
Analysis:
According to our view Absolute Monism is the correct view. We have seen that the nature of Absolute is Thought. Being is only the form of thought. So being is thought itself. Thought always has the form of being either as Energy or as Matter. so there is no Thought without being and no Being without Thought. The view of qualified monism of attributes as something different from essence-but predicates are in reality Absolute subject himself and the only reality is the Subject abstract or negate from everything so that he is the subject and the other his predicates. The view of pluralism is from the plane of Absolute Spirit. This is the plane of multiple essences or spirits. The Real is not neutral as neutral monism says .It is Thought-nothing but Thought-Being either as Energy or Matter has no reality of their own -They depend on thought for their reality. At the second logos or Absolute spirit as Wahdat (Unity) there is internal distinction of self and non self or subject and predicates. This is the stage of dualism. At third logos-Absolute as Creative spirit exists as multiple essences or spirits so this is the stage of pluralism. We have told earlier that Predicates or attributes are not entirely different from the essence or Subject but essence or subject itself that in this state manifest as essence and attributes or subject and predicates. Similarly the second spiritual plane of Absolute spirit as multiple spirits and the third plane of Absolute World with multiple beings are also the same Absolute Subject descending in his knowledge. Against materialism we told earlier that all material manifestation is the active imagination of the Absolute Subject. In this sense matter is a form of consciousness. About universals and particulars. What is known as universals are the principal predicates or principal names or principal spirits in the plane of Absolute spirit. What we mean by particular is either individual spirits like human spirits or beings without individual spirit like one among species like particular plant or animal. Now universal either as principal spirits or as representing species have individual existence. Now particulars like human spirits which are the synthesis of all the principal predicates also have individual soul but particulars like animals, plants, minerals have no individual soul but they are the expressions of their universal soul.. About Cosmology-we have seen that Absolute world begins with rado wave. Both space and Time or space-time is this radiowave. Space as abstract object and time as abstract subject. Now all these stages such as first logos, second logos and third logos and manifestations are only a logical succession. In reality the ultimate is single essence and multiple essence at the same time. It is neutral, mental or material at the same time. Reality is nothing and every thing at the same time. Ultimately all differences are due to different point of view.
Chapter.5: Philosophy of Mind.
Philosophy of Mind is a branch of Metaphysics. What we mean by philosophy of Mind is the science of final and real nature of consciousness. The term consciousness we use in two different meaning. One is contrasting with matter and the other is contrasting with human body. In the second sense it is identical with human mind.
We have seen that the nature of Absolute Subject is Thought. In the first plane in its immediacy Absolute Subject is as knower or Thinker is same as Being.. But in mediation as Absolute Spirit when Being becomes an Object to himself the same Being which is Thought as Thinker becomes a predicate of the Subject. In this second plane as Absolute Spirit there are two aspects. The internal aspect or the essence of the Spirit is Thought as Knowledge but the external aspect or the Spirit's Being -Existence is Thought in the form of essence of energy or passive energy. We have also seen that in both soul and material world the souls and beings have an internal thought and external material nature and the external material nature is nothing but the form of this very same thought.
Now when we comes to the Human being we have seen that he simultaneously exist in all the four planes-spiritual plane, soul plane, subtle material plane, gross material plane even though he may be focusing only in one of his planes. So in what ever plane he is focusing we have seen that for that plane there is an internal subjective or thought aspect (mind) and correspondingly an external material aspect (body) which is the from of the same thought or mind. So there is no mind without body and no body without mind. but usually when we say body we mean the physical body alone. so in this sense mind means spirit with it's two bodies, causal (soul) body and subtle body.
Some of the probems dealed in philosophy of Mind are Mind -Body relation, Mental causation, Self and Free Will.
A-Mind-body relation
a:Idealistic Monism.
This is theory held by idealists like Hegel, IbnArabi and Sankara. According to this view there is only Mind and Body is a form of this Mind.
b:Materialistic Monism.
This is also called Physicalism.There are two types of physicalism-reductive and non reductive physicalism.
i-Reductive Physicalism:
According to this all menal states can be ultimately explained by scientific explanation of physiological states.These are behaviourism,identity theory and functionalism.
1) Behaviourism:
According to logical behaviorism all psychical function can be defined in terms of behavior. Every thing can be reduced to stimulus, response &reflexes. According to them unverifiable statements of inner mental life is senseless. Mental states are just descriptions of behavior
2-Identity Theory.
According o them mental states are material and identical to internal states of brain.
3-Functionalism.
