بخش 106 - رفتن پسران سلطان به حکم آنک الانسان حریص علی ما منع ما بندگی خویش نمودیم ولیکن خوی بد تو بنده ندانست خریدن به سوی آن قلعهٔ ممنوع عنه آن همه وصیت‌ها و اندرزهای پدر را زیر پا نهادند تا در چاه بلا افتادند و می‌گفتند ایشان را نفوس لوامه الم یاتکم نذیر ایشان می‌گفتند گریان و پشیمان لوکنا نسمع او نعقل ماکنا فی اصحاب السعیر

This discourse hath no end. The party (of travellers) took their way to seek that castle.

They approached the tree of the forbidden fruit, they went forth from the file of the sincere.

Since they were made more ardent by their father's prohibition and veto, they raised their heads (rebelliously) towards that fortress.

In spite of the orders of the elect King (they advanced) to the fortress which is the destroyer of self-restraint and the robber of rationality.

Turning their backs on the (bright) day, they came in the dark night in defiance of counsel-bestowing Reason

Into the beautiful fortress adorned with pictures, (which had) five gates to the sea and five to the land—

Five of those (gates), like the (external) senses, facing towards colour and perfume (the material world); five of them, like the interior senses, seeking the (world of) mystery.

By those thousands of pictures and designs and decorations they (the princes) were made mightily restless (so that they wandered) to and fro (in amazement).

Do not be intoxicated with these cups, which are (phenomenal) forms, lest thou become a carver of idols and an idolater.

Abandon the cups, namely, the (phenomenal) forms: do not tarry! There is wine in the cup, but it is not (derived) from the cup.

Open thy mouth wide to the Giver of the wine: when the wine comes, the cup will not be lacking.

(God said), “O Adam, seek My heart-enthralling Reality: take leave of the husk and (outward) form of the (forbidden) wheat.”

Since sand was turned into flour for the Friend (Abraham), know that the wheat is deposed from its office, O noble one.

Form is brought into existence by the Formless, just as smoke is produced by a fire.

The least blemish in the qualities of that which is endowed with form becomes annoying when you regard it continually;

(But) Formlessness throws you into absolute bewilderment: from non-instrumentality a hundred kinds of instruments are born.

Handlessness is weaving (fashioning) hands: the Soul of the soul makes a (fully) formed Man.

’Tis like as (when) from separation and union diverse fancies are woven (conceived) in the heart.

Does this cause ever resemble its effect? Does the cry (of pain) and lamentation ever resemble the loss (that caused it)?

The lamentation has a form, the loss is formless: they (the losers) gnaw their hands on account of a loss that has no hand.

This comparison, O seeker of guidance, does not fit (the case), (but) ’tis the best effort a poor man can make to explain it.

The formless working (of God) sows (the seed of) a form (idea), (whence) there grows up a body endowed with senses and a (rational) faculty,

So that the form (idea), whatever it be, according to its own nature brings the body into (a state of) good or evil.

If it be a form (idea) of beneficence, it (the body) turns to thanksgiving; if it be a form of deferment, it (the body) becomes patient;

If it be a form of mercy, it (the body) becomes flourishing; if it be a form of repulse, it (the body) becomes full of moans;

If it be the form of a city, it (the body) takes a journey (thither); if it be the form of an arrow, it (the body) takes a shield (in defence);

If it be the form of fair ones, it (the body) indulges in enjoyment; if it be a form of the unseen world, it (the body) practises religious seclusion.

The form of want leads (the body) to earn (the means of livelihood); the form of strength of arm leads (the body) to seize (the property of others) by force.

These (ideas) are boundless and immeasurable (in number): the motive to action (arises) from various sorts of (such) phantasy.

All the infinite ways of life and (all) the crafts are the shadow (reflexion) of the form of thoughts.

(For example, when) happy folk (are) standing on the edge of a roof, observe the shadow of each one on the ground.

The form of thought is on the lofty roof (of the spirit), while the (resultant) action appears, like a shadow, on the pillars (bodily limbs).

The action is (manifested) on the pillars, while the thought (that produces it) is concealed; but the two are combined in the correlation of cause and effect.

The forms (ideas) that arise at a banquet from the festive cup have as their result unconsciousness and senselessness.

The forms (ideas) of man and woman and (amorous) sport and sexual intercourse—hinc nascitur perturbatio animi in coitu.

The (material) form of bread and salt, which is a benefit (conferred by God), has as its result (bodily) strength, which is formless.

On the battle-field the (material) form of sword and shield has as its result a formless thing, i.e. victory.

(Attendance at) college and learning and the (various) forms thereof are (all) done with, as soon as they have reached (their goal, namely) knowledge.

Since these forms are the slaves of the Formless, why, then, are they denying their Benefactor?

These forms have their existence from the Formless: what means, then, their denial of Him who brought them into existence?

His (the sceptic's) disbelief is really manifested by Him: in truth this act of his is naught but a reflexion.

Know that the form of the walls and roof of every dwelling-place is a shadow (reflexion) of the thought of the architect,

Even though in the seat of his thought there is no visible (material) stone and wood and brick.

Assuredly the Absolute Agent is formless: form is as a tool in His hand.

Sometimes the Formless One graciously shows His face to the forms from the concealment (veil) of non- existence,

In order that every form may thereby be replenished with some perfection and beauty and power.

When, again, the Formless One has hidden His face, they come to beg in (the realm of) colour and perfume.

If one form seek perfection from another form, ’tis the quintessence of error.

Why, then, O worthless man, are you submitting your need to another needy (creature)?

Inasmuch as (all) forms are slaves (to God), do not say or deem that form is applicable to God: do not seek Him by tashbíh (likening Him to His creatures).

Seek (Him) in self-abasement and in self-extinction, for nothing but forms is produced by thinking.

And if you derive no advantage (comfort) except from form, (then) the form that comes to birth within you involuntarily is the best.

(Suppose it is) the form of a city to which you are going: you are drawn (thither) by a formless feeling of pleasure, O dependent one;

Therefore you are really going to that which has no locality, for pleasure is (something) different from place and time.

(Suppose it is) the form of a friend to whom you would go: you are going for the sake of enjoying his society;

Therefore in reality you go to the formless (world), though you are unaware of that (being the) object (of your journey).

In truth, then, God is worshipped by all, since (all) wayfaring is for the sake of the pleasure (of which He is the source).

But some have set their face towards the tail and have lost the Head, although the Head is the principal;

But (nevertheless) that Head is bestowing on these lost and erring ones the bounty proper to Headship by way of the tail.

That one obtains the bounty from the Head, this one from the tail; another company (of mystics) have lost (both) foot and head.

Since all has been lost, they have gained all: through dwindling away (to naught) they have sped towards the Whole.