Purity a Baha'i principle

arthra · 07-25-2007, 08:20 AM

The Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying Their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High. The light which these souls radiate is responsible for the progress of the world and the advancement of its peoples. They are like unto leaven which leaveneth the world of being, and constitute the animating force through which the arts and wonders of the world are made manifest. ~ Baha'u'llah

arthra · 07-28-2007, 09:45 PM

Purity of heart and mind is a very important principle that many today take for granted or overlook as the cultural mileau around us sinks into depravity and moral lapses... Time to do a reconoiter and 180 degree change from our way of doing things!

Here's a prayer revealed by Baha'u'llah about purity:

O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration of all that yearn after Thee, Whose presence is the hope of such as are wholly devoted to Thy will, Whose nearness is the desire of all that have drawn nigh unto Thy court, Whose countenance is the companion of those who have recognized Thy truth, Whose name is the mover of the souls that long to behold Thy face, Whose voice is the true life of Thy lovers, the words of Whose mouth are as the waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth!

I beseech Thee, by the wrong Thou hast suffered and the ills inflicted upon Thee by the hosts of wrongful doers, to send down upon me from the clouds of Thy mercy that which will purify me of all that is not of Thee, that I may be worthy to praise Thee and fit to love Thee.

Withhold not from me, O my Lord, the things Thou didst ordain for such of Thy handmaidens as circle around Thee, and on whom are poured continually the splendors of the sun of Thy beauty and the beams of the brightness of Thy face. Thou art He Who from everlasting hath succored whosoever hath sought Thee, and bountifully favored him who hath asked Thee.

No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty, the Ever-Abiding, the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous.

~ Baha'u'llah

arthra · 07-29-2007, 08:36 AM

Purity and chaste views and perspectives are an important Baha'i principle it is often overlooked because of the loudness of the well financed media around us but it is a steady influence that will be felt more in the future I think.

- Art

arthra · 07-30-2007, 03:03 PM

Purity of thought and motive mean that the heart is clear as a crystal and will relfect light ... A pure crystal attracts us because of it's beauty and it has a symetry and geometry within it. Truth is also related to this... When you know the truth you understand how things have happened and where they will lead.

Here is what Abdul-Baha wrote about the heart as a crystal:

In this glorious age the divine confirmations are like unto the rays of the sun. The hearts and souls are like unto the surface of crystal. The clearer the crystal the greater the refulgence of the sunlight.

This is found in "Tablets of Abdul-Baha" p. 730 (1911 edition)

- Art

arthra · 07-31-2007, 07:57 AM

A forthright attitude and projection of love from the heart that can be like a beam of lazer light that will reverberate in the hearts of others is something that I've seen on occasions in Assembly meetings and other Baha'i activities...

- Art

arthra · 07-31-2007, 09:07 PM

This lazer light is actually a spiritual insight as well and can be reflected from the heart of a polished mirror to other hearts ...but the light cannot be so well relfected when the lens or mirror is covered with the dust of the world..

- Art

arthra · 08-01-2007, 09:33 PM

STRAY THOUGHTS AT THE DINNER TABLE.

TRANQUILITY. - When the spirit is tranquil the body is at ease.

LIGHT. - It does not matter for the light whether the crystal is pure or not, but it is better that both be pure, the light and the crystal. The crystal may become broken, but the light will still exist.

TEACHING. - All teaching and knowledge are enclosed in the soul of man, because his soul encompasses everything. To study means to try to bring them to light. For instance: The flowers, fruits, and leaves are contained in the seed; and with the heat, light, and soil, the fruits are manifested. The figure is contained in the mirror, but the mirror of itself has not the power to reflect it. Polishing is necessary in order to give out a perfect reflection. Even on this wall there exists the possibility of a reflection, but it needs polishing to bring out the reflection. So study is polishing.

~ Abdul-Baha

Source:

http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?f...s&language=All

arthra · 08-01-2007, 10:43 PM

Continuing the quote from above and the same source, Abdul-Baha related:

(Turning to us Abdul-Baha said

So we hope that on your return you will be radiant and shining with the light of the Kingdom. You must be surrounded by such a light that all may perceive it; you must be so filled with the light that every one will bear record to your brilliancy. The Sweet odor of these fragrant blossoms (indicating the narcissus blossoms on the table) cannot be concealed. If some people have colds and can not smell the Sweet perfumes of the flowers, there are always others who can appreciate them.

