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diff --git a/34572-8.txt b/34572-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..baa4550 --- /dev/null +++ b/34572-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2949 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Awakening of the Soul, by +Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Tufail + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Awakening of the Soul + +Author: Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Tufail + +Translator: Paul Brönnle + +Release Date: December 6, 2010 [EBook #34572] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AWAKENING OF THE SOUL *** + + + + +Produced by Fritz Ohrenschall, Anne Grieve and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + +The Wisdom of the East Series + +EDITED BY + +L. CRANMER-BYNG + +Dr. S. A. KAPADIA + + + + +THE AWAKENING OF THE SOUL + + +_Motto_-- + + "'Twas what it was, 'tis not to be expressed. + Enquire no further, but conceive the best." + + GHAZALI. + + + + + WISDOM OF THE EAST + + THE AWAKENING + OF THE SOUL + + RENDERED FROM THE ARABIC + WITH INTRODUCTION + + BY DR. PAUL BRÖNNLE + + F.R.G.S., F.R.HIST.S., M.R.A.S., ETC. + + [Illustration] + + FOURTH IMPRESSION + + LONDON + + JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET + + 1910 + + + + + PRINTED BY + HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD., + LONDON AND AYLESBURY. + + + + + _To Her Excellency + THE COUNTESS OLGA ÜXKÜLL-GYLLENBAND + Lady-in-Waiting to Her Majesty + The Queen of Wurtemberg + Respectfully dedicated + by + PAUL BRÖNNLE_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + + _Page_ + + INTRODUCTION, 9 + + + Different Accounts of the Birth of Hayy Ibn Yokdhan, 29 + + Hayy Ibn Yokdhan, son of a Princess, 30 + + Hayy is exposed by his Mother, 30 + + Hayy is driven by the tide to another Island, 31 + + Hayy is found by a Roe, which takes care of him, 31 + + Spontaneous Generation, 32 + + Hayy grows up nursed by the Roe, 33 + + Hayy learns to imitate animals' voices, 34 + + Hayy begins to take a careful view of things, 34 + + Hayy observes the difference between the animals and himself, 35 + + Hayy as a boy of seven. He covers himself with leaves, 36 + + Hayy becomes aggressive, and attacks wild beasts, 36 + + Hayy covers himself with the skin of an Eagle, 37 + + Hayy spreads terror among the beasts, 37 + + Hayy is grief-stricken at the death of the Roe, 38 + + Hayy takes an aversion to the dead body, 38 + + Hayy buries the body of the Roe, 39 + + Hayy observes divers kinds of living creatures and plants, 39 + + Hayy discovers Fire kindled by the friction of reeds, 40 + + + THE THIRD SEPTENARY + + Hayy makes himself clothes and shoes of the skins of animals, 42 + + Hayy learns to ride, 43 + + Hayy examines the nature of bodies, 44 + + Hayy transfers his thoughts to the heavenly bodies, 46 + + + THE FOURTH SEPTENARY + + Hayy ponders over heaven and stars, 47 + + Hayy finds that the body of heaven is finite, 47 + + Hayy contemplates sun, moon, and stars, 48 + + Hayy concludes that the heaven is of a spherical figure, 48 + + Hayy ponders over the creation of the world, 50 + + Hayy concludes that the world must have a Creator without + bodily substance, 51 + + Hayy admires the work of the Creator, 56 + + + FIFTH SEPTENARY + + Hayy is completely taken up with the contemplation of the + superior intellectual world, 58 + + Hayy examines all his senses and faculties, 58 + + HAYY RETURNS TO THE SENSIBLE WORLD 63 + + + SEVENTH SEPTENARY + + Asal and Salaman appear on the scene, 65 + + Nature and character of Asal and Salaman, 66 + + Further differences of Asal and Salaman, 66 + + Asal repairs to Hayy's Island, 67 + + Hayy and Asal meet, 69 + + Hayy catches hold of Asal, 70 + + Hayy and Asal stroke one another, 71 + + Hayy and Asal try to understand each other, 71 + + Asal makes Hayy eat of his food, 72 + + Hayy Ibn Yokdhan at last joins Asal at dinner, but repents + afterwards, 72 + + Asal becomes Hayy's companion and teacher, 73 + + Hayy enlightens Asal on his inner life, 74 + + Asal tells Hayy of the Island from whence he had come, 75 + + Hayy observes that men are dull, stupid, and brutish, 78 + + Asal persuades Hayy to follow him to his Island, 79 + + Hayy and Asal return together to Asal's Island, 79 + + Hayy begins to teach and instruct Salaman's subjects, 80 + + Hayy despairs of being able to reform the vulgar crowd, 81 + + Hayy's philosophical views on the value of this world, 81 + + Hayy gives up his preachings and teachings, 84 + + Asal and Hayy return to their Island, 85 + + Epilogue of the Author, 86 + + + + +EDITORIAL NOTE + + +The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one. They +desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be +the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and +West--the old world of Thought and the new of Action. In this endeavour, +and in their own sphere, they are but followers of the highest example +in the land. They are confident that a deeper knowledge of the great +ideals and lofty philosophy of Oriental thought may help to a revival of +that true spirit of Charity which neither despises nor fears the nations +of another creed and colour. + + L. CRANMER-BYNG. + S. A. KAPADIA. + + THE NORTHBROOK SOCIETY, + 21, CROMWELL ROAD, + KENSINGTON, S.W. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +It is to two English scholars, father and son, Edward Pococke, senior +and junior, that the world is indebted for the knowledge of one of the +most charming productions Arabian philosophy can boast of. + +Generally looked upon as a subject of repulsive aridity, in its strange +combination of the most heterogeneous philosophical systems, devoid of +the grace and charm of attractive style, unbrightened by brilliancy of +wit or spirit, Arabian philosophy has, for centuries past, been subject +to sad and undeserved neglect. + +Yet I cannot imagine a better and more eloquent refutation of this +erroneous view than a rendering, in fresh garb, of this romance of Hayy +Ibn Yokdhan, simple and ingenuous, yet fragrant with poetry and withal +fraught with deep philosophical problems the interest in which I wish to +revive. + +It was in the year 1671 that there was published by the Oxford +University Press, as one of its first issues of Arabic texts, a book +called, "Philosophus autodidactus," edited by Edward Pococke the son, +together with a Latin translation. It had a preface that bore the +signature of Edward Pococke, the father, and this fact alone was +sufficient to stamp it at once as a work in which vast erudition and +thoroughness of investigation had joined hands--for both these _savants_ +were men of wide reputation and brilliant attainments. + +England, that has put students of Oriental lore under such large +obligations, has never given to the world a greater Arabic scholar than +Edward Pococke, "the Glory and Ornament of his Age and Nation," the +famous author of the "Specimen historić Arabum";[1] a veritable +store-house of historical, scientific, literary, and religious +information, and the equally famous editor of the annals of Eutychius +and of the history of Dynasties by Abul faradj. + + [1] This book, by the way, was the first book in Arabic type + which issued from the Oxford University Press, just as his + "Porta Mosis," containing the six Prefatory Discourses of + Maimonides on the Mishna, was the first Hebrew text (in fact + Arabic with Hebrew characters) printed at Oxford. + +In the splendid array of famous Arabic scholars the last century has +produced there are only two in England that rank with Edward Pococke on +the same level--two men whose names stand out in bold relief, namely, +Edward William Lane, prince among lexicographers, and William Wright, +the brilliant exponent of the theories of the native Arabic grammarians. + +The co-operation of Edward Pococke, the father, in the edition of this +book, "Philosophus autodidactus," was indeed the best recommendation. +To Edward Pococke, the father, is due the honour of having discovered +and unearthed this priceless gem of Arabic philosophical literature, +whilst the son, "the worthy son of so great a father," undertook the +task, by no means an easy one, of editing the Arabic text and furnishing +it with a Latin translation.[2] This Latin translation was undoubtedly +for that time a praiseworthy performance; yet, considering the enormous +strides Oriental science has made during the last centuries, and with +all the new material at hand, we are to-day able to put the philological +groundwork on a more solid basis. + + [2] The value of the book was quickly recognised. In a + comparatively short time it quite caught the fancy of the + public--in fact it took the world by storm, and for a long time + it remained greatly in vogue. + +In casting about for the work of an Arabian philosopher for the "Wisdom +of the East" Series, I could not think of anything more engaging, more +captivating, than this simple romance. + +Unfortunately, for reasons of space, I could not give a translation in +full, but I have given the most interesting parts. On the passages, +however, which I had to leave out, I have dwelt at greater length in +this Introduction. In the translation I have tried to preserve the +_cachet_, the archaic flavour and spirit of the book. + +The idea underlying the story is, as Ockley puts it, to show how human +capacity may, unassisted by any external help, attain to the knowledge +of the higher world, and so by degrees find out its dependence upon a +superior Being, the immortality of the soul, and other questions of the +highest importance. In short, it describes the gradual awakening of the +soul, the evolution of an original mind from its first groping in the +dark to the most dazzling heights of philosophical speculation. + +The great charm of the book lies in its simplicity and ingenuousness; in +its entire freedom from affectation of style; in the transparent +lucidity of its exposition, which is in pleasant contrast with the +ponderous works of other philosophical writers amongst the Arabs. + +Yet with all its ingenuousness, what sustained power of thought, what +depth of philosophical penetration! + +Hayy Ibn Yokdhan--this prototype of Robinson Crusoe--truly a pathetic, +yet inspiring figure! + +The simple setting of a man, living a solitary life on an Island, +entirely given up to meditation and introspection, is used by our author +as an arena for the display of his philosophical views, which, in +kaleidoscopic transformation, cover the whole range of wisdom of those +times--astronomical, geographical, cosmographic, physiological,--and so +on, the whole picture touched with the wand of the master. + +The author of the story, Ibn Tufail, though he is generally not reckoned +among the most prominent in that brilliant array of Arabian philosophers +for whom Spain became the rallying-point in the eleventh and twelfth +centuries, yet his name will outlive centuries. For the romance which he +has given to the world is a work of everlasting beauty, of immortal +freshness; one that will never grow stale in the flight of ages. + +Little is known of his private life, which seems to have passed by as +uneventful as that of many of the philosophers and scientists of those +ages. + +He was born at Guadix, a little town of Andalusia. After having finished +his education, he became a secretary at Granada, and later on we find +him as Vezir and Physician to Abu Yakub, one of the first +representatives of the dynasty of the Almohades. He died in Morocco, in +1185, leaving, besides his story of Hayy Ibn Yokdhan, only a few poems +of insignificant value; whilst his principal work, the Self-taught +Philosopher, has secured for him immortality. + +In the following pages I will endeavour to give a short _résumé_ of this +story, though I am painfully aware of the fact that such an analysis can +scarcely do justice to the beauty of the language nor to the wealth of +philosophical thought and speculation represented therein. + +From the outset the atmosphere is created with broad and happy touches. + +On an Island in the Indian Ocean, famous for its health-giving +atmosphere, abounding in fruits and inhabitants, Hayy Ibn Yokdhan comes +into this world, as the son of a Princess, who is compelled to expose +the child soon after his birth. The tide carries him to another Island, +where he is found by a roe, that takes pity on him, nurses him like a +mother, and watches over his every movement with tender affection. + +Under her care he quickly develops into a fine strapping boy who is not +afraid to venture a passage with wild beasts that dare to oppose him. + +After the death of the roe, at which he is grief-stricken, he is wholly +thrown on his own resources. Yet he knows how to look after himself. He +covers himself with leaves of trees, and finds out other ways to keep +himself warm and protected. + +As the repairing of the coverings of leaves was very troublesome, he had +a design of taking the tail of some dead beast and wearing it himself; +but when he perceived that all beasts avoided those which were dead of +the same kind, it made him doubt whether it was safe or not. At last, by +chance he found a dead eagle, and observing that none of the beasts +showed any aversion to that carcase, he concluded that this would suit +his purpose, and so he cuts off the wings, the tail, and spreads the +feathers open: then he draws off the skin and divides it into two equal +parts, one of which he wears upon his back; with the other he covers his +breast: the tail he wore behind and the wings were placed upon each arm. + +This dress answered different ends: for in the first place it covered +his nakedness, helped to keep him warm, and then it made him so +frightful to the beasts that none of them cared to meddle with him or +come near him. + +After awhile he began to make experiments with the body of the roe, +anxious to find out its composition. + +He noticed, when he shut his eyes or held anything before him, he could +see nothing at all till this obstacle was removed; and so, when he put +his fingers in his ears that he could not hear till he took them out +again. From which he concluded that all his senses and actions were +liable to obstacles and impediments, upon the removal of which the same +functions returned to their former course. + +Now, when he found no visible defect in the external parts of the body +of the roe, and yet at the same time perceived a universal cessation of +its motions, he began to imagine that the hurt from which the roe had +died was hidden in the inward part of the body. + +Now he had observed on the bodies of wild beasts and other animals that +all their members were solid, and that there