How can one describe God?
What wins the argument?
I tried reasoning my way to God: it did not work;
How can one know a way that cannot be known?
Reason took me no further than the door,
But in the end God’s presence let me in.
I tried willing the door to open: it would not move.
How can one see a face before it’s shown?
My willfulness had gotten me this far,
But in the end God’s presence let me in.
If reason is incompetent to know its own nature
And will is incapable of knowing itself,
If I don’t seem to know the first thing about knowledge,
Why would I think I could ever know God?
I tried willing myself to God, but I lost my will;
I tried reasoning my way to God, but in the end
it was God’s love and kindness that opened the door;
it was God’s grace and presence that let me in.
based on El Hadiqa (Walled Gardens), by Haqim Sanai, ca. 1100 AD. Here are two direct translations:
"How through the promptings of reason and soul and senses can one come to know God? But that God showed him the way, how could man ever have become acquainted with Divinity? Of himself no one can know Him; His nature can only be known through Himself. Reason sought His truth,--it ran not well; impotence hastened on His road, and knew Him. His mercy said, Know me; otherwise who, by reason and sense, could know Him? How is it possible by the guidance of the senses? How can a nut rest firmly on the summit of a dome? Reason will guide thee, but only to the door; His grace must carry thee to Himself. Thou canst not journey there by reason's guidance; perverse like others, commit not thou this folly. His grace leads us on the road; His works are guide and witness to Him. O thou, who art incompetent to know thine own nature, how wilt thou ever know God? Since thou art incapable of knowing thyself, how wilt thou become a knower of the Omnipotent? Since thou art unacquainted with the first steps towards a knowledge of Him, how thinkest thou to conceive of Him as He is?" – Major J. Stephenson, Hadiqa, 1911
"We tried reasoning our way to Him: it did not work; ...Reason took us as far as the door; but it was his presence that let us in." – David Pendlebury, The Garden of Reality, 1976
from Walled Gardens
based on El Hadiqa (Walled Gardens), by Haqim Sanai, ca. 1100 AD. Here are two direct translations:
"How through the promptings of reason and soul and senses can one come to know God? But that God showed him the way, how could man ever have become acquainted with Divinity? Of himself no one can know Him; His nature can only be known through Himself. Reason sought His truth,--it ran not well; impotence hastened on His road, and knew Him. His mercy said, Know me; otherwise who, by reason and sense, could know Him? How is it possible by the guidance of the senses? How can a nut rest firmly on the summit of a dome? Reason will guide thee, but only to the door; His grace must carry thee to Himself. Thou canst not journey there by reason's guidance; perverse like others, commit not thou this folly. His grace leads us on the road; His works are guide and witness to Him. O thou, who art incompetent to know thine own nature, how wilt thou ever know God? Since thou art incapable of knowing thyself, how wilt thou become a knower of the Omnipotent? Since thou art unacquainted with the first steps towards a knowledge of Him, how thinkest thou to conceive of Him as He is?" – Major J. Stephenson, Hadiqa, 1911
"We tried reasoning our way to Him: it did not work; ...Reason took us as far as the door; but it was his presence that let us in." – David Pendlebury, The Garden of Reality, 1976
from Walled Gardens
No comments:
Post a Comment