unrealized and realized states

1.
Until it is realized,
there is nothing but 'else'.

When it is realized,
there is no 'else'.

The mantra which is the cornerstone of Universal Submission is 'la ilaha illa Llaha'. It is the formula that points towards the realization of Truth, the Ultimate Reality.

la ilaha is the witnessing that, there is no 'else', no 'other', nothing worthy to point, nothing worthy to 'bow down', nothing worthy of worship, no other 'reality to turn to'.

illa Llah, 'except the All Encompassing Reality', except what manifests Itself here by the Name Allah and It is The Reality that is beyond all names and concepts.

Question is, if there is nothing, no other reality but One Reality (Ahad), The Divine and Ultimate Reality (Haqq), then what are all these 'else' that we see and experience?

Answer is, they are all infinite manifestations of the One Indivisible Reality. These all apparent 'else's exist as long as 'a temporal viewer' and 'point of view' exist. All these apparent are signposts to the Real.

Have thou not turned thy vision to thy Lord, how He extends the shadow? ... Then We have made the sun an indication of it.
- The Quran 25:45

The existence of shadow is the signpost for sun's existence for those who are too lazy to look at the sun or the Real Sun is too blinding to look at. One needs to turn one's vision to the Real.

2.
Hafiz, the mystic tells the great mystery,

Start seeing God in everything,
but keep it a secret.

Why to keep it a secret?, one may ask.

Because it is a matter of realization, not a subject of speculation. The seeing that Hafiz talks about is a seeing through the Eyes of Inner Heart and the true language of heart is silence.

A subject of realization can only be realized. It is experiential. Seeing God in everything, in everyone is a state of realization. When such subjects are talked about, immediately it becomes a matter of specification and speculation. Philosophizing about it doesn't take one there.

In the history of humanity, many realized sages and messengers have tried to communicate this great mystery, but none succeeded in transmitting it verbally. It remains purely a transmission of heart and soul. Those who tried directly were mostly misunderstood, condemned, crucified, killed or shunned. This is precisely because, despite their sincere effort and realization - when such subject which is a domain of realization is brought into the domain of specification by uttering in some subject object relation - it gets confused by the general mass, the ordinary unrealized minds.

Jesus Christ with his profound wisdom thus have always tried speaking in parables. In the end when he said, "I and Father are One" it was mostly misunderstood and misinterpreted. This very statement produced two very sharp and contrast reaction. The Jewish orthodoxy rejected him and crucified him by the charge of blasphemy. On the other hand Christian orthodoxy voted in the Council of Nicaea to make him into a God. This is what happens precisely when unenlightened mind faces what it can not comprehend. Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, the translator of Essene Gospel of Peace commented, "The gentle Jesus was lost forever in the image of a crucified God."

When Mansur al-Hallaj, one of the most famous sufi mystic in his bewildered state of unity consciousness declared , 'Anal Haqq', meaning 'I am the Truth" he was also executed by the orthodoxy in charge of heresy. The reaction of majority has always been thus.

Buddha was very intelligent in this manner, he totally avoided talking about the Divine Reality directly and whenever approached and asked about the question of God, he remained silent. When asked, who or what are you? He simply replied, 'I am awake'.

Prophet Muhammad said, "Do not speculate about the Essence."
also another of his mystic saying, "Those who maintain silence, become liberated."

No wonder, Buddha achieved liberation, the nirvana.

The birds have vanished into the sky,
and now the last cloud drains away.

We sit together, the mountain and me,
until only the mountain remains.

- Li Po -

3.

There has been some attempt by New Age movement to proclaim the truth by different so called gurus. But the problem still remains when a personality with all its limitations try to behold the unlimited by directly saying and pointing to the personal ego, "I AM THAT". They are often caught into the ego trip and produce all sorts of problems. One of the most obvious problem that is produced immediately is the guru worship which becomes a hindrance for the student or follower to fully evolve and understand their own divine nature. As an example for the situation, in the case of Jesus, a theology of 'only begotten son' was manufactured, which blinds most traditional Christians from the reality that they are also sons and daughters of God and have the access to the Divine reality.

Understanding this wisdom in its depth, the truly enlightened mystics of all ages thus become the keeper of the secret. What is in the domain of realization is better preserved in that way. Some secrets are meant to be secret and one is not suppose to talk about it, because talking only provide a tiny sliced version of reality (and almost always never can do justice to the Truth). The mystics who have tasted that realization can only do better when they speak in parable like Jesus, when they speak in metaphors by keeping a veil between the unenlightened mind and the full blazing sunlight of the reality.

It reminds me of Rumi , version by Coleman Barks when he wrote:

How far is it?

How far is the light of the moon from the moon?
How far is the taste of candy from the lip?

Keep the answer within your inner heart and preserve the truth there. It shall suffice.

. image credit: Michael Green's Illuminated Rumi

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