were only three cavities, +viz. the skull, the breast, and belly. He imagined, therefore, that the +part the nature of which he wanted to find out must be in one of these +cavities, and he had a strong persuasion that it was in the middlemost +of them. + +And having by this way of reasoning assured himself that the disaffected +part lay in the breast, he resolved to open the breast of the roe; and, +providing himself with sharp flints and splinters of dry cane almost +like knives, he made an incision between the ribs, and, cutting through +the flesh, came to the _Diaphragm_. + +When he found this tough and not easily broken, he assured himself that +such a covering must belong to that part for which he was looking out. +After great efforts he succeeded in breaking through, and the first part +he met was the lungs; and at last he found the heart, which he saw +closed with a very strong cover and fastened with strong ligaments and +guarded with a membrane. + +On finding the same membrane on the inside of the ribs, and the lungs in +the same posture as on the other side which he had opened first, he +concluded the heart to be the part he looked for. When, however, he +found that the being which had dwelt there before, had left its house +before it fell to ruin, and forsaken it, the whole body seemed to him an +inconsiderable thing. + +Then his mind was perplexed with a variety of thoughts as to its +substance and subsistence, the reason of its departure, etc. After much +deliberation, at last he found that from that part of the heart which +had departed proceeded all those actions by which the roe had shown her +care of him and her affection,--that the body was only as an instrument +or tool, like his cudgel with which he used to fight with the wild +beasts. Thus all his regard for the body was over and transferred to +that by which the body is governed, and by whose power it moves. So he +decides in the end to bury the body. + +After its burial, the impression of his loneliness and of his dependence +upon himself being deepened, he quickly develops his faculties. In a +short time he becomes an expert in different sports, as hunting and +fishing. He makes himself clothes and shoes of the skins of wild beasts. +By the observations he made upon the swallows' nests, being taught the +art of building, he builds with his hands a room for his own use, a +store-house, and a pantry. Then he contrives to make some wild horses so +tractable that he can use them for riding, which is a great help to him +in his expeditions and excursions. + +His material existence thus once firmly established and secured, he +begins to indulge in his speculations on all sorts of bodies,--on the +different kinds of animals, plants, minerals and different sorts of +stones, earth, water, exhalations and vapours, ice, snow, hail, smoke, +fire, etc. + +By the time he attains to the age of twenty-eight (fourth Septenary), +his mind starts to ponder over astronomical problems--over heaven and +stars, sun and moon; and in the end comes to the conclusion that the +body of heaven is finite and is of a spherical figure. + +At last his mind finds itself occupied with the great problem of +Creation and Creator. With admirable skill the author delineates here +the gradual development of Hayy's reasonings on the Creator and Mover of +the world, and concludes with the panegyric words of the Koran: _He is +the Existence, He is the Absoluteness, He is the Perfection, He is the +Beauty, He is the Glory, He is the Power, He is the Knowledge, He is He, +and all Things perish beside Him._ + +All his thoughts were henceforward confined to the contemplation of this +necessarily self-existent Being. In order to do this, he removed all his +affections from sensible things, shut his eyes, stopped his ears, and +refrained himself as much as possible from following his imagination, +endeavouring to the utmost to think of nothing besides him. + +Whilst so, on the one side, the imagination and all the other faculties +which make any use of the organs of the body grew weak; on the other +side, the operations of his essence which did not depend upon the body +grew strong, so that sometimes his meditation was pure and free from any +mixture, and he beheld thereby the necessarily self-existent Being; but +then again corporeal faculties would return upon him and spoil his +contemplation, and bring him down to the lowest degree. + +Thus he continued, he opposing his corporeal faculties, and they +opposing him, and mutually struggling one against another. Then, when he +observed that the negative attributes consisted in separation from +bodily things, he began to strip himself of all bodily properties--to +remove and reject all those things from himself, as being in no wise +consistent with that state which he was now in search of. + +Thus he continued, confining himself to rest in the bottom of his cave, +with his head bowed down and his eyes shut, and turning himself +altogether from all sensible things and the corporeal faculties, and +turning all his thoughts and meditations upon the _necessarily +self-existent Being_ without admitting anything else besides him: and if +any other object presented itself to his imagination, he rejected it +with his utmost force, and persisted therein to that degree that +sometimes he did neither eat nor stir for many days together. + +When he succeeded in preventing the admission of an extraneous object +into that contemplation, he endeavoured as it were to disappear from +himself--to detach himself entirely from his corporeal faculties, so as +to be wholly taken up in the vision of that true Being. + +And, thereto when at last he attained both the heaven and the earth, all +spiritual forms and corporeal faculties, and all those powers that are +separate from matter, all disappeared and vanished, and were as if they +had never been. And amongst these his own being disappeared too, till +at last there remained nothing but this _One, True, Perpetually +Self-existent Being_, who spoke thus in that saying of his (the Koran): +To whom now belongs the Kingdom? To this One, the Almighty God. + +Thus he deeply immersed himself into this state, and witnessed "that +which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it ever entered +into the heart of man to conceive." + +When he came to himself from that state which was like drunkenness--he +began to think that his own essence did not at all differ from the +essence of that True Being, and that there was nothing in him but this +true essence. It appeared to him that this True, Powerful, and Glorious +Being was not by any means capable of multiplicity, and that his +knowledge of his essence was his very essence, from whence he argued +thus: "He that has the knowledge of this essence, has the essence +itself, but I have the knowledge of this essence. Ergo, I have the +essence itself." + +Now Hayy Ibn Yokdhan being wholly immersed in the speculation of those +things, and perfectly abstracted from all other objects, saw in the +highest sphere a Being devoid of any maker; it was like the image of the +sun which appears in a well-polished looking-glass. In the essence of +that separate sphere he saw such perfection, splendour, and beauty, as +is too great to be expressed by any tongue and too subtle to be clothed +in words. It was, as he perceived it, in the utmost perfections of +delight and joy, exaltation of gladness. + +The next sphere to it--that of the fixed stars, had an immaterial +essence that was not the essence of that _True one_, nor the essence of +that highest, separated sphere, nor the sphere itself, but like the +image of the sun that is reflected upon a looking-glass from another +glass placed opposite to the sun; and in this essence he observed also +the like splendour, beauty, loveliness, and pleasure that he had +observed in the essence of the other highest sphere; the same splendour +and delight he saw also in other essences. In fact, in all the spheres +he observed immaterial distinct essences of the same kind; he saw such +beauty, splendour, pleasure, and joy as eye has not seen nor ear heard, +until he came to the lower world, subject to generation and corruption, +which comprehends all that is contained within the sphere of the moon. + +This essence, immaterial like the rest, had seventy thousand faces, and +every face seventy thousand mouths, and every mouth seventy thousand +tongues, that sanctified and glorified incessantly that One, True Being. + +Now, he perceived in his own essence, and in those other ones that were +in the same rank with him, infinite beauty, brightness, and light, such +as neither eye has seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into man's +heart, which none can describe nor understand, but those which have +attained thereto, and know it by experience. + +But, on the other hand, he saw a great many other immaterial essences +that resembled rusty looking-glasses, covered over with filth, and +having their faces marked from those polished looking-glasses that had +the image of the sun imprinted upon them. These essences had so much +filthiness adhering to them, and such manifold defects, as he could not +have conceived. Besides they were afflicted with infinite pains, that +caused incessant sighs and groans; they were compassed with torments and +"scorched with the fiery veil of separation." + +Then, when he came to consider the divine essences and heroic spirits, +he found them to be free from body and all its adherents, and removed +from them at the utmost distance, having no connection or dependence +upon them; their sole connection and dependence being that _One True +Necessary Self-existent Being_ who is the beginning and the cause of +their existence. + +Now, though the sensible world follows the divine world as a shadow does +the body, and the divine world stands in no need of it and is +independent of it; yet, it is absurd to suppose a possibility of its +being annihilated, because it follows the divine world: but the +corruption of this world consists in its being changed, not annihilated. +And that glorious book (the Koran) spoke, where is no mention made of +"moving the Mountains and making them like the world, and men like +fire-flies, and darkening the Sun and Moon; and eruption of the Sea in +that day when the earth shall be changed into another earth and the +heavens likewise." + +This is the substance of what Hayy saw when in his glorious state of +ecstasy. + +When _Hayy_, after his digression into the higher world, returned to the +sensible world, he began to loathe the troubles of this mortal life on +earth, and became very anxious to return to the same state he had been +in before.--And by dint of continued exercise and strenuous endeavour he +was at last able to attain to that state whenever his desire drove him +to do so. While in this state he wished that God might detach him +altogether from his body and bodily desires and necessities, so that he +might give himself up for ever to his delight, and be freed from all +grief and pain. + +In the meantime he had passed the _Seventh Septenary_, and had attained +to the age of fifty. And then came suddenly the great metamorphosis in +his life, viz. his connection and acquaintanceship with another human +being, called _Asal_. + +This came about in the following way: + +Not very far from the Island where Hayy passed his days, there was +another Island to which had retired one of those pious sects which +abounded then in that part of the world. Among its votaries were the +most zealous and devoted members, two men, named Asal and Salaman. +Though both were constant in performing those ceremonies prescribed by +the law of this sect, they greatly differed in their character and in +their propensities. + +_Asal_, being of a contemplative and meditative disposition, affected +retirement from the world and a solitary life as the best means to +attain to happiness and salvation. _Salaman_, on the other hand, with +his natural aversion to contemplation, and subtle inquiries into the +higher world of things, preferred conversation, human society, and +company, as the best means to drive away evil thoughts. Though they were +the best of friends, this disparity in their views caused them in the +end to separate. + +_Asal_, advised of the fertility and health-giving atmosphere of that +Island wherein _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ dwelled, decided to go thither. After +having sold his goods, and having distributed part thereof among the +poor, he hired a ship and was transported into Hayy's Island. + +As _Hayy_, being wholly taken up in sublime speculations, scarcely ever +stirred out of his cave, Asal did not at first light upon him. One day, +however, when Hayy was stepping out of his cell to look out for some +food, he spied _Asal_--and the following episode forms one of the most +charming chapters of the story in its description of how Hayy brings +Asal to book, and how they try to make themselves understood to one +another. + +_Hayy_, who is taken by _Asal_ to be one of those religious persons +given to solitude, like himself, who had retired to that Island to give +himself up to contemplation and prayers, stands, on his part, in wonder +and amazement at the appearance of _Asal_. He could not imagine what it +was. For of all the creatures he had ever beheld in his life, there was +none that in the least resembled him. And in the end he came to the +conclusion that he must be one of the essences, that had the knowledge +of the True One. He is anxious to get into closer contact with him; and +therefore, when he sees Asal making off with all might and in great +haste, he follows him, and, being endowed with great bodily vigour, +overtakes him, seizes him, and holds him fast so that he could not get +off again. + +When _Asal_ looked upon him, and beheld him clothed with the skins of +wild beasts, and his own hair so long that it covered part of his body, +he felt great fear of him and tried to pacify him by stroking him. +_Hayy_, on the other hand, when he perceived those tokens of his fear, +endeavoured to allay it with such vocal expressions as he had learned +from some animals, and furthermore by stroking, with great gentleness, +his hand, his head, his neck, until he succeeded, by the expression of +great kindness and joy, in allaying _Asal's_ fears. + +Then _Asal_, being a great expert in languages, began to question him +concerning his doings and ways of life in all the languages he was +master of. But _Hayy_ did not understand anything of all that was said +to him; and so they stood for a long time, wrapped up in wonder, looking +at one another. + +_Asal_, however, did not lose hope that it should come to pass that he +should teach him languages, knowledge, and religion; and by dint of +patience and application, he at last succeeded in teaching him the +rudiments of language; and then he very quickly advanced him so far that +he could converse with him any length of time. + +Thereupon, he began to question him about his past and about his manner +of living, and _Hayy_ described to him the progress he had made in +knowledge until he had attained to that degree of union with God, and +told him of those essences that are separated from the sensible world; +and of that essence, the True One, the Almighty and Glorious, with all +his glorious attributes. + +When _Asal_ heard of all this, the eyes of his heart were opened and +his mind enlightened, and he realised that all those rules and precepts +he had been taught himself in his law, regarding the Almighty and +Glorious God, his Angels and Books, his Messengers and the Day of +Judgment, Paradise and Hell, were, in fact, resemblances of what Hayy +had seen, and that his religion and Hayy's philosophy were only two +different forms of the One Eternal Truth. + +Now, when _Hayy_ heard from _Asal_, in the course of their further +conversations and discussions, of the sad state of the inner life which +the people on _Asal's_ Island lived in, he was greatly affected with +pity towards them, and a resolution entered into his mind of going over +to them in the hope and desire to become an instrument in their +salvation. _Asal_ quickly fell in with this plan. So they took the first +ship that passed the shore of their Island and repaired to the opposite +Island. + +When they arrived there, _Asal's_ friends gathered round him, anxious to +hear of his adventures; and when they heard his account of _Hayy Ibn +Yokdhan_, they flocked together from all sides, surrounding him with all +tokens of reverence and admiration. + +_Hayy_ sets to work at once. He begins to explain to them the mysteries +of wisdom, and to inculcate them with those precepts with which he was +imbued. But as they were diametrically opposed to the notions deeply +rooted in their minds, they began to withdraw themselves from him, and +to loathe and abhor him; outwardly, however, in his presence, making a +great show of kindness. + +_Hayy_ soon found out that it was hopeless to reform these people, whose +only God was their lusts and appetites, blinded and captivated as they +were by the trifles and vanities of this world, tossed up and down until +they tottered to their graves. He saw that God had sealed up their +hearts and ears, a thick mist being before their eyes and sore +punishment abiding them. + +When Hayy saw how things stood--that there was no salvation for this +weak, tractable, and defective sort of men, he craved pardon for the +things he had spoken and desisted from further efforts in that +direction. + +Greatly disappointed at being unable to regenerate Salaman's subjects, +he bade him farewell and returned with Asal to his Island. There they +continued to devote themselves to contemplation and the search after the +Eternal Truth, and did not cease worshipping God until death laid his +hands upon them. + +These are the outlines of the story of Hayy Ibn Yokdhan. + +Both Myth and History are the parents of many of its most touching and +tender motives. + +Stranded, or rather exposed on an Island by his mother, a Princess--who +is not reminded of the same motive in a biblical story?--nursed by a +Roe--another favourite motive of semi-mythical periods. + +Later on, wholly left to his own resources, yet nothing daunted, by +sheer pluck and energy he builds himself up a material existence, then +by the sharpness of his wit, the originality and penetration of his +thought, the incisiveness of his intuition, he rapidly builds up a +spiritual structure of Nature, Heaven, and its Mover and Ruler, God, +until, at the age of fifty, he has attained to that highest stage of +Sufic evolution, the Ecstasy, the complete immersion in, and absorption +by, the One Essence, the True One, that Eternal Being: Ecstasy, the same +state which is so beautifully described by that famous Arabian +philosopher, Avicenna, when he says:--"Then when a man's desires are +raised to a high pitch, and he is sufficiently well exercised in that +way, there will appear to him some small glimmerings of the Truth, as it +were flashes of lightning, very delightful, which just shine upon him +and then go out. Then the more he exercises himself, the more often +he'll perceive them . . . till through frequent exercise he at last +attains to a perfect tranquillity: and that which used to appear to him +only by fits and starts, becomes habitual; and that which was only a +glimmering before, a constant light." + +To detach and deliver the soul--if only for a few hours--from the +withering despotism of everyday life and strife, grey and monotonous +with its eternal round of toil, worry, and trouble; to bathe the soul in +the full sunshine of sublime wisdom, depicted and represented in this +simple romance, with its exquisite charm and captivating grace, clear as +crystal yet pregnant with ideas that have moved the world--this was the +idea which guided me in embarking upon this work. + +If I have succeeded in this task, even only in a small degree, by +resuscitating this gem of Arabian philosophical literature--then I +consider myself richly repaid for the labour I have bestowed on this +little book, which has, indeed, been a labour of love. + + PAUL BRÖNNLE. + + _25th April 1904._ + + + + +THE AWAKENING OF THE SOUL + +A PHILOSOPHICAL ROMANCE. + + + + +_Different Accounts of the Birth of Hayy Ibn Yokdhan._ + +Our good Forbears--may God be gracious unto them--report: there is an +Island amongst the Indian Islands (in the Indian Ocean), situated under +the Equinoctial, where men spring into being without father or mother. +There is also planted a tree that produces women, and they are those +whom al-Mas`udi calleth the Wakwak Damsels. + +The Island is so blessed with the influence of light and sun as to be +the most temperate and perfect of places; an opinion, however, that does +not agree with that of the greatest philosophers and most famous +physicians, who hold that there is nothing more temperate in the world +than the fourth climate. According to them Hayy Ibn Yokdhan belonged to +the number of those that are born without father or mother. Others, +however, relate the story in a different manner. They tell us: + + +_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan, son of a Princess._ + +Not far from this Island there lay another Island of great tract and +large compass, abounding in fruits and well peopled. It was then +governed by a Prince of haughty, fierce, and jealous disposition: he had +a sister, graced with matchless beauty. He kept her in close custody and +would not permit her to marry; for among her suitors there was not one +he declared worthy of her. + +Yet in spite of his watchfulness, his near kinsman, named Yokdhan, +succeeded in winning her affections, and married her clandestinely +according to the rites commonly known in those times. And before long +she was with child and delivered of a son. + + +_Hayy is exposed by his Mother._ + +Being in fear lest the matter should be discovered and her secret +disclosed, she put him into a little ark and closed it firmly after +having suckled the babe. Accompanied by her most trusted servants, she +carried it to the seashore early in the night, her heart burning and +distracted with love and fear, and then (tenderly kissing him with +tearful eyes) she took her last leave of him, sending up this prayer to +God:-- + +"O God! thou didst create this little child, when as yet it was nothing; +thou didst cherish and nourish him while he lay confined within the dark +closet of my womb; thou didst take great care of him until he formed +into perfection and harmony. I, trembling before the haughty, unjust, +and violent Prince, commend him unto thy goodness and pray that thou +who surpasseth all in mercy wilt be bountiful unto him. Be thou, I pray +thee, a guide and assistance unto him; forsake him not, and never leave +him destitute of thy care." + + +_Hayy is driven by the tide to another Island._ + +With these words she committed the little ark with the child into the +sea, and the waters swelling with the tide carried it in the same night +to the shore of another Island whereof we have just made mention. + +It so happened that there was such a powerful current of the high +water--as it does happen there once a year--that the ark was carried +right to the shore, and by its force cast into a shady grove, thick set +with trees,--a very pleasant place, well sheltered from wind and rain, +and secured from the sun, which at its rising and setting receded from +it. + +Then when the waters subsided, the ark wherein the infant peacefully +slumbered was left stranded, banked up by sands, safely aground, +sheltered from blustering wind or in-coming tide. For when the wind +blew, the sands were heaped together and obstructed the passage to the +grove, and thus prevented the coming of any water into it so that the +flood could not reach it. + + +_Hayy is found by a Roe, which takes care of him._ + +Now it came to pass that the nails of the ark and its joints became +loosened by the violence of the waves. The child, feeling hungry, began +to cry bitterly, seeking relief and moving about in the ark. +Fortunately it so happened that its cry was heard by a roe that was +wandering about in search of her fawn, which, having ventured out of its +den, had been carried off by an eagle. + +When she heard the cry, she at first took it to be the cry of her fawn; +so she followed it quickly up, until she came to the ark. She at once +started to break it open with her hoofs, and, aided by the struggling +child within, she at last forced a board covering the upper part of the +ark. + +Whereupon, beholding the dear child, she took pity on him, and being +moved with tender affection towards him, she suckled him. Thus she fully +satisfied him with milk, and, while he was weak and helpless, did come +and guard him, defending him from evil and keeping him from all harm. +And this is the tale that is told by those who refuse to believe that a +man can come into the world without parents. But we shall explain later +on how it grew and how it progressed until it reached unto great +perfection. + + +_Spontaneous Generation._ + +Those, however, who think he was born out of the earth, without father +or mother, say that, in a low piece of ground in that Island, it +happened that in the course of years a certain mass of clay so fermented +that the four qualities heat and cold, moisture and dryness, agreed in +equal mixture and in equal strength; and there was a great bulk of this +clay in which some parts excelled the others, being more equally +tempered and therefore fitter for the generation (of a mixed body); the +middle portion of the clay being of the most perfect temper, and most +closely approaching the human temper. The matter being in a state of +fermentation, bubblings arose by reason of its great clamminess; and it +came to pass that there was some clammy thing in the midst of it with a +small bubbling, being divided with a thin partition into two parts, full +of a spirituous and airy body, of the most equal temper. Thereupon, at +the command of the most high God, a spirit was infused into it and +joined so closely thereto that it could scarcely be separated therefrom +either by sense or thought; this spirit constantly flowing out from God, +as is manifest in the light of the sun which constantly influenceth the +world . . . and creates. + + +_Hayy grows up nursed by the Roe._ + +According to the other account (which we follow) the infant developed +and grew, being nourished with the roe's milk, until he was two years +old. By this time he began to walk by degrees and grow his foreteeth. He +always followed the roe, who guarded him with most tender affection, and +led him into places where there grew trees full of fruit, and fed him +with ripe and sweet fruits that fell from the tree, breaking those that +had a hard shell with her teeth. + +She suckled the babe whenever he pleased. When he thirsted for water, +she led him thereto; when the beams of the sun were in any way +troublesome to him, she shaded him. When he suffered from the cold, she +cherished and warmed him. And when the night approached, she brought him +home to his former abode and covered him with her own body and partly +with feathers such as remained of those wherewith the ark was stuffed +when he was first put into it. When they went forth in the morning or +came home of an evening, they were always accompanied by a herd of deer +that lay together with them, in the same place. + + +_Hayy learns to imitate animals' voices._ + +In this way the boy keeping company with them also learned their voice, +which he imitated so exactly that scarcely any difference could be +perceived between them. In like manner, whatever other voice he heard, +whether of bird or beast, he came very near it by virtue of a very +apprehensive faculty wherewith he was endowed. But of all the voices he +imitated, he made most use of the deer's when they cried out for help or +called their fellow-deer, when they wanted them nearer by or farther +off. For as you know, those creatures have diverse voices according to +their various ends and uses. Thus the child kept company with the deer, +and they were not in the least afraid of one another. + + +_Hayy begins to take a careful view of things._ + +Now when the images of things, after being removed out of sight, became +fixed in his mind, it affected him so that he took a fancy to some +things, whilst he had a distaste for others. In the meanwhile he took a +careful view of all the beasts. He saw them covered with wool, hair, and +different kinds of plumes; he beheld their great swiftness and strength +and the weapons they were armed with for protection and defence, viz. +horns, teeth, hoofs, spurs, nails, and the like. Then he viewed himself +and found he was naked, destitute of weapons, slow and weak. For +whenever they contended with him about the fruits they were to feed on, +he generally got the worst of it; they pulled the fruit from him, +keeping it for themselves, and he could not beat them off or flee from +them. + + +_Hayy observes the difference between the animals and himself._ + +Moreover, he observed that his fellow-fawns began to have little horns +which they had not had at first; and while they were at first weak, and +unable to run far, yet in progress of time grew to be very vigorous and +nimble, and active in their movements. But none of all this he perceived +to befall himself, and as