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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