The Self and The Self
The Self and The Self
The well-known holy saying, in which God speaks through the Praiser, gathers together the relationship of knowledge and love: “I was the Hidden Treasure, so I loved to be known. Hence I created the creatures”. The phrase “I was the Hidden Treasure” means that the fullness of knowledge is in nonexistence or noncreatedness. It is there and thus eternally and forever. God's “I am” is the eternal fullness of knowledge. In that eternal and unchangeable fullness of knowledge, in which nothing is divided, lies love of knowledge. Therefore, the hiddenness of the treasure is God's love of knowledge. That love of knowledge has two contents—descending, from the Intellect toward man and ascending, from man toward the Intellect. It is through giving that the self opens toward the Self. Duality is the manifestation of oneness whose Self sees Itself in the totality of existence and through it manifests Its divided attributes and names, reveals Its Beauty and the effect of Its creative commandment.
Keywords: God, self, love, knowledge, Intellect, duality, oneness, totality of existence
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