Hello, I would like to entertain a discussion in which I would like to look for similarities between Ismailism, and the Scripture known as the Brihandarnyaka (from the Upanishad Scriptures). The Upanishad Scriptures deal with a belief in one supreme creator or one ultimate GOD more so than any other teachings of the Hindu religion. At it's essence the followers of the Upanishad Scriptures do believe in one ultimate creator.
This Scripture has its roots in Kashmiri Shaivism which has a doctrine called Spanda. Spanda means vibration. The philosophy of vibration is that a thought emanates or resonates a vibration of energy which leads to a chain reaction of the original thoughts (or vibrations).
Spanda is a doctrine in which it is believed that thoughts can resonate in this world at a certain vibration and attract things that have the same vibration. This was later transported into the Western world and known as "The law of attraction".
In effect, your life can be a complete manifestation of your thoughts.
Are there any batuni simlarities between our faith and this line of thought?
Kashmiri Shaivism and Brihadaranyaka similar to our faith?
Re: Kashmiri Shaivism and Brihadaranyaka similar to our fait
The world or our experience is very much the projection of our thoughts and inner life. Pir Hassan Kabirdeen says in the following verses of the ginan "Abdu manjite man ichha fal upaje":southyam wrote:In effect, your life can be a complete manifestation of your thoughts.
Are there any batuni simlarities between our faith and this line of thought?
O slave! Real prosperity and success is in the heart,
and there are unlimited movements in the heart.
In the heart is the garden of fortune,
brother, and in the heart is the waterer(of mercy).
O slave! In the heart is the expanse of the earth with nine continents,
and in the heart is one of the peaks of the Himalays(the entire creation encompassing the horizontal and vertical limits is in the heart). The heart is the place of the seven seas(of mercy),
but without the Guide one goes thirsty(the Guide opens the doors to the seven oceans(heavens)).
Mowlan Rumi illuminates this notion in the following verses from his Mathnavi.
Questions About Devastation
A man was breaking up the soil, when another man came by, "Why are you ruining this land?"
"Don't be a fool! Nothing can grow
until the ground is turned over and crumbled.
There can be no roses and no orchard without first this that looks devastating.
You must lance an ulcer to heal it. You must tear down parts of an old building to restore it, and so it is with a sensual life that has no spirit in it.
To change,
a person must face the dragon of his appetites with another dragon, the life-energy of the soul."
When that's not strong, the world seems to be full of people who have your own fears and wantings.
As one thinks the room is spinning when he's whirling around.
When your love contracts in anger, the atmosphere itself feels threatening.
But when you're expansive, no matter what the weather, you're in an open, windy field with friends.
Many people travel to Syria and Iraq and meet only hypocrites.
Others go all the way to India
and see just merchants buying and selling.
Others go to Turkestan and China and find those countries filled with sneak-thieves and cheats.
We always see the qualities that are living in us.
A cow may walk from one side of the amazing city of Baghdad to the other and notice only a watermelon rind and a tuft of hay that fell off a wagon.
Don't keep repeatedly doing what your animal-soul wants to do.
That's like deciding to be a strip of meat nailed and drying on a board in the sun.
Your spirit needs to follow the changes happening in the spacious place it knows about.
There, the scene is always new, a clairvoyant river of picturing, more beautiful than any on earth.
This is where the sufis wash.
Purify your eyes, and see the pure world.
Your life will fill with radiant forms.
It's a question of cleaning
and then developing the spiritual senses.
Say you were blindfolded, and a lovely woman came by.
You could know her beauty somewhat by hearing her speak, but what if she didn't say anything!
Muinuddin, there are marvels
you're not aware of. Don't judge with^owr eyes.
Look at me through my eyes.
See beyond phenomena,
and these difficult questions will dissolve
into love within love.
Peace be with you, sir,
in your position of leadership.
(IV, 2341-2358,2366-2383)