often as he pondered over the matter, he could +not make out what should be the reason thereof. + +Also, when he beheld the creatures such as had any fault or defect of +limbs, he could not find one amongst them like himself. All these +matters evoked great grief and anxiety within him; and after having +earnestly pondered over the matter and perplexed himself therewith, he +at last gave up, in utter despair, the hope of being supplied with +that, the want of which so sorely troubled his mind. + + +_Hayy as a boy of seven. He covers himself with leaves._ + +Thereupon he, having by this time grown to be a boy of seven, decided to +put forth his own efforts and to help himself. He took some broad leaves +of trees (wherewith to cover his nakedness) and put some on the +fore-part of his body, covering the hinder parts with the others; and +having thus made a girdle of palm-leaves and rushes together, he girded +his waist therewith. + +But it was not long before the leaves, growing dry, withered and fell +off from him. + +Hayy, by no means discouraged, at once took fresh ones in their stead, +and put them one on top of another, thus forming double folds; but even +then, though remaining somewhat longer, they would not last but a short +time. Thereupon, he broke off the bough of a tree, the ends whereof he +made straight, stripping off the twigs, and then smoothed the middle +parts thereof. + + +_Hayy becomes aggressive, and attacks wild beasts._ + +Thus armed, he began to attack and affright such of the wild beasts as +ventured to oppose him, assaulting the weaker and defending himself +against the stronger. In this way he came to understand to some degree +his own strength, and found out that his head by far excelled theirs, as +he had been enabled therewith to cover his own nakedness and to provide +himself with a weapon wherewith to defend himself. So that now he had +no need of those natural weapons which he had formerly so much desired. + + +_Hayy covers himself with the skin of an Eagle._ + +By this time he had grown up and was now past seven years of age; and as +he found the frequent repairing of the leaves wherewith he covered +himself very troublesome to him, it entered his mind to take unto him +the tail of some dead beast, and gird it about him. But when he noticed +that all the beasts shunned the dead bodies of those that were of the +same kind, and saw them flee from them, he began to feel doubtful +whether it was safe for him to do so, until at length he lighted one day +on a dead eagle; and when he noticed that none of the animals fled +before him, he thought that from him he might get his desire +accomplished. + +So, seizing the opportunity, he stepped forward towards him and first +cut off the wings and the tail complete just as they were; then he +smoothed the feathers, and spread them open; thereupon he tore off the +remainder of the skin, dividing it into two portions, whereof he wore +the one on his back, the other upon his belly and the secret parts. The +tails he fixed behind and the wings on his arms. Thus he was at the same +time covered and kept warm. + + +_Hayy spreads terror among the beasts._ + +Moreover, he spread such terror among the beasts that they did not +venture to resist or oppose him, and none dared to come near him except +his roe which had suckled him and brought him up; and he never separated +from her nor she from him. And when she became old and weakly, he led +her to those places where there was the best food to be found, gathering +the sweetest fruits and giving them to her to eat. + + +_Hayy is grief-stricken at the death of the Roe._ + +Yet in spite of all the care he bestowed upon her, she grew more lean +and feeble every day, and in the end death overtook her, when all her +motions stopped and her actions ceased. + +When the boy noticed this, sad grief overcame him, and he was stricken +with the greatest sorrow. He called her with the same voice she used to +answer; and though he shouted at the top of his voice, he could not +perceive any movement or alteration in her. Thereupon he began to look +closer into her eyes and ears, but could not find any visible defect. In +equal manner, when he examined all the other parts of the body, he could +find nothing amiss. He therefore earnestly desired to find out where the +defect lay hidden, so that he might be able to remove it and make her +return to her former state of vigorous life. But he was quite at a loss +and utterly unable to find by what means to attain his ends. . . . + + +_Hayy takes an aversion to the dead Body._ + +In the meantime the dead body of the roe began to putrefy and to exhale +noisome vapours, which tended to increase his aversion to it and made +him unwilling to look upon it. + +Not long after this he chanced to see two ravens fighting together, and +one of them struck the other down dead. After that it began to scrape +the earth with its claws, till it had dug up a pit wherein it buried the +carcase of its adversary. When Hayy observed this, he said to himself: +"How well has this raven done in covering the body of his companion, +though he did ill in killing him. How much greater reason was there for +me to have performed this good office to my mother." + + +_Hayy buries the body of the Roe._ + +Thereupon he digged a grave, in which he laid his mother's body, +throwing earth upon it. Then he went on meditating on the thing which +had governed the body, but could not apprehend what sort of thing it +was. But when he looked on the rest of the roes, and saw that they all +had the same figure and form as his mother had had, he gathered there +was in every one of them something that governed and actuated them, like +that which had actuated and governed his mother. And on account of that +likeness he continued to follow them, and liked to be in their company. + + +_Hayy observes divers kinds of Living Creatures and Plants._ + +In this condition he remained some time, contemplating divers kinds of +living creatures and plants, and walking about the shore of that Island +to see whether he could find anything like himself, as he observed many +of the other animals and plants had many resembling one another. But as +much as he looked about, he could not find one like himself. And when, +on walking round, he perceived that the Island was everywhere compassed +with the sea, he fancied there was no other Island besides. + + +_Hayy discovers Fire kindled by the friction of Reeds._ + +But once it so happened that fire was kindled by friction among a parcel +of reeds, which at first greatly frightened him, being a thing he had +never seen before, so that he stood at a distance a good while, greatly +wondering at it. + +Yet at last he ventured to draw nearer and nearer to it by degrees; in +amazement he observed the brightness of its light, and that wondrous +force in consuming everything it seized, converting it into its own +nature, till in the end, full of wonder and incited by that innate +boldness and courage that God had implanted in his mind, he felt induced +to stretch his hand out to get hold of it. + +But when it burnt his fingers, and he saw he could not lay hold of it, +he endeavoured to take a stick from the burning tree which the fire had +not as yet completely seized upon, and taking hold of that part that was +still untouched, he easily gained his ends and carried the tree brand +home to his lodgings, which he had selected. + +There he kept his fire and ceased not to tend it day and night. +Particularly at night it was of great service to him, inasmuch as its +light and heat supplied the place of the sun, so that he was greatly +pleased with it and began to look upon it as the most excellent thing he +had yet had about him. + +And when he noticed that it always tended upwards--he felt convinced +that it was one of those celestial substances which he saw shining in +the firmament. He then tried the strength thereof upon all sorts of +bodies by throwing them into it, and he perceived it consumed them all +sooner or later according to their natures, which rendered them more or +less combustible. + +Amongst other experiments wherewith he tried to prove its strength, he +flung therein certain fishes which the sea had cast upon the shore; as +the steam thereof came to his nose, the smell whetted his appetite so +that he ventured to taste of them; and when he found it agreeable to his +palate, he began to get used to the eating of fish and flesh. Then he +applied himself to fishing and hunting those creatures that are +specially fit to feed on, until he became a great expert in those +sports. + +Thus his regard for the fire greatly increased day by day, because it +helped to provide him with various sorts of food with which he was quite +unacquainted before. + + + + +THE THIRD SEPTENARY. + + +_Hayy makes himself Clothes and Shoes of the Skins of Animals._ + +By the time he had attained to the end of his _third septenary_, viz. to +the twenty-first year of his age, he had found out many things which +were of great use to him for the conveniences of life. He made himself +clothes and shoes of the skins of wild beasts after he had dissected +them for use. He made himself thread of their hair, as also of the rind +of the stalks of althea mallows, and other plants that could be easily +parted asunder and drawn into threads. And he learned the making of +these threads from the use he had made of the rushes before. He made a +sort of bodkin of the strongest thorns he could get and splinters of +cane sharp pointed with stones. + +The art of building he was taught by the observations he made upon the +swallows' nests. He built himself a room to repose and rest therein, and +also a store-house and pantry to lay up the remainder of his victuals. +He guarded it with a door made of canes twisted together to prevent any +of the beasts from getting in when he happened to be away. He also got +hold of certain birds of prey which he made use of for hawking, and +others of the tamer sort which he bred up, and fed upon their eggs and +chickens. He also took to him the horns of wild bulls, which he fastened +upon the strongest canes he could get and the staves of the tree Alzan +and others of similar kind. + +Thus, by the help of fire and of sharp edged stones, he so fitted them +that they served him as spears. He made himself also a shield of the +skins of beasts folded and compacted together. And thus he tried to +provide himself with artificial weapons, being destitute of natural +arms. + + +_Hayy learns to ride._ + +When he saw that his hand supplied all those defects quite well, and +that none of the various kinds of wild beasts ventured to stand up +against him, but fled away from him and only excelled him in their +swiftness, he bethought himself of contriving some art how to be even +with them, and finally decided there would be nothing so convenient as +to chase some of the strongest and swiftest beasts of the Island, +nourishing them with food until they might let him get on the back of +them, so that he might pursue other kinds of wild beasts. + +There were in that island wild horses and asses, out of which he chose +some that seemed fittest for the purpose, and by dint of exercise he +made them so tractable that he became complete master of his wishes. And +when he had made out of the skins of those beasts something that served +him instead of bridles and saddles, it was an easy matter for him to +overtake such beasts, which he scarcely could have taken in any other +way. + +He made all these discoveries whilst he busied himself in the study of +anatomy, studiously searching after the properties of the component +parts of animals and their difference, and all this he did, as we +mentioned above, by the time he was twenty-one years of age. + + +_Hayy examines the Nature of Bodies._ + +After this he proceeded further to examine the nature of bodies that +were subject to generation and corruption, as the different kinds of +animals, plants, minerals and different sorts of stones, earth, water, +exhalations and vapours, ice, snow, hail, smoke, fire, and hoar-frost. + +In all these he observed different qualities and a diversity of actions +and motions, agreeing in some respects and differing in others. He found +that, so far as they agreed, they were _one_; where they disagreed, _a +great many_; and when he looked into the properties whereby they were +distinguished from one another, he found them so manifold that he could +not comprehend them. + +As to himself, he knew that his spirit was one in essence, and was +really the substance of his being, and that the other parts served only +as so many instruments. So he perceived his own essence to be but one. + +Then attentively considering the different kinds of animals, he +perceived that the one thing common to them all was sensation and +nutrition and the faculty of moving of their own accord wheresoever +they pleased, all of which actions he was assured were the proper +effects of the animal spirit, and that those lesser things in which they +differed were not so proper to that spirit. + +For he considered that the animal spirit may differ with regard to some +qualities, according to the variety of constitutions in several animals. +And so he looked upon the whole species of living creatures as one. + +Then, on contemplating the different species of plants, he perceived +that the individuals of every species were like one another in their +boughs, branches, leaves, fruits; and so, taking a view of all the +different kinds of plants, he decided within himself that they were all +_one_ and the same in respect of that agreement between themselves in +their actions, viz. their nourishment and growth. + +He then contemplated those bodies which have neither sense, nourishment, +nor growth, such as stones, earth, water, air, and fire; which he saw +had all of them three dimensions, viz. _length_, _breadth_, and +_thickness_; and that their differences only consisted in this, that +some of them were coloured, others not; some were hot, others cold, and +similar differences. + +He noticed also that hot bodies grew cold, and, on the contrary, cold +ones grew warm. He saw further that water rarefied into vapours, and +vapours again thickened and turned into water. Then he observed that the +bodies which were burnt turned into coals, ashes, flame, and smoke; and +that the smoke, when in its ascent it was intercepted by an arch of +stones, thickened them into soot, and became like other earthly +substances. From whence he concluded that all things were in reality +_one_, like the animals and plants, though multiplied and diversified in +some respects. + + +_Hayy transfers his thoughts to the Heavenly Bodies._ + +Now after he had attained