{"collection":"Islam","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/isl/srg/srg12.htm","path":"isl/srg/srg12.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/isl/srg/srg12.htm","text":"The Secret Rose Garden, by Florence Lederer, [1920]\nLET reason go. For his light\n Burns reason up from head to foot.\n If you wish to see that Face,\n Seek another eye. The philosopher\n With his two eyes sees double,\n So is unable to see the unity of the Truth.\n As his light burns up the angels,\n Even so doth it consume reason.\n As the light of our eyes to the sun,\n So is the light of reason to the Light of Lights.\nLEARNING is only the outer wrapping\n Of the letter;\n The dry husk that covers the nut,\n Not the kernel concealed within;\nYet must the husk exist\n To ripen the kernel.\n So from learning comes the sweet knowledge of Faith.\nOh! soul of my brother, hearken,\n Strive to gain knowledge of faith,\n For the \"knower\" in both worlds\n Has a high place.\n Knowledge loves not this world of form\n Which is void of Reality.\nBegin to till your field\n For next year's harvest.\n Knowledge is your heritage,\n Be adorned with the principle of all virtues.\nAs the man blind from his birth\n Believes not nor understands\n Your description of colours,\n Even if you show him proofs for a century,\n So blind reason cannot see the future state.\nBut beyond reason man has a certain knowledge\n Which God has placed in his soul and body\n Whereby he perceives hidden mysteries.\n And like the fire in flint and steel\n When these are struck together,\n The two worlds for him are lit up in a flash.\nYou say, \"I myself have Free-will,\n For my body is the horse and my soul the rider,\n The reins of the body are in the hands of the soul,\n The entire direction is given to me.\"\nOh! foolish one, these are falsehoods and delusions\n That come from an illusory existence.\nAs your essence is nothingness,\n How can you have Free-will?\n Seeing that your being is one with not-being,\n Whence comes this Free-will of yours?\nImagination distributes actions\n As in a play or a farce,\nFor when your actions were planned,\n Before your existence,\n You were created for a certain purpose,\n By the desire of the Truth.\n Therefore is man predestined, before his existence,\n To certain appointed work.\n . . . (Oh, wondrous ways of Thine, without how or why!)\nThe honour of man consists of slavery,\n In having no share of Free-will.\nOf himself man has nothing,\n Yet of good and evil God asks him,\n Man has no choice, he is under control.\n Oh! poor soul, he seems free, yet is a slave.\nGive yourself up to the Truth,\n For you are helpless in his grasp;\n Freedom from self you will find in the All,\n And, O Dervish! in the Truth you will find riches.","title":"The Secret Rose Garden: Part VIII. Reason and Free-Will","type":"page"}