Here mental states are analyzed in terms of non mental functional properties.
ii-Non Reductive Physicalism:
According to this mental state cannot be reduced to behavior, brain states or functional states.One main theory is Anomalous Monism
1-Anomalous Monism
According to this mental states supervene on physical states but cannot be reduced to them. This is a form of functional dependence and there will be no mental changes without changes in the physical.
Elimative materialism.
This is an extreme form of materialistic monism.They say mental states are fiction introduced by folk psycholgy.
c:Neutral Monism:
There are some monistic and neutral theory like neutral monism, identity theory and double aspect theory. We had discussed their view elsewhere. According to Spinoza also mind and body are two aspects of one substance. Thinking mode and extended mode are two attributes of one substance.
a:Idealistic Dualism:These are Internationalism, parallelism and occasionalism.
i) Interactionalism:
According to Descartes mind and body are two separate and independent things some how mysteriously connected through the pineal gland. The theory of interactionalism, which is derived from this, states physical events cause mental events and vice versa.
ii) Psychophysical
parallelism:
Leibniz also believed in the independence of mind and body. According to him there is no interaction but both are acting and working by pre established harmony. Theory of psychophysical parallelism, which is, derived from this states that physical and psychic events occur separate and parallel to each other. There is causal relation between psychic and psychic and between physical and physical only.
iii) Occasionalism
According to this theory the sole agent of causal relation between mind and body is God. Our will is only occasional and there is direct intervention of God and there is divine act in every causality.
Materialistic theories are behaviourism and epiphenomenon.
b:Materialistic Dualism: These are Ephphenomenon and property dualism.
i) Epiphenomenon:
According to this theory mental states are not the cause of physical changes but they are the effect.
ii)Property Dualism:
This is a form of emergent materialism. According to this Mind is not a separate substance. When matter is organised in special way mental faculties emerge from the brain. These are independent properties and cannott be reduced to the brain.
B-Mental Caustion.
This is the problems of whether Mind is responsible for initiating changes in the physical body or influence the physical in any way. There are both idealistic and materialistic theories.
According to idealism Mind can influence and initiate changes in physical body
Materialisitic Theories:
a::Epiphenomenon:
According to Epiphenomenon mental events are caused by physical events and they have no power to cause physical or other mental event.
b:Mental Realism:
According to this mental causation is possible and there must be laws connecting mental to physical.
c: Anomalous Monism:
According to this mental events cause physical events due to property causation. Mental events are causes and effects of physic events This means mental event has a physical property such that an appropriate law connects this property with the property of the physical event. Here it is not clear how these mental properties can be causally efficacious properties. Two theories which deals with this problem is
1-The counterfactual account
According to this theory mental events due to mental property can cause physical events because sometimes appropriate psychophysical counterfactuals are true..
2-Supervenience account:
According to this mental properties supervenient on physical properties .So a mental which is supervenient on one physical base can be a supervenient cause for another physical event.
C-Self.
According to idealists self is an eternal and immutable substance having independent existence. But from the physicalist point of view there is no such self.
D-Determinsm and Free Will
According to materialistic determinists as mental state and will are material human behaviour is completely determined by natural laws.. Some extend this further and says man cannot decide what he want or what he do so he is not free. According to compatibilists like David Hume freedom is not indetermination. A free act is that where one can act otherwise if he choose so and in this sense one is free even if determination is true. According to incompatibilists like Kant the course of the world and especially will is not completely determined by natural laws so will is potentially free.