thus far, so as to have a general and +indistinct notion of an _Agent_, a vehement desire seized him to get a +more distinct knowledge of him. But since he had not yet withdrawn +himself from the sensible world, he began to look for this voluntary +Agent among things sensible; nor did he know, as yet, whether it were +one Agent or many. Therefore he took a view of all the bodies that were +near him, viz. which his thoughts had been continually fixed upon; which +he found all successively liable to generation and corruption, either +completely or in parts, as _water_ and _earth_, parts of which are +consumed by _fire_. + +He perceived likewise that the air was changed into snow by extremity of +cold, and then again into water; and among all the other bodies which he +had near him, he could find none which had not its existence anew and +required some voluntary Agent to give it a being. Therefore he laid all +those sublunary bodies aside, and transferred his thoughts to the +consideration of the heavenly bodies. + + + + +THE FOURTH SEPTENARY. + + +_Hayy ponders over Heaven and Stars._ + +Thus far had he arrived with his reflections about the _fourth +septenary_ of his age. He recognised that the heavens and all the stars +contained therein were bodies, because they are extended according to +the three dimensions: length, breadth, and thickness. + +Then he began to ask himself whether their extension was infinite, +whether they extended to an endless length and breadth, or whether they +were circumscribed by any bounds and terminated by certain limits. + + +_Hayy finds that the Body of Heaven is finite._ + +This problem continually occupied his mind. But soon, owing to the power +of his reflection and the penetration of his thought, he perceived that +the idea of an infinite body was an absurdity, an impossibility, a +notion quite unintelligible. And he confirmed himself in this way of +thinking by numerous arguments that presented themselves to his mind. + +And when, by the singular sharpness of his wit, he had satisfied +himself that the body of heaven was finite, he wanted to find out, in +the next place, of what form it was and how it was limited by the +superficies that compassed it round. + + +_Hayy contemplates Sun, Moon, and Stars._ + +First of all he contemplated the sun, moon, and stars, and saw that they +all rose in the East, and set in the West; and those lights which went +right over his head described a greater circle, whilst those at a +greater distance from the vertical point towards the North or South +described the lesser circle. So that the least circles which were +described by any of the stars were those two which went round the two +poles, the one North, the other South, the last of which is the circle +of the star Suhail (that is Canopus) and the circle Al-farkadani, which +was next the northern. + +And, since he lived in an island situated under the equinoctial line, +all those circles cut the horizon at right angles and had alike +reference to North and South, seeing both the poles appeared to him at +once. He observed that when a star arose in a larger circle and another +in a lesser, yet they both arose together and set at the same time, and +he noticed it to be the case with all stars at all times. + + +_Hayy concludes that the Heaven is of a spherical Figure._ + +Therefore, it was evident to him that the heaven was of a spherical +figure. + +In this he was further confirmed by observing the return of the sun, +moon, and the other stars to the East after their setting; and also +because they always appeared to him of the same proportion of magnitude +when they arose, when they were in the midst of heaven, and when they +set; for if their motions had not been circular, they must have been +nearer to sight at some time than at others; and then their dimensions +would have appeared greater or lesser when they were nearer to him or +further off. + +But since there was no such appearance, he felt assured that the figure +of heaven was spherical. Then he considered the motion of the moon, and +saw that it was carried from the East to the West as the other planets +were. So that at length a great part of astronomy became known to him. + +It appeared to him, further, that the motions of the planets were in +different spheres, all of which were comprehended in another that was +above them all, and which turned about all the rest in the space of a +day and a night. But it would be too tedious to set down, to explain in +particular, how he advanced in this science; and what we have already +said is quite sufficient for our present purpose. + +Now, when he had attained to this degree of astronomical science, he +found that the whole of the heavens and whatever it contained was one +thing composed of parts mutually joined together; and that all those +bodies which he had before considered--as earth, water, air, plants, +animals--were all of them contained in it, so that none of them went +beyond its bounds. He found also that the whole body was like one animal +in which the stars answered to the senses; the spheres joined together +answered to the limbs; and all those bodies therein, which were liable +to generation and corruption, resembled those things which are contained +in the belly of an animal. + + +_Hayy ponders over the Creation of the World._ + +Now, whereas it appeared to him that the whole world was only one +Substance which stood in need of a voluntary Agent, and that its various +parts seemed to him but one thing, in like manner as the bodies of the +lower world which is subject to generation and corruption, he took a +broad view of the whole world, and debated within himself whether it +existed in time after it had been, and came to be out of nothing; or +whether it was a thing that had existed from eternity and never wanted a +beginning. + +In respect to this matter, he had many and grave doubts within himself, +so that neither of these opinions prevailed over the other. For when he +proposed to himself the belief of eternity, there arose many objections +in his mind with regard to the impossibility of an _infinite being_, +just as the existence of an _infinite body_ had seemed impossible to +him. + +He saw, furthermore, that any substance that was not void of _qualities_ +produced anew, but always endued with them, must also itself be produced +anew, because it cannot be said to be before them; and that which cannot +exist before qualities newly produced, must needs itself be newly +produced. + +On the other hand, however, when he proposed to himself to believe in a +new production thereof, other objections occurred to him--in particular +this, that the notion of its being produced after non-existence could in +no wise be understood, unless it was supposed there was some time +antecedent to its existence; whereas time was amongst the number of +those things that belonged to the world and was inseparable therefrom, +wherefore the world cannot be understood to be later than time. + +He then reasoned within himself: if the world be produced anew, it must +needs have a producer or creator; and if so, why did this creator create +the world now and not before? + +Was it because some motive supervened which it had not before? But there +was nothing besides him, the Creator. + +Was it, then, owing to some change in his own nature? If so, what has +caused this change? + +Thus he did not cease to consider these things within himself for some +years, and to ponder over its different bearings; and a great many +arguments offered themselves on both sides, so that neither of those +opinions preponderated in his judgment over the other. + + +_Hayy concludes that the world must have a Creator without bodily +Substance._ + +Since it seemed difficult to him to make a definite decision on this +question, he began to consider within himself what would be the +necessary consequence which did follow from either of those opinions, +and that they might both be alike. And he perceived that, if he supposed +the world to be created in time, and to have had an existence after +non-existence, it would necessarily follow therefrom that the world +could not come forth into existence by its own power, but required some +agent to produce it; but this agent could not be perceived by any of the +senses; for if it were an object of the senses, it would be _body_, and +if _body_, part of the world, and would have had its existence anew; so +that it would have stood in need of some other cause which should have +produced it anew. And if this second creator were also a body, he would +depend upon a third, and that third upon a fourth, and so on _ad +infinitum_, which, however, would be absurd and irrational. + +The world, therefore, must necessarily have a creator that has not a +bodily substance; and as the creator is, indeed, without such a bodily +substance, it is quite impossible for us to apprehend him by any of our +senses; for we perceive nothing by the help of the five senses but +bodies or such qualities as adhere to bodies. + +And since it cannot be apprehended by sense, neither can it be +comprehended by imagination. For imagination is nothing else but a +representation of the forms of things, when their bodily objects are +absent. And seeing it is not a body, we must not attribute to him any +bodily properties, the first of which is extension into length, breadth, +thickness; but he is free from that, and also from all other properties +of body that flow from it. And seeing he is the Creator of the world, +doubtless he knows whatsoever is in it, and has the sovereign command +over it. "Shall not he know, that created it? For he is most eminent in +knowledge and omniscient." (Koran.) + +On the other side he saw that if he believed in the eternity of the +world, and that it was ever as it is now, and that no time of chaos +preceded it, that necessarily it would follow that motion was from +eternity also, without any period of beginning, because there could be +no rest before it whence to take its beginning. + +Now, every motion necessarily requires a _mover_, and that mover is +either some power diffused in some body, to wit, either in the body of +the thing moved or else through some other body without it, or else some +other power that is not diffused or dispersed through anything at all. + +Now every power diffused in any body and dispersed through it, is +divided or doubled. For example: gravity in a stone which causes it to +move downwards. For if the stone be divided into two parts, the gravity +is also divided into two parts; and if you add thereto another stone of +equal weight, the gravity is doubled. And if it were possible that the +stone grew _ad infinitum_, the gravity would also grow _ad infinitum_. +On the other hand, if the stone should grow to a certain size and remain +there, also the gravity would increase to the same extent, and no +farther. + +Now it has already been demonstrated that every body must necessarily +be finite, and consequently every power inherent in a body is also +finite. If, therefore, we can find a power which produces an infinite +effect, it must needs be such a power that is not inherent in any body. + +Now we find that the heaven is moved with a perpetual motion, without +any cessation at all. + +Therefore, if we affirm that its motion has no beginning, it necessarily +follows that the power that moves is not inherent in its own body nor in +any other body that is without it; but proceeds from something +altogether abstract from bodies, and which can be described by no terms +applicable to bodies. + +Then it was evident to him, from his former contemplation of the lower +world which is liable to generation and corruption, that the true +essence of body consisted in its form, which is its disposition to +various motions, but that that part of its essence which consisted in +matter was very mean and poor, and can scarcely be conceived. Therefore +the existence of the whole world consists in its disposition to be moved +by this Mover, who is free of all matter and of all adjuncts belonging +to the body, abstracted from everything which senses can apprehend or +imagination can reach. + +And since he is the efficient cause of the motion of the heaven, in +which (though there be different kinds) there is no difference, no +innovation or cessation, doubtless he has power over it and a perfect +knowledge of it. + +Thus his contemplation brought him to the same conclusion to which he +had arrived before. Nor did it trouble him in any way that he doubted +the eternity of the world and its existence anew. For either way it was +manifest to him that the Creator of the world was no body nor joined to +body nor separated therefrom. For conjunction and separation, to be +within and without, are the qualities of bodies, from which the Creator +is quite free. And because every body stands in need of a form to be +added to their matter, considering it cannot subsist but by that, nor +exist without it, but by this voluntary Agent, it appeared to him that +all things owed their existence to this Agent; and that none of them +could subsist but through him; and consequently this Agent was the cause +of them all, and they the effects, whether they were newly created after +non-existence or whether they had no beginning with respect of time, +without any privation foregoing it. + +For upon either of these two cases their existence depended, for they +could not continue, unless he continued, nor exist unless he existed, +nor be eternal without his being eternal; but he stood not in any need +of them nor in any way depended upon them. + +And how should it be otherwise, considering it has been demonstrated +that its power and virtue is infinite, whereas all bodies are finite and +terminated and equally whatsoever adhereth unto them or dependeth upon +them; therefore that the whole world, and whatsoever is in it, heaven, +earth or stars, and whatsoever belongs to them, above or beneath them, +is all his work and creation and consequently posterior to him in +nature though not in time. As if you take any body in your hand and then +move your hand, the body must necessarily follow the motion of your hand +with a motion which is posterior to the motion of the hand in nature, +though not in time, seeing both motions began together. + +So all this world is created and caused by this Agent out of time, whose +command is, when he would have anything done: _Let it be_, and _it is_. + + +_Hayy admires the work of the Creator._ + +Now, when he saw that all things existing were the work of the Creator, +he again considered the power of the same, greatly admiring so rare a +workmanship, such accurate wisdom and profound knowledge. + +There appeared to him in the most