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Creation's Witness by Abdul-Qader Bedil (1644 - 1721) Timeline English version by David and Sabrineh Fideler Original Language Persian/Farsi Muslim / Sufi 17th Century At time's beginning that beauty which polished creation's mirror caressed every atom with a hundred thousand suns. But this glory was never witnessed. When the human eye emerged, only then was he known.     -- from Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition, Translated by David Fideler / Translated by Sabrineh Fideler Amazon.com	Themes   Light   Sun       Recommended Books Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition, Translated by David Fideler / Translated by Sabrineh Fideler The Ocean of Unity: Wahdat al-wujud in Persian, Turkish, and Malay poetry, by Muhammad Bukhari Lubis
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Commentary by Ivan M. Granger

I love that phrase in the opening section about every atom being caressed "with a hundred thousand suns..." Mm.

Reread the final couplet, though. What do you suppose the poet meant by stating that only "when the human eye emerged" was "that beauty" -- God -- known?

The lines suggest the Gnostic teaching used to explain the emergence of duality. In the primal Wholeness that exists prior to separation, everything is one, but unawakened. God, therefore, willed the illusion of separation in human consciousness in order to produce the necessary duality of seer and seen. The play of separation then allows universal consciousness, through humanity, to witness its own Being. Then in the return to the original unity, the universe has come to fruition in self-knowledge.

Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2009 by Ivan M. Granger.
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