Hegel and Philosophy of Mind
According to Hegel Mind is the truth of nature. It’s formal essence is freedom-extracting itself from everything else. It’s material essence is manifesting as mind-as conscious rationality-intellectual universe as it’s kingdom and building a structure of objective rationality.In mind the subject and object of the idea are one. Essential feature of mind is freedom when considered in it’s abstract self contained negativity. In order to know itself explicitly as free it must pass through certain stages of development.Mind undergo development through history to become explicit what it is implicitly.Development through 3 stages.1-Subjective Mind. In the form of self relation. subdivisions are a-soul-.This is mind in it’s immediacy as spirit in nature. (with further division of i-physical soul ii-feeling soul ii-actual soul). b-consciousness-mediated mind. This as identical reflection into it self and to other things. Mind in correlation. (subdivisions are i- consciousness proper ii-self consciousness iii- reason) c-Mind-mind defining itself in itself as an independent object. (sub divisions are i-theoretical mind ii-practical mind iii-free mind.)-2-Objective Mind. In the form of reality. World produced and to be produced by the mind. Here freedom is as necessity. sub divisions are a-Law (subdivison i-property ii contract iii-right vs wrong) b-morality of conscience (subdivision of i-purpose ii-intention and welfare iii-goodness and wickedness).c-social ethics (subdivision i-family ii civil society iii state).. Subjective and objective mind are finite mind. finite here means disproportion between concept and reality. 3-Absolute Mind-This is unity of subjective and objective mind. As ideality and concept. Mind in it’s absolute truth.-sub divisions are a-art b-revealed religions c-philosophy
What we have already explained is human being is not a single thing but different planes in a unity. There is spiritual plane at the base or as foundation and then soul plane, subtle plane and gross plane. Further we have seen that each plane has an internal thought aspect and an external physical or material aspect Which is nothing but the forms of these thought. So each exist through other and one cannot exist without other. So Mind and body is one and the same thing looked through different angles or more corretly body is Mind itself or form of the Mind. But commonly we use the word Body only for the gross material plane and Mind for all other planes combined-spiritual, Soul, Subtle planes. Here it is correct to say Mind is independent of Body as the planes changed and this Mind exist even after the annihilation of the body as after death.
The view of Idealistic Monism is nearer to truth. We have seen that material body is only one of the or third gross body of the spirit. Now the nature of this material body also is thought. Thought in the form of gross matter. So there is only mind, no matter.
About mental causation these monistic and neutral theories come nearer to reality. As we explained what we call mind is human spirit with two of it's bodies both causal (soul) and subtle body Now the real cause is the spiritual plane. So both causal ,subtle and material bodies are different expression of the same spirit. Their nature depends on the nature of the Spirit. When the essential nature changes there is change in all the bodies. So soul, subtle and material body are not depending on each other but both depends on the human essence or spirit. So not only the material body but even the subtle and soul bodies are the effects. But the cause first descend into soul plane from spiritual plane, then to higher astral plane and lower astral plane. then to material plane.. But as we explained earlier conscious action in the material plane becomes a cause in the lower astral plane and then higher astral plane .This again descends into lower astral plane and effect the material plane.
We told earlier that when passionate nature dominates the essence or spirit self identify as passionate self, there is sensory knowledge in mental existence, desire on astral existence, and sense gratifying physical activity. The body cannot act or has no power unless the human spirit acts through it. Nay, the body is the mere expression of the spirit. So the view that body or repeated physical activity influence or change mind or character is wrong. The repeated physical activity itself is a result of change in essential nature.
Like this when by contemplation rational nature dominate the human spirit or essence Self identify with reason, produce rational knowledge in thought or mental existence, will in astral existence and will regulated activity in physical body. Here also the view that soul and subtle body influence body or physical activity is wrong. Here also it is the change in essential (spiritual ) nature, which is responsible for both reason and action.
About Self-Philosophers use self for different things. If by self we mean human spirit in the spiritual plane we know that it is eternal. Even during universal dissolution when spiritual plane is dissolved spirits exists in seed form in Absolute Subject so that at the beginning of next cycle of manifestation it will come out and form the plane of Absolute Spirit. Some mean by self the human soul. As we have explained already this is the spirit with it's first body (causal) . Now the spirit during manifestation always have either one or all of the bodies. This bodies are responsible for individual existence. The spirits depends on the bodies for individual existence and external manifestation and the bodies depends on their spirit for their reality. In fact each depends on the other and one cannot exist without the other .So the human soul is also eternal. The fate of subtle and material body is different. As we explained these are not eternal.
About determinism and free will-We have seen that every human spirit is unique and special having a specific nature. we cannot change our nature. In this sense there is determinism. But the spirit is only full of potentialities. The actualisation and perfection of our nature depends on conscious activities as we have explained. In this sense there is free will
Chapter 6. Ontology:
Ontology is a basic branch of Metaphysics. What we mean by ontology is the real and final nature and also basic categories of Being and Existence.Ontology is concerned with the nature of the knowable things. Some says all noun refers to beings while others contend that some nouns only refer to collection of objects or events .According to this mind is a collection of mental events and society a collection of persons.
Ontology is concerned with the nature of existence, physical object, nature of predicates, attributes or properties: In science of logic and logic Hegel says about non being that it is same as pure being which is also without any content. The unity of this-pure being and non being is becoming. According to Heraclitus becoming is the reality of the world. According to Hegel also becoming is the category of development. Both life and mind are later becoming of Being. In Fusus Ibn Arabi says Becoming is only due to Being's love of perfection. The world is the love of perfection of the Absolute in Becoming and relative Knowledge.
