Faith

Ponder these words, O spiritual companion and wayfarer on the path of truth -

"By faith is meant, first,conscious knowledge, and second, the practice of good deeds."

-- Abdu'l Baha

Forgiveness

This was a week of forgiveness and mercy.

Of asking forgiveness from God
Of accepting mistakes
Of apologizing
Of repenting
Of forgiving friends who hadn't kept in touch
Of letting go
Of not holding things against anyone
Of not judging anyone
Of accepting everyone as they are
Of giving the benefit of the doubt
Of being patient with others
Of being forgiving of myself
Of striving for unity and harmony
Of understanding justice and mercy
Of asking for God's grace
Of being thankful for His mercy

This was a week of forgiveness and mercy

True religion

"An essential principle of Bahá’u’lláh’s teaching is that religion must be the cause of unity and love amongst men; that it is the supreme effulgence of Divinity, the stimulus of life, the source of honor and productive of eternal existence. Religion is not intended to arouse enmity and hatred nor to become the source of tyranny and injustice. Should it prove to be the cause of hostility, discord and the alienation of mankind, assuredly the absence of religion would be preferable. Religious teachings are like a course of treatment having for its purpose the cure and healing of mankind. If the only outcome of a course of treatment should be mere diagnosis and fruitless discussion of symptoms, it would be better to abandon and abolish it. In this sense the absence of religion would be at least some progress toward unity.

Furthermore, religion must conform to reason and be in accord with the conclusions of science. For religion, reason and science are realities; therefore, these three, being realities, must conform and be reconciled. A question or principle which is religious in its nature must be sanctioned by science. Science must declare it to be valid, and reason must confirm it in order that it may inspire confidence. If religious teaching, however, be at variance with science and reason, it is unquestionably superstition. The Lord of mankind has bestowed upon us the faculty of reason whereby we may discern the realities of things. How then can man rightfully accept any proposition which is not in conformity with the processes of reason and the principles of science? Assuredly such a course cannot inspire man with confidence and real belief. "

-- Abdu'l Baha

The temporary nature of life

"O SON OF MAN!

Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more."

-- Baha'u'llah

Human nature

A most beautiful passage of Abdu'l Baha's that I just read:

" What are the animals’ propensities? To eat, drink, wander about and sleep. The thoughts, the minds of the animals are confined to these. They are captives in the bonds of these desires. Man becomes a prisoner and slave to them when his ultimate desire is no higher than his welfare in this world of the senses. Consider how difficult for man is the attainment of pleasures and happiness in this mortal world. How easy it is for the animal. Look upon the fields and flowers, prairies, streams, forests and mountains. The grazing animals, the birds of the air, the fishes neither toil nor undergo hardships; they sow not, nor are they concerned about the reaping; they have no anxiety about business or politics—no trouble or worry whatsoever. All the fields and grasses, all the meadows of fruits and grains, all the mountain slopes and streams of salubrious water belong to them. They do not labor for their livelihood and happiness because everything is provided and made possible for them. If the life of man be confined to this physical, material outlook, the animal’s life is a hundred times better, easier and more productive of comfort and contentment. The animal is nobler, more serene and confident because each hour is free from anxiety and worriment; but man, restless and dissatisfied, runs from morn till eve, sailing the seas, diving beneath them in submarines, flying aloft in airplanes, delving into the lowest strata of the earth to obtain 185 his livelihood—all with the greatest difficulty, anxiety and unrest. Therefore, in this respect the animal is nobler, more serene, poised and confident. Consider the birds in the forest and jungle: how they build their nests high in the swaying treetops, build them with the utmost skill and beauty—swinging, rocking in the morning breezes, drinking the pure, sweet water, enjoying the most enchanting views as they fly here and there high overhead, singing joyously—all without labor, free from worry, care and forebodings. If man’s life be confined to the elemental, physical world of enjoyment, one lark is nobler, more admirable than all humanity because its livelihood is prepared, its condition complete, its accomplishment perfect and natural.

But the life of man is not so restricted; it is divine, eternal, not mortal and sensual. For him a spiritual existence and livelihood is prepared and ordained in the divine creative plan. His life is intended to be a life of spiritual enjoyment to which the animal can never attain. This enjoyment depends upon the acquisition of heavenly virtues. The sublimity of man is his attainment of the knowledge of God. The bliss of man is the acquiring of heavenly bestowals, which descend upon him in the outflow of the bounty of God. The happiness of man is in the fragrance of the love of God. This is the highest pinnacle of attainment in the human world. How preferable to the animal and its hopeless kingdom!

