Paris Talks Part 22

'Does the soul progress more through sorrow or through the joy in this world?'

'Abdu'l-Baha.-'The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifying it of weeds and thistles, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of complete detachment. His att.i.tude in this world will be that of divine happiness. Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look back to the times past and you will find that the greatest men have suffered most.'

'He who through suffering has attained development, should he fear happiness?'

'Abdu'l-Baha.-'Through suffering he will attain to an eternal happiness which nothing can take from him. The apostles of Christ suffered: they attained eternal happiness.'

'Then it is impossible to attain happiness without suffering?'

'Abdu'l-Baha.-'To attain eternal happiness one must suffer. He who has reached the state of self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy will vanish.'

'Can a departed soul converse with someone still on earth?'

'Abdu'l-Baha.-'A conversation can be held, but not as our conversation.

There is no doubt that the forces of the higher worlds interplay with the forces of this plane. The heart of man is open to inspiration; this is spiritual communication. As in a dream one talks with a friend while the mouth is silent, so is it in the conversation of the spirit. A man may converse with the ego within him saying: "May I do this? Would it be advisable for me to do this work?" Such as this is conversation with the higher self.'

THE FOUR KINDS OF LOVE

97 Cadogan Gardens, London, Sat.u.r.day, January 4th, 1913

What a power is love! It is the most wonderful, the greatest of all living powers.

Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful.

In the world of existence there is indeed no greater power than the power of love. When the heart of man is aglow with the flame of love, he is ready to sacrifice all-even his life. In the Gospel it is said G.o.d is love.

There are four kinds of love. The first is the love that flows from G.o.d to man; it consists of the inexhaustible graces, the Divine effulgence and heavenly illumination. Through this love the world of being receives life.

Through this love man is endowed with physical existence, until, through the breath of the Holy Spirit-this same love-he receives eternal life and becomes the image of the Living G.o.d. This love is the origin of all the love in the world of creation.

The second is the love that flows from man to G.o.d. This is faith, attraction to the Divine, enkindlement, progress, entrance into the Kingdom of G.o.d, receiving the Bounties of G.o.d, illumination with the lights of the Kingdom. This love is the origin of all philanthropy; this love causes the hearts of men to reflect the rays of the Sun of Reality.

The third is the love of G.o.d towards the Self or Ident.i.ty of G.o.d. This is the transfiguration of His Beauty, the reflection of Himself in the mirror of His Creation. This is the reality of love, the Ancient Love, the Eternal Love. Through one ray of this Love all other love exists.

The fourth is the love of man for man. The love which exists between the hearts of believers is prompted by the ideal of the unity of spirits. This love is attained through the knowledge of G.o.d, so that men see the Divine Love reflected in the heart. Each sees in the other the Beauty of G.o.d reflected in the soul, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love. This love will make all men the waves of one sea, this love will make them all the stars of one heaven and the fruits of one tree. This love will bring the realization of true accord, the foundation of real unity.

But the love which sometimes exists between friends is not (true) love, because it is subject to trans.m.u.tation; this is merely fascination. As the breeze blows, the slender trees yield. If the wind is in the East the tree leans to the West, and if the wind turns to the West the tree leans to the East. This kind of love is originated by the accidental conditions of life. This is not love, it is merely acquaintanceship; it is subject to change.

Today you will see two souls apparently in close friendship; tomorrow all this may be changed. Yesterday they were ready to die for one another, today they shun one another's society! This is not love; it is the yielding of the hearts to the accidents of life. When that which has caused this 'love' to exist pa.s.ses, the love pa.s.ses also; this is not in reality love.

Love is only of the four kinds that I have explained. (a) The love of G.o.d towards the ident.i.ty of G.o.d. Christ has said G.o.d is Love. (b) The love of G.o.d for His children-for His servants. (c) The love of man for G.o.d and (d) the love of man for man. These four kinds of love originate from G.o.d.

These are rays from the Sun of Reality; these are the Breathings of the Holy Spirit; these are the Signs of the Reality.

TABLET REVEALED BY 'ABDU'L-BAHa

August 28th, 1913

O Thou my beloved daughter!

Thine eloquent and fluent letter was perused in a garden, under the cool shade of a tree, while the gentle breeze was wafting. The means of physical enjoyment was spread before the eyes and thy letter became the cause of spiritual enjoyment. Truly, I say, it was not a letter but a rose-garden adorned with hyacinths and flowers.

It contained the sweet fragrance of paradise and the zephyr of Divine Love blew from its roseate words.

As I have not ample time at my disposal, I will give herein a brief, conclusive and comprehensive answer. It is as follows:

In this Revelation of Baha'u'llah, the women go neck and neck with the men. In no movement will they be left behind. Their rights with men are equal in degree. They will enter all the administrative branches of politics. They will attain in all such a degree as will be considered the very highest station of the world of humanity and will take part in all affairs. Rest ye a.s.sured. Do ye not look upon the present conditions; in the not far distant future the world of women will become all-refulgent and all-glorious, For His Holiness Baha'u'llah Hath Willed It so! At the time of elections the right to vote is the inalienable right of women, and the entrance of women into all human departments is an irrefutable and incontrovertible question. No soul can r.e.t.a.r.d or prevent it.

But there are certain matters, the partic.i.p.ation in which is not worthy of women. For example, at the time when the community is taking up vigorous defensive measures against the attack of foes, the women are exempt from military engagements. It may so happen that at a given time warlike and savage tribes may furiously attack the body politic with the intention of carrying on a wholesale slaughter of its members; under such a circ.u.mstance defence is necessary, but it is the duty of men to organize and execute such defensive measures and not the women-because their hearts are tender and they cannot endure the sight of the horror of carnage, even if it is for the sake of defence. From such and similar undertakings the women are exempt.

As regards the const.i.tution of the House of Justice, Baha'u'llah addresses the men. He says: 'O ye men of the House of Justice!'

But when its members are to be elected, the right which belongs to women, so far as their voting and their voice is concerned, is indisputable. When the women attain to the ultimate degree of progress, then, according to the exigency of the time and place and their great capacity, they shall obtain extraordinary privileges. Be ye confident on these accounts. His Holiness Baha'u'llah has greatly strengthened the cause of women, and the rights and privileges of women is one of the greatest principles of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Rest ye a.s.sured! Ere long the days shall come when the men addressing the women, shall say: 'Blessed are ye! Blessed are ye! Verily ye are worthy of every gift. Verily ye deserve to adorn your heads with the crown of everlasting glory, because in sciences and arts, in virtues and perfections ye shall become equal to man, and as regards tenderness of heart and the abundance of mercy and sympathy ye are superior'.

FOOTNOTES

1 St. John xiv, II.

2 St Matthew xxiv, 30. St Matthew xvi, 27.

3 St John iii, 13

4 St John xviii, 11.

5 Manifestations of G.o.d.

6 Exodus iii, 2.

7 A certain man who was present when Badi was told he should carry the Epistle to the _Sh_ah saw him transfigured; he became radiant.

8 St John iii, 5.

9 St Matthew iii, 11.

10 i.e.-All good actions bring their own reward.