A new version of the Bahá’í Reference Library is now available. This ‘old version’ of the Bahá’í Reference Library will be replaced at a later date.
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A new version of the Bahá’í Reference Library is now available. This ‘old version’ of the Bahá’í Reference Library will be replaced at a later date.
The new version of the Bahá’i Reference Library can be accessed here »
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80: REAL PREEXISTENCE 280 |
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Essential preexistence is an existence which is not preceded
by a cause, but essential phenomena are preceded
by causes. Preexistence of time is without beginning, but
the phenomena of time have beginnings and endings; for
the existence of everything depends upon four causes—the efficient cause, the matter, the form and the final
cause. For example, this chair has a maker who is a carpenter,
a substance which is wood, a form which is that of
a chair, and a purpose which is that it is to be used as a seat.
Therefore, this chair is essentially phenomenal, for it is
preceded by a cause, and its existence depends upon
causes. This is called the essential and really phenomenal.
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Now this world of existence in relation to its maker is a
real phenomenon. As the body is sustained by the spirit, it
is in relation to the spirit an essential phenomenon. The
spirit is independent of the body, and in relation to it the
spirit is an essential preexistence. Though the rays are always
inseparable from the sun, nevertheless, the sun is
preexistent and the rays are phenomenal, for the existence
of the rays depends upon that of the sun. But the existence
of the sun does not depend upon that of the rays, for the
sun is the giver and the rays are the gift.
281
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The second proposition is that existence and nonexistence
are both relative. If it be said that such a thing came
into existence from nonexistence, this does not refer to
absolute nonexistence, but means that its former condition
in relation to its actual condition was nothingness. For
absolute nothingness cannot find existence, as it has not
the capacity of existence. Man, like the mineral, is existing;
but the existence of the mineral in relation to that of
man is nothingness, for when the body of man is annihilated
it becomes dust and mineral. But when dust progresses
into the human world, and this dead body becomes
living, man becomes existing. Though the
dust—that is to say, the mineral—has existence in its own
condition, in relation to man it is nothingness. Both exist,
but the existence of dust and mineral, in relation to man, is
nonexistence and nothingness; for when man becomes
nonexistent, he returns to dust and mineral.
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Therefore, though the world of contingency exists, in
relation to the existence of God it is nonexistent and
nothingness. Man and dust both exist, but how great the
difference between the existence of the mineral and that of
man! The one in relation to the other is nonexistence. In
the same way, the existence of creation in relation to the
existence of God is nonexistence. Thus it is evident and
clear that although the beings exist, in relation to God and
to the Word of God they are nonexistent. This is the beginning
and the end of the Word of God, Who says: “I am
Alpha and Omega”; for He is the beginning and the end of
Bounty. The Creator always had a creation; the rays have
always shone and gleamed from the reality of the sun, for
without the rays the sun would be opaque darkness. The
names and attributes of God require the existence of beings,
and the Eternal Bounty does not cease. If it were to,
it would be contrary to the perfections of God.
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