minute creatures (much more in the +greater) such signs of wisdom and marvels of the work of creation that +his mind was filled with the greatest admiration. Then he became assured +that all these things must proceed from a voluntary Agent of infinite +perfection, even above all perfection, to whom even the weight of an +atom could not be unknown whether in heaven or earth, nor any other +thing whether lesser or greater than it. + +Thereupon he considered all the different sorts of animals, and how this +Agent had given to every one of them such a fabric of body and then +taught them what use to make thereof. For if he had not taught them to +use the members he had given them for those employments for which they +were designed, they would not have derived any benefit or advantage +therefrom, but on the contrary would rather have found them a burden. + +Hence he knew that he was most bountiful and most gracious of all. And +then, when he perceived among the creatures anything that had beauty, +perfection, power and strength, or whatever other excellency it had, he +concluded that it must necessarily proceed from that voluntary Agent, +from his existence and by his operation. + +He knew that the qualities that were in him were much greater, more +perfect, more absolute, more bountiful, more excellent and more lasting; +and there was no comparison between those things that were in him and +those that were found in the animals. + +Nor did he cease to go on with his search till he had run through all +the attributes of perfection, and found that they were all in the Agent +and proceeded from him, and that he was worthy of them more than any to +whom they should be ascribed. + +Also he searched all the attributes of defects, and saw him free from +them and void of them. And how was it possible for him to be otherwise, +since the notion of imperfection is nothing but mere privation or what +depends upon it. + +How should he in any degree partake of privation, who is a most simple +being, the very essence himself, and giving a being to everything that +exists, and besides whom there is no existence. _For He is the +Existence, He is the Absolute, He is the Perfection, He is the Beauty, +He is the Glory, He is the Power, He is the Knowledge, He is He, and all +Things perish beside Him._ (Koran.) + + + + +FIFTH SEPTENARY. + + +_Hayy is completely taken up with the Contemplation of the Superior +Intellectual World._ + +Thus far he had advanced in his knowledge by the end of the _fifth +septenary_ from his birth, that is when he was thirty-five years old. +And the consideration of this supreme being was then so fixed in his +mind that it hindered him to think of any other thing, so that he forgot +altogether the consideration of their existence and of their nature, +until in the end it came to this, that as soon as he cast his eyes upon +any thing of any kind whatsoever, he at once saw in it the prints of +this Agent, and in a moment his thoughts were diverted from the Creature +and transferred to the Creator, so that his heart was altogether +withdrawn from thinking on this inferior world, which contains the +objects of sense (inferior sensible world), and entirely taken up with +the contemplation of the superior intellectual world. + + +_Hayy examines all his Senses and Faculties._ + +Having now attained the knowledge of this supreme being of permanent +existence, which has no cause of its own existence, but itself is the +cause of the existence of all other things, he was next desirous to know +by what means he came to this knowledge and by what faculty he had +apprehended this being. + +Therefore he first examined all his senses, viz. his hearing, seeing, +smelling, tasting, and feeling, and saw that all these apprehended +nothing but what was bodily or what is in the body. + +For the hearing apprehended nothing but sounds, and these arose from the +agitation of the air, by the friction of bodies. The sight apprehends +colours, the smelling odours; the taste savours, the touch temperatures +of the body, hardness and softness, roughness and smoothness. Nor does +the imagination apprehend anything which has not length, breadth, and +thickness. + +Now all these things which are thus apprehended are the adjuncts of +bodies, and our senses apprehend nothing else, because they are +faculties diffused through our bodies and divided according to the +division of bodies, and therefore cannot apprehend anything else but +divisible body. For as this faculty is diffused through the visible +body, it must necessarily, whenever it apprehends anything, be divided +as the faculty is divided. Therefore every faculty which is seated in +the body can apprehend nothing except a body, or what is inherent in a +body. + +Now it has already been shown that this necessarily existent being is +free from all material qualities in any respect, and consequently cannot +be apprehended except by something which is neither matter nor any +faculty inherent in matter, or in any way dependent upon it, neither +within it nor without it, neither joined to it nor separated from it. + +It appeared also to him that he apprehended this supreme being, and that +he gained a firm knowledge of it by that which was his own essence. It +was therefore clear to him that his essence was something incorporeal +without any material quality; and whatever material thing he apprehended +by his outward sense, was not in reality his essence; but that it was +something of an incorporeal substance, whereby he apprehended that +absolute and perfect being that is necessarily and of itself existent. + +Having thus learnt that his real essence was not a corporeal substance +perceived by his senses and compassed about by his skin, his body seemed +to him something altogether contemptible, and so he wholly addicted +himself to the contemplation of that noble essence whereby he +apprehended that noble and necessarily existent being. Then he +considered within himself, whether this noble essence could possibly be +dissolved, corrupted, and vanish altogether, or whether it were of +perpetual duration. + +Now he knew that corruption and dissolution were properties of bodies, +and consisted in putting off one form and putting on another; as for +instance when water is changed into air and air into water, or when +herbs are turned into earth or ashes, and earth into herbs--for this is +the true notion of corruption. But an incorporeal being, independent of +body and altogether free therefrom, cannot be liable to corruption. + +Having thus quite assured himself that his real essence could not be +corrupted, he desired to know in what condition it would be itself when +it left the body and was separated therefrom; but now he knew that it +was not so, until the body was no longer a fit instrument for its use. + +Therefore weighing in his mind all his apprehensive faculties, he saw +that every one of them apprehended its object, sometimes potentially, +sometimes actually--as when the eye is shut or turns itself away from +the visible object, it is potentially apprehensive--which means, though +it does not actually apprehend it at present, yet is able to do so for +the time to come. And when the eye is open and turned toward the effect, +it is actually apprehensive, which means, it apprehends it at present. +And so it is with all the other faculties. + +Furthermore he saw that if any of these faculties never actually +apprehended its proper object, yet so long as it is potentially +apprehensive, it has no desire to apprehend any particular object, +because it has no knowledge thereof, as is seen in a man who is born +blind. But if it did ever actually apprehend, and becomes afterwards +potentially apprehensive, it is inclined to apprehend its object +actually, because it has been acquainted with the object and is intent +upon it, as a man, who has before enjoyed his sight, continually desires +visible objects after he is blind; and the more glorious, perfect, and +beautiful the object is, the more his desire increases and the greater +is his grief for the loss. + +So if we can find out anything which has an unlimited perfection, +infinite beauty, brightness and splendour, that does not proceed from +it, then he who is deprived of the sight and knowledge of that thing, +after having once known it, must necessarily suffer inexpressible +anguish, so long as he remains destitute thereof; whereas he that has it +continually present before him, must needs enjoy uninterrupted delight, +perpetual felicity, boundless joy and gladness. + + + + +HAYY RETURNS TO THE SENSIBLE WORLD. + + +As to the end of his story, I will tell you all about it, with the help +of God. + +When _Hayy_ returned to the Sensible World, after his digression into +the Divine World, he began to loathe the burden and troubles of this +mortal life on earth, and to be filled with a most earnest and +passionate desire of the life to come; and he strove to return to the +same state in the same way as at first, until he attained thereto with +less labour than he had done formerly. And he continued in it the second +time longer than at the first. + +Then he returned to the Sensible World; and then again he sought to +re-enter into that state of speculation, and found it easier than the +first and second time, and continued therein much longer. + +In this way it grew easier and easier unto him, and his remaining +therein became longer and longer, until at last he could attain it +whenever he desired, and remain therein as long as he pleased, except +when the necessity of his body required it. Those necessities, however, +he had restrained within so narrow a compass that a narrower could +hardly be imagined. + +And, while in this state he often wished that God, the Almighty and +Glorious, would altogether detach him from this body of his that called +him away from that place, so that he might wholly and continually give +himself up to his delight, and might be freed from all that pain and +grief with which he was afflicted, as often as he was forced to turn his +mind from that state to attend on his bodily necessities. + + + + +SEVENTH SEPTENARY. + + +_Asal and Salaman appear on the Scene._ + +Thus he continued in this state until he had passed the _seventh +septenary_ of his age, that is, until he was fifty years of age. Then it +happened that he made the acquaintance of Asal. And the account of this +meeting with him we shall now relate, with the help of God. + +They report that there is an Island near unto that where _Hayy Ibn +Yokdhan_ was born--according to one of those two different accounts as +to the manner of his birth--unto which had retired one of those pious +sects that had for its founder some of the ancient Prophets (the Mercy +of God be upon them!), a sect which used to discourse on all things that +had a new existence in nature and by way of parables to represent their +images to the imagination, so that their impressions fixed themselves in +the minds of men. This sect spread itself in that Island and began to +prevail and become famous, till at length the King himself entered it +and forced his subjects also to adhere to it. + +Now there were born in that same Island two men of great endowments and +excellence, great lovers of goodness--their names were _Asal_ and +_Salaman_. Meeting with this sect, they embraced it most heartily, +addressing themselves to the punctual observance of all its precepts and +the continuous exercise of the works required thereby; and to that end +they entered into a bond of friendship with each other. They studiously +made careful inquiries into the passages contained in the law of that +sect, amongst others on the descriptions of God, the Almighty and the +most Glorious, and His angels; on the resurrection, and the rewards and +punishments of a future life. + + +_Nature and Character of Asal and Salaman._ + +Now, of the two _Asal_ was the one who made a deeper search into the +inside of things, was more given to studying mystical meanings and +senses of words, and diligently endeavoured to interpret them. +_Salaman_, on the other hand, his fellow student, mostly observed the +outward things, never troubling himself about such interpretations, and +abstained from a curious search and speculation of things. Apart from +this difference, however, both were constant in performing those +ceremonies prescribed, and strove to fight against their unruly passions +and affections. + + +_Further Differences of Asal and Salaman._ + +Now, in this law there were contained some sayings which seemed to +exhort and encourage men to affect retirement and a solitary life, and +to intimate that salvation and happiness were to be attained thereby; +other sayings, again, seemed to encourage men unto conversation and +fellowship and applying themselves to embrace human society. + +_Asal_ addicted himself wholly to retirement, and he preferred those +sayings which tended thereunto, seeing that he was by nature inclined to +perpetual contemplation, and searching into the meanings of things; for +he had great hopes of attaining to his ends by selecting a solitary +life. + +_Salaman_, however, applied himself to conversation and human society +and those sayings of the law that tended that way, because he had a +natural aversion to contemplation and more subtle inquiries into things; +and it occurred to him that society and company tended to drive away +evil thoughts, and banished that diversity of opinions which intruded +themselves into his mind and kept him from attending the motions and +suggestions of evil spirits. And in the end their disagreement on this +particular point caused them to depart one from another. + + +_Asal repairs to Hayy's Island._ + +Now _Asal_ had heard of that Island wherein it is reported that Hayy +grew up. He knew the fruitfulness and conveniences thereof and the +health-giving temper of its air, so that it would afford him such a +resting-place as he wished to find. He decided, therefore, to go +thither and to withdraw himself from company and society for the +remainder of his days. + +Therefore, gathering all his goods together, with a part thereof he +hired a ship to convey him to that Island, whilst the rest he +distributed among the poor people. Then he took his farewell from his +friend Salaman and went abroad. The mariners transported him safely unto +the Island, set him ashore, and departed. + +There he continued serving God, the Almighty and Glorious, sanctifying +him and meditating upon his glorious names and attributes, without being +in any way interrupted or disturbed. When he felt hungry he took of the +fruits of the Island or he got by hunting as much as satisfied his +hunger. + +In this state he remained for some time, enjoying the greatest