Chapter 32
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Conflicting writings on the station of Confucius.  Last updated: August 10th, 2024.

Passage 1 by Shoghi Effendi, indicates Buddha was a Manifestation of God (Independent Prophet) like Christ, but says "Confucius Was Not a Prophet". This conflicts with passages 2 and 3 by Abdu'l-Baha, which indicate Confucius was a Prophet, and state, "[Buddha and Confucius] cycle is completed" -- i.e. the prophetic cycles for both Buddha and Confucius are completed. Also, passage 4 from the writings of Baha'u'llah state that none (who are not Manifestations) are to be compared to the Manifestations of God, the Proof of God. If Confucius was not a Manifestation, it would be wrong to place him alongside other Manifestations like Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and so on. Also, as indicated in passage 5, humans are not to be parallelled to or likened to the Manifestations of God, who "have no like in creation", and about whom it is said, "there is no relation, connection, similarity or reference between that Throne and all else save it".

1)
1684. Buddha Was a Manifestation Like Christ
"The Buddha was a Manifestation of God, like Christ, but His followers do not possess His authentic Writings."
(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand, December 26, 1941: Letter from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand, 1923-1957, p. 41)

1685. Confucius Was Not a Prophet But a Great Reformer
"Confucius was not a Prophet. It is quite correct to say he is the founder of a moral system and a great reformer."
(Ibid)
-- Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 500


2)
EXTRACTS FROM THE BAHÁ'Í WRITINGS ON BUDDHA, KRISHNA, ZOROASTER AND RELATED SUBJECTS
From the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
43. Blessed souls whether Moses, Jesus, Zoroaster, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius, or Muhammad were the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity. How can we deny such irrefutable proof? How can we be blind to such light?...
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian)
-- Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 13


3)
Buddha and Confucius were kings in bygone ages who have disappeared. Their sovereignty in this world is ended and their cycle is completed. Now the Throne of the Kingdom of ABHA is established and the Blessed Perfection is sitting upon the Throne of Grandeur. We must raise this Call, promulgate the Word of God and live in accord with the teachings and advices of the Beauty of ABHA.
-- Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 15


4)
I testify, O Thou Who art the Lord of the whole creation, and the Desire of whosoever hath sought Thee, that, amidst Thy creatures, They [the Manifestations of God] resemble the sun which no matter how often it riseth and setteth is still the one and the same sun. Whoso maketh any distinction between any of Them hath truly failed to attain the ultimate purpose, and to reach the highest goal, and hath been deprived of the mysteries of unity and of the lights of sanctity and oneness. I testify, moreover, that Thou hast decreed that none on the face of the earth should equal Them, and none of Thy creatures be able to be compared with any of Them, in order that Thine own singleness and peerlessness might be recognized and established.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations, p. 50-51


5)
Every one who is endowed with a clear insight will behold that They (the Manifestations) were created before the creation of heaven and earth, and that this has ever been the Throne of the Merciful, and will forever be as it was; that there is no relation, connection, similarity or reference between that Throne and all else save it, and that all things testify with their inmost tongue; "Verily, these (bodies) are the Thrones of the Merciful One." They have no like in creation, nor any equal in the world of emanation. From their elements all have appeared in such wise that thou wilt find that, verily, from their Fire fire hath appeared in the universe and hath spoken in the Blessed Branch of Unity, in the lofty Sinai of Moses the Interlocutor, and that from their Waters thou findest every soul living and immortal. So, likewise, after this manner, consider its other elements; but with manifest certainty. This was the mention of the place whereon He was established. How much above this, then, will be the station of His Chair, and that upon which He stands? (The Prophets.) All that which We have revealed and mentioned unto thee in this Tablet is according to the language of the people of creation; otherwise, by the One in the grasp of Whose Power are all things, verily, We have utterances concerning this station such as are not befitting to mention in these days, during which the people have differed, and have cast the Lord of Lords behind them, and have made an idol by the hands of lust, and have circled around it and become of those who are attached to it.
-- Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Zuhúr, Tablet of the Manifestation - Provisional translation by an unknown author.



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