The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Religion
The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Iran -- Religion; Religions
The one says: “We require for the knowledge of the Creator a learned
_sádik_, or sincere friend; and his special appointment is required,
and after that instruction from him.” The other class says,
“Instruction for the knowledge of any science can be obtained from any
person, whether a master or not a master _specially appointed_.” As,
by previous investigations, it is understood that the truth is with
the first class, certainly the chief and leader of the first class
will be the chief of the philosophers; and as it has been ascertained
that the second class is erring, their leader is the leader of the
deceived. The author says further, the _true_ doctrine is, that we
acknowledge the _muhikk_, “him who knows for certain” _bahakk_, that
is, “in truth,” which is a summary knowledge; and after the summary
knowledge by which we recognise “him who knows for certain,” “in
truth,” we want a detailed (distinct) knowledge of these questions;
and our purpose in using the word _bahakk_, “in truth” is to express
the necessity of having a _muhikk_, and the author says: By necessity
we are to know the Imám, and by the Imám we know God in such a manner
that by lawfulness we acknowledge him who is necessary, that is to
say, that we acknowledge by the possibility of perfection the
existence of the self-existent being.
The author also says, that knowing the _true_ doctrine is knowing the
unity _of God_. After this illustration, having in several sections
exhibited an account of his own faith, and in some established it, he
made in other sections a digression upon the creed of others, and the
digressive sections are frequent; the proofs and disquisitions by
controversy with regard to false religions, and the disquisitions by
concordance with regard to the rightfulness of his own religion, are
distinct from the totality of those arguments, which are between truth
and falsehood, and the contrast between truth and falsehood, and that
between small and great _is made evident_. The author further alleges,
that in science there is truth and falsehood; but the distinguishing
mark of truth is unity, and the distinguishing mark of falsehood is
multiformity; unity is related to _authoritative_ instruction, and
multiformity is related to opinion; instruction belongs to the
assembly, and the assembly to the Imám; opinion is allied with
conflicting sects, and these agree with their chiefs. As for the
separation of truth from falsehood, and the resemblance which truth
has with falsehood, and for the distinction between what is consistent
and what is absurd, on both sides, a balance ought to be formed in
which every thing may be weighed.[614] The author moreover says, that
we obtained the knowledge of this balance from the speeches of the
witnesses, and whatever is compounded of negation and affirmation; and
whatever is deserving negation is falsehood; and whatever is deserving
affirmation is truth; and by this balance we weigh the good and bad,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account