We have seen that according to idealists matter is only an idea and according to materialists matter is real and objective reality, independent of any mind. According to Kant time and space are not objective realities but subjective apriori innate ideas. According to Kasmir saivism time and space are limitation of Siva and Sakti tattwa due to Maya sakti but they are objective and real. In vaisesika time and space and matter are seven of the nine eternal realities. According to Samkhya matter is evolved but in Vaisesika and Jainism they are eternal.
Analysis:
We have seen that in the first plane as Absolute Subject Thought is as Being.. We have also seen that when this Being or Subject or Ego becomes an object to himself in the second plane the same Being becomes a predicate of the subjective being. So being is Thought itself and only the form of thought. We have also seen that all the planes are the descends of this same Absolute in knowledge .so the various forms of beings are spiritual being, soul being, mental being, imaginal being and material being. All these are Thought, various forms of Thought.
Chapter 7: Epistemology
Second problem is how knowledge acquired. One of the problem here is one justification for belief depends on other belief and this will lead to infinite regress. Solution to this regress include infinitsm, foundationalism, coherentism etc.
Rationalists say the primary source of knowledge or necessary and general character of knowledge is derived from reason while empiricists say they are derived from experience.
According to Kant knowledge is limited to experience but besides experience derived from apriori innate ideas like space, time, causation and concepts and category.
One of the problem with knowledge is whether our knowledge of objects corresponds with the external objects. Idealists of the opinion that there is no objects external to the mind. Realists argue that there are objects independent of our mind and our knowledge corresponds with the nature of objects. Kant agrees about the independence of objects but argues that apart from our knowledge the thing in themselves are unknowable.
Analysis:
We have told earlier that the cause of knowledge or knowledge is stimulated by experience as empiricists say but the source is the essences in the human spirit. Discursive thought is concept about these essences.The scope of our knowledge is limited to experience according to Kant and empiricists. As we told earlier we can have knowledge of not only material and astral essences but also mental and spiritual essences. There are so many supra sensual knowledge like moral sense, aesthetic sense, subtle emotions, philosophical and mathematical or logical knowledge, concepts, causation, category which cannot be reduced to experience. There are rational and spiritual elements in this type of knowledge. Above all this one can have spiritual knowledge about one’s own essence. At self realisation there is perfect and complete knowledge of one’s spirit.
Kant is right in saying that we can have only knowledge of objects as phenomena or noumenon means by appearances or by rational concept. The Dingansich (the thing in themselves) are unknowable. Even after self realisation only our own essence is perfectly revealed to us. Other beings as things in themselves always remain unknowable. As our own essence is a synthesis of all essences we can have relative knowledge about other essences only as much as our self reveal them. This ultimately depends on the grade of our spirit in the hierarchy of beings.
As we explained earlier in the spiritual plane the human spirits are only potentiality as they have no external or individual existence. Human Soul is only the individual and external existence of these spirit in the soul plane or this is causal body of the spirit.. Now Knowledge or experience starts only when this individual human soul is connected with a specific sperm. When connected then this soul is the controller or director of this sperm and is called the mineral soul. Like this in the womb this appear as the growing soul or plant soul. Up to adolescence Animal soul .At adult there is full development of human soul. Now all these developments are due to the subtle body of the spirit. All the faculties of knowledge are attached to these subtle cover (subtle material body). Now we receiver knowledge with the faculties of the subtle body when they are in contact with the corresponding subtle pane. Like this only the perfected human soul can have contact wth the soul plane and derive knowledge. So the development of these faculties and transmission of knowledge through these faculties to the soul depends on the connection with the body and the experiences gained from it.
It is true that we cannot have knowledge of objects independent of our mind. But our knowledge corresponds with the nature of the objects this is because human spirit is a synthesis of all the essences so his knowledge of himself reveal also the nature of objects. This is what Heidegger says Man as Being in the World. Though every spirit is unique so complete knowledge of other is impossible our knowledge of them is not illusion but corresponds to their real nature.
Chapter 8: Philosophy of Religion.
Philosophy of religion is a branch of Metaphysics. It is philosophical study of religious problems like nature and existence of God, prayer, miracles Evil and Good and relation between religion and science, ethics etc. Philosophy of religion asks whether there is reason to think in God’s existence. It examines the epistemological, logical, aesthetic and ethical foundations inherent in claims of religions. Other topics of concern are nature and rational of miracles, prayer, relation between faith and reason, morals and religion, status of religious language etc..