Dauns · 08-02-2007, 01:26 AM

Very great~!
Keep up the great work~!

arthra · 08-02-2007, 07:23 AM

Thanks Dauns!

Say I noticed you just joined Baha'i Forums...that's great. Of course there are some barnicles around but I think we can still move through that.

- Art

Jafar · 08-02-2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dauns

Very great~!
Keep up the great work~!

Welcome Dauns! Just send me a PM if you see spam, I am able to get to it pretty quick during the week.

jafar

arthra · 08-03-2007, 08:07 AM

Praise be to God!

arthra · 08-05-2007, 08:36 AM

I like this quote from Abdul-Baha in Baha'i World Faith:

Cleanliness and sanctity in all conditions are characteristics of pure beings and necessities of free souls. The first perfection consists in cleanliness and sanctity and in purity from every defect. When man in all conditions is pure and immaculate, he will become the center of the reflection of the manifest Light. In all his actions and conduct there must first be purity, then beauty and independence. The channel must be cleansed before it is filled with sweet water.

The pure eye comprehendeth the sight and the meeting of God; the pure nostril inhaleth the perfumes of the rose-garden of bounty; the pure heart becometh the mirror of the beauty of truth. This is why, in the heavenly Books, the divine counsels and commands have been compared to water.

So, in the Qur’án it is said,

“and we have caused a pure water to descend from heaven;” and in the Gospel, “Except a man hath received the baptism of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” Then it is evident that the divine teachings are the heavenly grace and the showers of the mercy of God, which purify the hearts of men.

The meaning is, in all conditions, cleanliness and sanctity, purity and delicacy exalt humanity and make the contingent beings progress. Even when applied to physical things, delicacy causeth the attainment of spirituality, as it is established in the Holy Scriptures.

arthra · 08-06-2007, 07:52 PM

Here's something I found in Selections from the Writings of the Bab:

KNOW thou that in the Bayán purification is regarded as the most acceptable means for attaining nearness unto God and as the most meritorious of all deeds. Thus purge thou thine ear that thou mayest hear no mention besides God, and purge thine eye that it behold naught except God, and thy conscience that it perceive naught other than God, and thy tongue that it proclaim nothing but God, and thy hand to write naught but the words of God, and thy knowledge that it comprehend naught except God, and thy heart that it entertain no wish save God, and in like manner purge all thine acts and thy pursuits that thou mayest be nurtured in the paradise of pure love, and perchance mayest attain the presence of Him Whom God shall make manifest, adorned with a purity which He highly cherisheth, and be sanctified from whosoever hath turned away from Him and doth not support Him. Thus shalt thou manifest a purity that shall profit thee. ~ The Bab

arthra · 08-07-2007, 09:29 PM

Then know thou verily all the souls are created according to the nature of God and all are in the state of purity at the time of their births. ~ Abdul-Baha Baha'i World Faith

arthra · 08-13-2007, 09:16 PM

O CHILDREN OF ADAM!

Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory. Strive that your deeds may be cleansed from the dust of self and hypocrisy and find favour at the court of glory; for ere long the assayers of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored one, accept naught but absolute virtue and deeds of stainless purity. This is the day-star of wisdom and of divine mystery that hath shone above the horizon of the divine will. Blessed are they that turn thereunto.

~ Baha'u'llah

07-25-2007, 08:20 AM	#1
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Purity a Baha'i principle The Prophets and Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying Their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High. The light which these souls radiate is responsible for the progress of the world and the advancement of its peoples. They are like unto leaven which leaveneth the world of being, and constitute the animating force through which the arts and wonders of the world are made manifest. ~ Baha'u'llah __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

07-28-2007, 09:45 PM	#2
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Purify me of all that is not with Thee... Purity of heart and mind is a very important principle that many today take for granted or overlook as the cultural mileau around us sinks into depravity and moral lapses... Time to do a reconoiter and 180 degree change from our way of doing things! Here's a prayer revealed by Baha'u'llah about purity: O Thou Whose face is the object of the adoration of all that yearn after Thee, Whose presence is the hope of such as are wholly devoted to Thy will, Whose nearness is the desire of all that have drawn nigh unto Thy court, Whose countenance is the companion of those who have recognized Thy truth, Whose name is the mover of the souls that long to behold Thy face, Whose voice is the true life of Thy lovers, the words of Whose mouth are as the waters of life unto all who are in heaven and on earth! I beseech Thee, by the wrong Thou hast suffered and the ills inflicted upon Thee by the hosts of wrongful doers, to send down upon me from the clouds of Thy mercy that which will purify me of all that is not of Thee, that I may be worthy to praise Thee and fit to love Thee. Withhold not from me, O my Lord, the things Thou didst ordain for such of Thy handmaidens as circle around Thee, and on whom are poured continually the splendors of the sun of Thy beauty and the beams of the brightness of Thy face. Thou art He Who from everlasting hath succored whosoever hath sought Thee, and bountifully favored him who hath asked Thee. No God is there beside Thee, the Mighty, the Ever-Abiding, the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. ~ Baha'u'llah __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