Therefore, consider how base a nature it reveals in man that, notwithstanding the favors showered upon him by God, he should lower himself into the animal sphere, be wholly occupied with material needs, attached to this mortal realm, imagining that the greatest happiness is to attain wealth in this world. How purposeless! How debased is such a nature! God has created man in order that he may be a dove of the Kingdom, a heavenly candle, a recipient of eternal life. God has created man in order that he may be resuscitated through the breaths of the Holy Spirit and become the light of the world. How debased the soul which can find enjoyment in this darkness, occupied with itself, the captive of self and passion, wallowing in the mire of the material world! How degraded is such a nature! What an ignorance this is! What a blindness! How glorious the station of man who has partaken of the heavenly food and built the temple of his everlasting residence in the world of heaven! "

Unity in consultation

Unity is really one of the central pillars of the Baha'i teachings, and its importance in this day and age is highly emphasized in many of the writings. Unity of course manifests itself in many situations in different ways - but there is one specific instance that has always puzzled me a little. These words of Abdu'l Baha's are with respect to the process of decision-making when multiple parties are involved in a consultation (such as might occur in the meetings of any organization, company, or institution):

"If they agree on a subject, even though it be wrong, it is better than to disagree and be in the right, for this difference will produce the demolition of the divine foundation. Though one of the parties may be in the right and they disagree that will be the cause of a thousand wrongs, but if they agree and both parties are in the wrong, as it is in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right. "

This statement always seemed a little counter-intuitive to me - for what Abdu'l Baha is saying here is that if ultimately the majority in a group supports a particular decision, even if a minority believes that decision is not for the best, they should go along with it. So does that mean there is no place for dissent? And what does he mean when he says that "in unity the truth will be revealed and the wrong made right"?

I've mulled over this at a various points, but something O said yesterday made me see light on this finally. He pointed out that what Abdu'l Baha probably means is this - during the process of discussion, one should of course express one's opinion, and different (even conflicting) views should be fully heard out. Ultimately things should be put to a vote, and then the majority decision should be implemented. But this implementation should be done in the spirit of unity - those who disagree with it should put their egos aside and wholeheartedly commit themselves to the majority decision. And the reason one should do this is because, if in the future, the decision or project fails, then one can be sure that the problem lies in the idea itself, and not in lack of support from the community or the obstinate actions of opponents. It would then be easy for the group to realize this, and correct the decision, thereby righting the wrong. However when there is disunity, and a portion of the group refuses to act according to the wishes of the majority or stands in opposition, one can never be sure if the project failed because the idea itself was flawed, or whether it was due to everyone not working towards it with full commitment.

Seen in this light, the quote makes much more sense - and also provides a blueprint for our dealings with others in any sort of consultative situation. There are, however (I think), caveats. For example, I believe this principle applies when the decision made by the majority is not unethical or illegal. And so if a group of people decide to go rob a bank, it is incumbent on you, I believe, as a part of the group, to refuse to be party to those actions, for a higher principle is being violated. Any such violation of ethical principles, or of human rights is something people should stand up against. But in all other situations, when it comes to making decisions about the direction an organization should move in, or the particular actions a community should take - and these situations are far more common in our daily lives than those that put us in an ethical dilemma - the group should implement the majority idea in full unanimity.

This expectation of unity in implementation of course comes within the context of an open consultative process of deliberation, as well as conscious and objective evaluation of future outcomes. It would therefore be unfair to have a consultative process where many people's voices are suppressed, and then expect them to follow mutely once the majority vote has been established. The entire process of deliberation should be carried out respectfully, in reverence, with complete absence of prejudice and preconceived ideas, and with an openness to whatever the final decision might be. Likewise, once the decision is made, even though it is implemented unanimously, it is not done so blindly - rather, there should be a constant evaluation of the results over time, and at any stage if a majority of people believe that these results are not for the best, the group should be open to making changes as needed. Unanimity therefore does not imply that people adhere to the decision till the end of all time, come what may.

In some situations, of course, it might not be possible to rectify an error, or change a decision. But even in these cases, I believe Abdu'l Baha's dictum applies - just because one might not be able to correct a decision, one should not stand in opposition to the majority. It is still better to act in unity, for if a group sticks to that principle, the laws of God will ensure that the result will be for the best, and assuredly better than the results if the people instead stood in disunity. This, of course, can be very challenging - but then, that's what spiritual growth is all about, isn't it? :)

Vengeance and mercy

An article pointed out by a friend (here) on vengeance in this, the Week of Forgiveness and Mercy, made me muse on what it really meant to be forgiving, and why this is so necessary a quality. Often we confuse vengeance with justice, and seek to avenge wrongdoings to us in the name of being just/fair - and this is something I've spoken about before (here). But is it enough to not be vengeful - or should we be going one step further and forgive?