About the nature and essence of God there are three views.
1- Monotheism.
Abrahamic religions (Judaism,Crstianity,Islam) believes in one God. or Monotheism. The principle predicates of God are Omnipresence (All pervading), Omniscience (All knowing), Omnipotence (All powerful) and Omnibenevelonce (Al goodness). Monism believes that there is only one essence or substance behind everything...In Deism God is like a watch maker who wound up the universe and does not interfere in day to day activities In Theism God is always active in world affairs.
2-Polytheism-
In polytheistic religion there are many gods. This vary from two in Zoroastrianism to many in Hinduism.Polytheism believe in different gods but as manifestation of one God.
3-Pantheism-
According to pantheism God is itself the universe. But all pantheists agree that God is more than the world. The famous pantheists are Spinoza, Ibn Arabi and Shankara
To the question concerning the Existence or non existence of God there are four major positions.1-Theism-belief in god based on faith.2-Deism –belife in god based on reason or common sence.3-Agnosticism-Belife that existence or non existence of god unknowable.4-Atheism-Not believing in God.
Hegel and Philosophy of Religion
Man is unable to give ideal an adequate material form so religion springs from art. Art is idea for intuition while religion idea for representation. Primitive art are religious in nature and natural religions are artistic in nature. Idolatry is the link between art and religion. Religion become conscious and part from art by denying idols. This is seen in Judaism. Bible condemns idolatry because it recognizes man’s inability to express the infinite by matter. Though it forbids from picturing the invisible it does not prevent from picturing it ourselves-it does not prevent imagination. This is because religion is representation. Art represents the infinite in intuition, but the religion represents it to itself as a personal and extra mundane being..So anthropomorphism is it’s characteristic feature. In religion unlike art the finite and infinite are disjointed. it is dualism. but it separates the two in order to unite them. The essential elements of religious idea is :infinite God, finite man and their relation and seek their union. This prevail in the history of religion.
In natural religion of orient the idea of infinity predominates. it is pantheism. This is acosmism Here god is power of nature ,infinite and everything and man is finite and nothing. Hinduism shows this character. Here the act of creation and the will of sustenance come from god .man has neither will nor liberty. Higher idea of god is seen in religions of spiritual individuality. Here god is looked upon as subject. Exalted subjectivity ,wise and powerful as in sublime religion of Judaism, or Greek religion of beauty where there is union of divine and human. God with finite and form and related to earth. Here religion is art and art the worship of humanity or as an absolute end of state as in religion of understanding of Romans These two extremes are united in Christian religion. Here God is neither the abstract Father nor man in the abstract but the concrete unity of divine and human in Jesus. The god Jesus revealed to us is neither infinite like oriental nor finite like Greek but who is both god and man the god-man. Here heaven and earth meet because God comes down and live an earthy life then dies and rising from dead enter his glory. Christianity to other religion is like poetry to other arts. It includes and purifies and complete them it is the synthesis of all religions. The Absolute religion.
The defect of religion is it is in the form of representation. Here three stages of development of reason-idea nature and mind represented as three persons-Trinity.. The union of infinite and finite in human consciousness happening through out history represented as only once happened in Palestine long ago. In religion this dogma is imposed as external authority and not experienced as free realization
Analysis:
According to our view Pantheism is the correct view. The world is nothing but God in manifested aspect and as he has a transcendental aspect he is more than this world. When speaking about the merit of revealed religions Hegel is silent about the religion succeeding Christianity-Islam. Where he criticizes Islam he says like Judaism The God of Islam is as essence and not as subject.
Let us look at the facts. Even a casual reading of Quran will shows that the God of Islam is an Absolute Subject. The definition of God is most perfect in Islam. As Ibn Arabi shows one Ayat (sentence) in Quran describing God is "Nothing is like Him. He is the Hearing, Seeing." This single sentence covers both the transcendental (first part) and immanent aspect (second part) of God. Throughout Quran God is described as an Absolute subject with predicates like knowledge, will, power, compassion etc. He is described as a living god who is not indifferent to man but communicate himself to his devotees through revelation, speech, vision and other forms .Now about Man. Man is not insignificant and impotent in Islam. He is the image of God which means e is the only one which contains all the attributes of God. He is the representative of God upon earth and he is capable of raising spiritually above angels and union with God.
Chapter 9: Logic
Logic is a branch of Philosophy. Logic is the study of the principles and criteria of valid inference and demonstration. Logic is mainly concerned with the correctness of argument. and is used in dialectics It