Tasawwuf: Metaphysics - Murshid Sam's Living Stream
Tasawwuf: Metaphysics - Murshid Sam's Living Stream
Tasawwuf: Metaphysics - Murshid Sam's Living Stream
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<strong>Tasawwuf</strong>: <strong>Metaphysics</strong>—Gatha with Commentary Series I<br />
Toward the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty,<br />
the Only Being, United with All the Illuminated Souls<br />
Who Form the Embodiment of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance.<br />
Gatha with Commentary Series I: Number 2<br />
Faith<br />
GATHA: Faith can be defined by two words, “self-confidence” and “certainty in expectation.” Faith<br />
in no way signifies certainty without expectation, nor confidence with evidence.<br />
TASAWWUF: There is a certain amount of consideration of this subject in the sacred books of many<br />
religions, which also are sometimes called “faiths.” But in translations from one language to another,<br />
sometimes words are used which do not mean exactly the same and this causes a confusion<br />
and when there is not an exact relationship between words and psychological states, or experiences,<br />
sometimes a certain mood, which is not always a correct one, is substituted for the original one. That<br />
is why some religionists hold that their Scriptures cannot be translated.<br />
For instance the Greek “pistis” and the Hebrew “amunah” indicate heart-states in which the mind<br />
is not involved; while the Latin “credo” is rather a blind mental and emotional states The Greek-Hebrew<br />
terms may surpass the mind and be supermental, and the Latin and European words may be<br />
submental. The effect is that in some places faith means an awakening of consciousness to a higher<br />
level and in other places it means the stilling of the consciousness and what might even be called<br />
“brainwashing.”<br />
GATHA: All things in life are appointed from eternity for a certain time; every experience and every<br />
knowledge comes in its own time. No doubt in this free will plays a certain part, as destiny plays a<br />
great part.<br />
TASAWWUF: The sage, King Solomon, has said, “There is a time for all things.” And this would<br />
indicate that there is law in the universe, perhaps much like karma which establishes action and reaction,<br />
and destiny. If this were all there could hardly be progress, but rather it would mean deterioration<br />
and not rebuilding.<br />
If we examine the Indian point of view, God is both creator-builder and destroyer. This means there<br />
is an essence of rebuilding at all times. And this is because there is a movement which may be called<br />
Will. Will in one sense is an interposition in the universe and it reaches its acme in man, who acts<br />
both in his own right and also as the intermediary for Providence, or God.<br />
GATHA: We make our road in life by our expectations. Things that we have not attained to we look<br />
forward to, and hope to attain; ideals that we wish to reach we expect to reach some day. And that<br />
which determines our success in attaining our ideal is faith.<br />
TASAWWUF: That is to say Faith is something implanted in the heart of man which urges him forward<br />
in directions both known and unknown. It is not always intelligible. It often gives man a “yes”<br />
or “no.” Optimist and pessimist alike feel some urge and this urge is deeper than the free-will. It<br />
makes possible all the patience, strength, and determination in life.<br />
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