possible +pleasure and complete tranquillity of mind, arising out of the +communication he had with his Lord; and every day experiencing his +favours and most precious gifts, he easily brought to his hand such +things as he wanted and were necessary for his support, which confirmed +his belief in him and gave him great comfort. + +_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ in the meantime was wholly taken up with sublime +speculations, and never stirred out of his cave but once a week, to take +unto him such food as most readily presented itself. Thus it happened +that _Asal_ did not light upon him at first. For walking round the +utmost parts of the Island, and compassing the extremes thereof, he +neither met any man nor could he perceive the footsteps of any one: +which increased his gladness of mind, and he was delighted with what he +had proposed unto himself--that was solitude and retirement. + + +_Hayy and Asal meet._ + +At last it came to pass at a certain time that, _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ +stepping out of his cell to look out for some food in the same place to +which _Asal_ had retired, they spied one another. + +_Asal_, for his part, had no doubt but that the man he saw was some +religious person given to solitude who had retired into that Island as +he had done himself. He was afraid, therefore, lest if he should come up +to him and make himself known, it might spoil his meditation, and thus +become an impediment to him in accomplishing his desires. + +But, as for _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, he could not imagine what it was: for of +all the creatures he had ever beheld in his life, there was none that +resembled him in the least. + +Now _Asal_ was clothed in a black coat, made up of hair and wool, which +he fancied was a natural cover; at which _Hayy_ stood a long time in +utter wonder and astonishment. Thereupon _Asal_, being afraid lest he +should disturb his meditation and divert his attention therefrom, turned +his back and fled. _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ ran after him, driven by an innate +desire to know and find out the truth of things. + +When he saw, however, that _Asal_ fled from him with all his might in +such haste, he retired a little into the background and hid himself +there, so that _Asal_ thought he had gone off altogether and gone far +away from that place where he had seen him. _Asal_ therefore began to +betake himself, as his custom was, unto his prayers and reading, to +invocation and weeping, to supplication and complaining, and these +exercises had quite turned him away from any other thing. + + +_Hayy catches hold of Asal._ + +In the meantime _Hayy_ drew near little by little, while _Asal_ did not +perceive him at all, until at length he came so near as to hear his +reading and the prayers he uttered. He also took notice of his humble +gesture and his weeping, whence he heard a pleasant voice, consisting of +words quite distinct, such as he had never observed before in any kind +of animals. Then, beholding his shape and lineaments, he observed that +he was of the same form with himself. He was satisfied that the coat +with which he was clothed was not a natural skin, but an artificial +habit like unto his own clothing. And when he observed the decency and +comeliness of his behaviour and his supplication and weeping, he did not +at all question but that he was one of the Essences, which had the +knowledge of the _True One_. + +Therefore, he felt a passionate desire to get acquainted with him, to +find out what was the matter with him and what was the cause of that +weeping and supplication. Thereupon he came nearer unto him, until +_Asal_, observing it, took to his heels again. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, +endowed with vigour and power, both of knowledge and body, bestowed upon +him by God--pursued him with all his might, till at last he overtook +him, seized him, and held him fast that he could not make again his +escape from him. + + +_Hayy and Asal stroke one another._ + +Thereupon, when _Asal_ looked upon him and beheld him clothed with the +skins of wild beasts with the hair on, and his own hair so long that it +covered part of his body, and observed his great swiftness and strength, +he was greatly afraid of him and began to pacify him by stroking him, +and to entertain him in words. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ did not understand +a word of what he said nor knew any of his meaning, only he perceived +the tokens of his fear and endeavoured to allay his fear with such +voices as he had learned from some of the animals: he gently stroked his +hand, his head, and the sides of his neck, and showed kindness unto him +and expressed much gladness and joy, till at last _Asal's_ fear was +assuaged, and he perceived that he intended no evil to him. + + +_Hayy and Asal try to understand each other._ + +Now _Asal_, in his earnest desire to obtain the knowledge of things, had +studied most languages and was skilful of them. So he began to speak to +_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, and to interrogate him concerning his condition in +every tongue he knew, and asked him questions concerning his doings and +ways of life, and took pains to make himself understood by him. But it +was all in vain: for _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, taking notice of all this, +stood all the time wondering at what he heard, being quite at a loss to +know what it all meant. He observed only the serenity of his countenance +and manifest signs of goodwill. Thus they stood wrapped in wonder, +looking at one another. + + +_Asal makes Hayy eat of his food._ + +Now _Asal_ had by him some of the remainder of the food which he had +brought along with him, from the inhabited Island from whence he came. +This he offered now to _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, but he did not know what it +was; for he had never seen anything of that kind before. Then _Asal_, +eating some of it himself, invited _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ to take some of it +with him. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ bethought himself of those laws which +he had prescribed to himself concerning the taking of his food, and +seeing he knew not the nature of those things that were set before him, +and whether it was lawful for him or not to partake thereof, restrained +himself from eating. Whereupon _Asal_ continued urging him on and kindly +invited him thereunto. + + +_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan at last joins Asal at dinner, but repents afterwards._ + +At last _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, being desirous and very anxious to get +acquainted with him, and, besides, being afraid that in continuing to +insist on his refusal, he might alienate his affections from him, +ventured to partake of that meat and to eat thereof. But as soon as he +had tasted it and found it very pleasant to his taste, he recognised +that he had done amiss by breaking his contract and the resolution and +promises he had made to himself concerning his diet. Thus he became +greatly repentant of what he had done, and had a mind of withdrawing +himself from _Asal_, and to betake himself unto his former state by +endeavouring to return to his former exercise of sublime speculation. + + +_Asal becomes Hayy's Companion and Teacher._ + +When he found that this intellectual vision did not immediately return +to him, he thought it best to remain with _Asal_ in the sensible world, +until he had thoroughly satisfied himself as to his condition, so that +afterwards there might remain no further inclination towards him, and +then he might return to his former state and apply himself to his former +contemplation without any interruption. So he joined himself to the +company and fellowship of _Asal_: and when _Asal_ saw that he could not +speak, he was fully assured that no danger could arise to his religion +by keeping company with him; and besides he had hopes that it might come +to pass that he should teach him Language, Knowledge, and Religion, when +he should obtain a very great reward and a nearer approach unto God. + +So _Asal_ began to teach him to speak, first by showing him particular +things, and pronouncing their names, and by repeating them often unto +him he made him to pronounce them again, which he presently did, until +he had taught him all names, and so by degrees he advanced him so far +that he could speak in a very short time. + + +_Hayy enlightens Asal on his Inner Life._ + +Then _Asal_ began to interrogate him concerning his condition, and from +whence he had come into that Island. But _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, in his +reply, told him that he knew nothing of his own origin, nor of any +father or mother that he had, but only that Roe that brought him up. + +Then he described to him his whole state and manner of living, from +beginning to end, and what progress he had made in knowledge, until he +had attained to that degree of conjunction with God. + +Then _Asal_ heard from him the declaration of those truths which he +related, of those essences which are separated from the sensible world +and which have the knowledge of the _Essence_, of that _True One_--the +Almighty and Glorious--and heard him give an account of the _Essence_ of +that _True One_--the Almighty and Glorious--with all his attributes, and +had described to him as far as it was possible for him to describe that +which he had witnessed when he had reached the joys of those that are +joined unto God, and the torments and griefs of those that are separated +from him. + +_Asal_ then had no doubt but that all those things which were delivered +in his law, concerning the commandment of that Almighty and Glorious +God, his angels and books, his messengers and the last day, Paradise and +Hell--all these were resemblances of what _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ had seen. +And the eyes of his heart were opened, and his mind was enlightened, +when he saw that the things which he apprehended and discerned by +reason, and that which he had received by tradition ("the Original and +the Copy"), agreed very well together. And now the ways of mystical +interpretation became easy unto him, nor was there anything difficult or +remained dark of those precepts which he had received that was not now +quite plain and perspicuous. + +In this way his intellectual faculty grew strong and vigorous, and he +began to look upon _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ with such admiration and respect +that he greatly reverenced him, and assured himself that he was _one of +the Saints of God, such as were not molested with any fear upon them, +and who shall not suffer through pain_. (Koran.) + +Thereupon he made himself ready to wait upon him, to imitate him, and to +follow his admonitions in the performance of such works as did occur +unto him, in those legal things which formerly he had learned in his +religion. + + +_Asal tells Hayy of the Island from whence he had come._ + +Then _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ began to enquire of him concerning his condition +and his manner of living, and _Asal_ gave him an account of the state +of that Island from whence he had come--what kind of people inhabited +it, and what sort of life they led before that religious sect which we +mentioned came among them, and how it was now, since his coming +thereinto. + +He also gave him an account of all those things that were delivered in +the law, concerning the description of the divine world, of Paradise and +the fire of Hell (Gehenna), of the awakening and resurrection of +mankind, of their gathering unto Judgment, of the account then to be +given up, of the scales wherein the actions of men should be weighed, +and the way through which they were to pass. + +Now, _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ understood very well all those things, nor did +he perceive that any of them were unsuitable to that which he had seen +when in that exalted condition; and he knew that he who had described +those things and delivered them unto men, was true in so declaring them, +and that in these his sayings he was a true and faithful messenger sent +from God. And he believed him and acknowledged the truth thereof and +bore testimony to his mission. + +Then he began to ask him concerning the precepts which the messenger of +God had delivered and the rites of worship which he had ordained. Thus +_Asal_ told him of _Prayer_, _Alms_, _Fasting_, and _Pilgrimage_, and +the like external works: which he received and practised, and took upon +him the performance thereof, in obedience to that command of the +Lawgiver, being persuaded and assured of the truth and faith of him who +delivered the same. Notwithstanding, there were _two things_ that fixed +themselves into his mind which he wondered at, neither could he perceive +wherein the wisdom thereof consisted. + +One of those two things was, why this messenger of God, in describing +most things that relate to the divine world, used to express them unto +men by parables of similitudes and abstained from a clear unfolding +thereof, which caused a good many men to fall into that error by +affirming corporeity in God and believing that to be something of that +_Essence_ the _True One_, the Almighty and Glorious, from which, +however, it is absolutely free, and in the same manner concerning those +things which relate to the rewards and punishments of a future world. + +The other was why he did not proceed beyond those precepts and rites of +worship, permitting men to seek after riches and the amassing of wealth, +and to enjoy their liberty as to the matter of food: by which means they +vainly delivered themselves unto vain things and turned themselves away +from the truth. Whilst his judgment was that nothing ought to be taken +from any; but only so much as may enable him to sustain the remainder of +his life. But as to riches, he considered them of no value at all. + +Now when he saw what was laid down and prescribed in the law concerning +those things that belonged to the employment of riches, namely alms, and +the distribution thereof and trading with them, also with regard to +usury, mulcts, and punishments, these things seemed all very odd and +uncouth unto him, and he judged them to be quite superfluous. For he +said that if men would judge of the matter according to truth, they +would certainly withdraw themselves from those vain things, and only +follow the truth, so that all this would be quite superfluous, nor would +any man challenge the property in riches as to have those