Interestingly, if one looks at the evolution of spiritual thought, some of the earlier Manifestations of God do not lay as much of an emphasis on the idea of forgiveness. In fact Moses, the Jewish prophet, taught the ideal of "an eye for an eye". In times past it was common to settle conflicts through duels, to right a wrong through an act of violence. But we can see this as a reflection of the level of maturity of human society at that point in history. This becomes quite obvious if we then look at spiritual teachings given in the more recent past, at Jesus who preached returning evil with love and turning the other cheek, at Muhammad who talked about an all-forgiving God in the Quran ("To those who do wrong out of ignorance, then repeat and correct themselves, your Lord is indeed forgiving and kind."), and then most recently at Baha'u'llah, who lays probably the most direct emphasis on the value of forgiveness of all spiritual teachers. And one can recognize why - for in this global age, when we face the challenge of having to accept and come to terms with people from different backgrounds, cultures and histories, mercy is one of the key prerequisites for unity.

There are therefore two reasons why I see forgiveness and mercy as being necessary spiritual qualities today. One, forgiving someone ensures that you hold nothing in your heart against them, and therefore prevents the development of any form of negative emotions/feelings within you. Two, forgiveness lays the foundation for unity between people, by ensuring that we always treat everyone around us with the utmost love. And what does "forgiveness" really mean? It means, I think, "to cease to feel resentful." We are asked to do it instantly and not over a period of years; for most of us that can take great effort and courage. And as Abdu'l Baha says, the way to reach this state is by looking at everyone in terms of their relationship with God, and not as independent entities.

"There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if ye look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness."

Note that he says that the world of God is the world of complete mercy - God's grace is not withdrawn from us when we commit wrong. Rather, God's greatness is in the very fact that He is the All Merciful, the All Kind, and allows us to always partake of His grace, should we turn towards Him.

One of the most beautiful quotes on mercy, I've always thought, is Portia's speech to Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice:

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy."

And so though one might aspire for the kind of power that enables one to hold sway over a multitude of people, such as the kings of yore possessed, one can better attain a reflection of God's power and majesty through being merciful and forgiving. Which reminds me of what Oskar Schindler tells Amon Goeth in one of my all-time favorite movies, Schindler's List - "Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don't... A man steals something, he's brought in before the Emperor, he throws himself down on the ground. He begs for his life, he knows he's going to die. And the Emperor... pardons him... That's power, Amon. That is power."

Of course, gaining power over an individual's fate should not be the motivation for being forgiving. But the above point does illustrate that even those who believe they have the right and power to wreak violence on someone and avenge themselves, would be better served on their spiritual journeys by exhibiting mercy and forgiveness.

I'll end with another quote from Abdu'l Baha that again stresses the need for instant forgiveness, and for being as loving and kind as possible in trying to correct someone's mistakes:

"Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If someone commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer. Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart."

Friends

"Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path."

--Abdu'l Baha

Thank you, O Lord, for blessing me with some of the kindest, most loving and sensitive friends one could ever have asked for. These spiritual bonds that we are able to form on this material earth are but the one reflection of that eternal spiritual bond we have with You.

Sensitivity

This was a week of sensitivity.

Of being sensitive to the needs of others
And to my own
Of being more consciously aware of the wonderful world we live in
Of being patient - with others and myself
Of listening
Of understanding
Of observing
Of perceiving
Of forgiveness
Of giving people the space they need
Of letting them be
Of sacrifice
Of being positive
Of showing people the positive side of things
Of providing a shoulder to lean on
Of joy and cheer
Of being flexible
Of openness
Of tact
Of appreciation
Of thankfulness
Of increasing awareness of how God ever so lovingly guides us along
Of prayer
Of trying to connect to the all-pervading spirit
Of love and affection
Of being aware of all the delightful gifts and blessings God has showered upon me

This was a week of sensitivity.

Always room for more

Here is a beautiful anecdote from the life of Abdu'l Baha that I just read in a book.

The following occurred in 1919 at Abdu'l Baha's house in Haifa. One of the visitors, Mr. Denham, after a series of questions, commented on how peaceful the atmosphere there was. Abdu'l Baha responded by saying that he should come and stay there. Mr. Denham then said that if everyone who desired to come and stay there did, there would be no room for him. In response to this, Abdu'l Baha told this story:

There was a society in Persia where the members sat in silence. By gesture they could know what was to be said, as for example, by the gesture of the hand. Whoever wanted to join the society had to give an application. Once there was one who wanted to become a member, but the president wanted to make the members understand that he was not fit to be accepted. There was on the table a tumbler and a pitcher of water. He filled the tumbler with water. His object was to make the gathering understand without talking. The glass was filled to the brim and both the members and the candidate understood. Then he who had applied took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and placed it gently on the surface of the water and the tumbler did not overflow. They clapped. By this he meant that his presence amongst them was exactly like that piece of paper, and they accepted him right away. And now you are like that delicate piece of paper. However full it may be here, you will find room.

What a wonderful way to encourage someone...