dues exacted +from him, or to cause his hands to be cut off for those things secretly +stolen, or that lives should be destroyed by taking them away openly. + + +_Hayy observes that men are dull, stupid and brutish._ + +This was what he thought; and that which put this opinion into his mind +was that he thought that all men were imbued with an ingenuous temper, a +penetrating understanding, and a mind constant unto themselves. Nor did +he know how stupid and dull they were, how ill advised and how +inconstant in their resolutions; so much so that they were entirely like +brutes, even more apt than they to wander out of the way. + +Therefore, since he was greatly affected with pity towards mankind, and +anxiously desired that he might be an instrument in their salvation, a +resolution entered into his mind of going over to them that he might be +able to unfold and lay before them the truth of things. This desire he +therefore made known to his companion _Asal_, and asked whether he could +find out any way whereby he could come unto them and discourse with +them. + + +_Asal persuades Hayy to follow him to his Island._ + +_Asal_, on the other hand, told him what sort of people they were--how +much lacking in ingenuousness, and how averse from obeying the +commandments of God. But _Hayy_ could not understand this; and his mind +was intent upon that which he hoped to compass. _Asal_ also greatly +desired that it would please God, by his means, to direct some of his +acquaintances which were of a more pliable temper and more easily to be +guided than the rest, and not so far distant from sincerity as the +others, into the right way. Thus he was ready to support the design of +_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_. + + +_Hayy and Asal return together to Asal's Island._ + +Thereupon they resolved to betake themselves unto the seashore, nor to +depart thence either by day or night till God should please to afford +them an opportunity of crossing the sea. And always they were intent +upon this thing, and continued with their prayers and supplications to +God to direct them in this work and bring it to a successful issue. + +At last it came to pass, by the commandment of God, the Almighty and +Glorious, that the winds and waves drove a ship that had lost its course +to the shore of that Island. And as it drew nearer unto the land, they +who were in it, seeing two men upon the shore, made towards them. Then +_Asal_ bespeaking them, expressed the desire that they should carry them +with them; they readily acquiesced therein, took them both into the +ship; and it pleased God to send them a fair wind, which in a very short +time conveyed them unto the desired Island. There they landed and went +into the City. + +Now, the friends of _Asal_ all gathered round him, and he gave them an +account of _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_. Whereupon they flocked together from +every side, surrounding him with reverence and admiration. Then _Asal_ +told him that this sect was superior in understanding and sharpness of +comprehension to all others, so that if he were not able to instruct +them in the truth and work upon them, there was much less hope that he +would be able to teach the ordinary lot of men. + + +_Hayy begins to teach and instruct Salaman's subjects._ + +Now the Sovereign and Prince of that Island was _Salaman_ the friend of +_Asal_, of whom we have given an account above. He was the one who +thought it best to join and apply himself to human society, and +considered it unlawful to give himself over to solitude. Therefore _Hayy +Ibn Yokdhan_ began to instruct them and to explain the mysteries of +wisdom unto them. But when he began, and had proceeded a little beyond +that which was plain and obvious to them, and began to inculcate that +which was quite contrary to their notions deeply rooted in their minds, +they began to withdraw themselves from him, and their minds abhorred +from what he spoke. And inwardly in their hearts they were very angry +with him, though in his presence they made a great show of kindness, +both because he was a stranger and out of regard to his friend Asal. + + +_Hayy despairs of being able to reform the vulgar crowd._ + +_Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_, however, continued day and night to deal gently with +them and manifest the truth both in private and public, which only +increased their hatred towards him and made them avoid his company; +though otherwise they were lovers of that which is good, and desirous of +the truth. But from that defect in their nature, they did not search for +it in the right manner nor apprehend it as they should do: but sought +the knowledge of it after the common way, like the rest of the world, +after the vulgar fashion: so in the end he despaired of reforming them, +and lost all hope of bringing them unto a better condition which was +less acceptable unto them, because he perceived they were not willing to +accept what he taught them. + + +_Hayy's philosophical views on the value of this world._ + +And afterwards looking round about him and reviewing the several ranks +and orders, degrees and conditions of men, he found that every sect and +company of them rejoiced in those things which they had and possessed at +present, and that their lusts and appetites were their God, and that +they destroyed and lost themselves by gathering together the trifles and +vanities of the world, the eager desire of getting them into their +hands still captivating and blinding them until they tottered to their +graves; and that no good counsel prevailed upon them, and that disputing +with them had only the effect of making them the more obstinate. As to +wisdom, they had no way open to it or access thereto, nor did any +portion thereof belong unto them. "For folly has wholly overwhelmed +them, and what they eagerly sought after has corrupted their hearts as +rust; God has sealed up their hearts and ears, a thick mist is before +their eyes, and a sore punishment awaits them." (Koran.) + +Thus he saw that they were encompassed within the cauldrons of +punishment and covered over with the darkness of a veil, and that all of +them--a few only excepted--minded their religion no otherwise than with +respect to the world, and cast the observance of religious performances +behind their backs, and made little or no account thereof, and that +merchandise and trading took up their minds and diverted them from +thinking upon God, so that they had "no fear of that day in which both +their hearts and eyes shall be turned round" (Koran)--continually +employed about their worldly affairs. When he saw all this, it was +apparent to him, and he held it for certain, that it was impossible for +him to speak unto them to any purpose, and that it was not expedient +that any works should be enjoined unto them beyond this measure, and +that the greatest benefit which accrued to the common sort of men by the +law was wholly in relation to their life in this world, namely, that the +course and manner of their life, whilst they continued here, should +proceed on in good order, so that none of them should be injurious to +another in the things which he may call his own; he saw that none of +them attain unto the felicity of another world but some very few, viz. +those who prepare themselves to that world and rightly endeavour to +attain to the same; that is, such as believe and follow the truth: but +"to him that erred from the truth, and prefers the life of the present +world before it, Hell shall be his place of habitation." (Koran.) + +And what labour can be greater, and what misery more grievous, than his +who works, if you well observe, from the time he awakes till he goes to +sleep again; there will not be found so much as one amongst them who +does anything but what tends to the attaining of some one or other of +these vile sensible things that are of no value, to wit, either +riches--to heap them up, or pleasure which he may take, or lust whereby +to satisfy his mind, or wrath and revenge whereby he may satisfy his +mind, or power whereby to defend himself, or some outward work commanded +by the law, whereof he may make a vain-glorious show or whereby he may +care to save his neck? "Now all these are darkness upon darkness in the +deep sea: nor is there any of you who doth not go in thither: for such +is the unchangeable decree of the Lord." (Koran.) + +When, therefore, he understood the state and condition of men to be such +as this, and seeing that most of them might be justly ranked amongst +unreasonable creatures--were, in fact, like brute beasts--he knew that +all wisdom, discretion and success was grounded on and consisted in +that which the messengers of God spoke and the law delivered, and that +there was no other rule possible, and that there could be nothing added +to it, and that these were men appointed to every work, and every one +was mostly capable of that thing unto which he was ordained by nature: +and that the law of God was the same unto those that had gone away +before, neither was there any change in the law of God. + + +_Hayy gives up his Preachings and Teachings._ + +Whereupon, returning to _Salaman_ and his companions, he craved pardon +for those things that he had spoken amongst them and desired to be +excused, and told them that he was of the same opinion with them, and +went on in the same way and persuaded them to stick firmly to their +resolution of respecting and following the customs of the law and the +performance of the external rites without intruding themselves upon +things that did not concern them or intermeddling therewith, that in +doubtful things they should give credit and yield a ready assent to +those rules that they had of old received: that they should be averse to +novel opinions and to their appetites, and follow the examples of their +good Forbears, and leave novelties severely alone. + +He also commanded that they should shun and avoid that neglect of the +laws that is seen in the vulgar sort of men, and the love of the world, +and this he specially bade them to take heed of: for he and his friend +_Asal_ well knew that there was no salvation to this weak, tractable, +and defective sort of men but by this means; and that if they were +forced away and raised above this to curious speculations, their +condition would be much worse, so much so that it would be impossible +for them to obtain the state and degree of the Blessed; but that they +would be wavering in their motives, and tossed up and down, and at last +meet with a bad end. But if they remained in that state of things in +which they were till death overtook them, they should obtain salvation +and should be placed amongst those that are on the right hand. But, on +the other side, as for those who had gone before and outwent them, those +came near unto them: yet these came next after and approached near to +them. + + +_Asal and Hayy return to their Island._ + +Thus _Asal_ and _Hayy_, after this admonitory talk, having bid farewell +to Prince Salaman and his people, took leave of them and waited for an +opportunity of returning to their own Island, till at length it pleased +God, the Almighty and Glorious, to afford them a commodious passage +thither. And _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ endeavoured to attain to his lofty state +of speculation in the same manner as formerly, until he attained +thereto: and _Asal_ followed his steps till he came near him or was not +far therefrom. So they continued worshipping God in that Island until +death seized upon them. + + + + +_Epilogue of the Author._ + + +And this is that--God help thee and us by his spirit--which we have +received of the history of _Hayy Ibn Yokdhan_ and _Asal_ and _Salaman_. + +In its setting down we have made such choice of words as are not found +in any other book nor accustomed to be heard in common and vulgar +speech. And it is part of that hidden knowledge which no man receives +but he who has the knowledge of God; nor is any man ignorant of it, but +those that have not the right knowledge of God. We have indeed followed +a method quite contrary to that of our good Forbears, as to their +keeping secret these matters and their sparingness of divulging them. +But the reason that readily persuaded us to divulge this secret, and to +break through this veil, was, these evil opinions which have risen up in +this our time, the corrupt notions which are being devised by some +pretenders to philosophy in this world, so that they are dispersed and +diffused into various regions, and the mischief and evil arising +therefrom has grown epidemical. So that we are solicitous on behalf of +the weak--who have rejected what they received by tradition from the +Prophets of blessed memory and make choice of that which is delivered +them by foolish men--lest they should think those opinions to be a +secret that ought to be kept from them who are not capable thereof, and +this should increase their desire after them, and would awake a more +eager appetite after them. + +Therefore, it seemed good to us to give them a glimpse of this secret of +secrets, whereby we may lead them into the way of truth and divert them +from that wrong path. + +Nevertheless, we have not committed the secrets that are comprehended in +these leaves as to leave them without a thin veil which will be easily +unveiled by those who are capable of understanding them, but shall be so +thick and gross to those who are unworthy to go further on and pass +beyond it, that it will be impossible for him to pierce through it. + +And now, I crave pardon of those of my brethren as shall read this +treatise, that they would excuse me with regard to those things which I +have so readily declared and so freely described. For I would not have +done this, unless I had been carried and elevated to such heights as +transcend the reach of human sight, which cannot attain thereunto. I +endeavoured to render my discourse easy to be understood, by fitly +placing and ordering its parts so that I might stir up in men a keen +desire to enter into the right way. But I crave of the Lord pardon and +forgiveness, and that He will please to bring us to the true and certain +knowledge thereof. For he is bounteous and liberal of His favours. Peace +be to thee, my brother, whose promotion is decreed, and the mercy and +blessing of God come upon thee. + +=Praise be unto God alone.= + + +THE END. + + +_Printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury._ + + + + +THE WISDOM OF THE EAST SERIES + +Edited by L. CRANMER-BYNG and Dr. S. A. KAPADIA + +THE SERIES AND ITS PURPOSE + + +The object of the Editors of this Series is a very definite one. 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