07-29-2007, 08:36 AM	#3
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Purity and chaste views and perspectives are an important Baha'i principle it is often overlooked because of the loudness of the well financed media around us but it is a steady influence that will be felt more in the future I think. - Art __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

07-30-2007, 03:03 PM	#4
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Implications for purity... Purity of thought and motive mean that the heart is clear as a crystal and will relfect light ... A pure crystal attracts us because of it's beauty and it has a symetry and geometry within it. Truth is also related to this... When you know the truth you understand how things have happened and where they will lead. Here is what Abdul-Baha wrote about the heart as a crystal: In this glorious age the divine confirmations are like unto the rays of the sun. The hearts and souls are like unto the surface of crystal. The clearer the crystal the greater the refulgence of the sunlight. This is found in "Tablets of Abdul-Baha" p. 730 (1911 edition) - Art __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

07-31-2007, 07:57 AM	#5
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	A forthright attitude and projection of love from the heart that can be like a beam of lazer light that will reverberate in the hearts of others is something that I've seen on occasions in Assembly meetings and other Baha'i activities... - Art __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

07-31-2007, 09:07 PM	#6
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	This lazer light is actually a spiritual insight as well and can be reflected from the heart of a polished mirror to other hearts ...but the light cannot be so well relfected when the lens or mirror is covered with the dust of the world.. - Art __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-01-2007, 09:33 PM	#7
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Stray Thoughts... STRAY THOUGHTS AT THE DINNER TABLE. TRANQUILITY. - When the spirit is tranquil the body is at ease. LIGHT. - It does not matter for the light whether the crystal is pure or not, but it is better that both be pure, the light and the crystal. The crystal may become broken, but the light will still exist. TEACHING. - All teaching and knowledge are enclosed in the soul of man, because his soul encompasses everything. To study means to try to bring them to light. For instance: The flowers, fruits, and leaves are contained in the seed; and with the heat, light, and soil, the fruits are manifested. The figure is contained in the mirror, but the mirror of itself has not the power to reflect it. Polishing is necessary in order to give out a perfect reflection. Even on this wall there exists the possibility of a reflection, but it needs polishing to bring out the reflection. So study is polishing. ~ Abdul-Baha Source: http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?f...s&language=All __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-01-2007, 10:43 PM	#8
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Continuing along the same lines... Continuing the quote from above and the same source, Abdul-Baha related: (Turning to us Abdul-Baha said So we hope that on your return you will be radiant and shining with the light of the Kingdom. You must be surrounded by such a light that all may perceive it; you must be so filled with the light that every one will bear record to your brilliancy. The Sweet odor of these fragrant blossoms (indicating the narcissus blossoms on the table) cannot be concealed. If some people have colds and can not smell the Sweet perfumes of the flowers, there are always others who can appreciate them. __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-02-2007, 01:26 AM	#9
Dauns Junior Member Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 2 From: China	Very great~! Keep up the great work~! __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-02-2007, 07:23 AM	#10
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Welcome Dauns! Thanks Dauns! Say I noticed you just joined Baha'i Forums...that's great. Of course there are some barnicles around but I think we can still move through that. - Art __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-03-2007, 08:07 AM	#12
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Praise be to God! __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-05-2007, 08:36 AM	#13
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Purity, decency delicacy exalt humanity... I like this quote from Abdul-Baha in Baha'i World Faith: Cleanliness and sanctity in all conditions are characteristics of pure beings and necessities of free souls. The first perfection consists in cleanliness and sanctity and in purity from every defect. When man in all conditions is pure and immaculate, he will become the center of the reflection of the manifest Light. In all his actions and conduct there must first be purity, then beauty and independence. The channel must be cleansed before it is filled with sweet water. The pure eye comprehendeth the sight and the meeting of God; the pure nostril inhaleth the perfumes of the rose-garden of bounty; the pure heart becometh the mirror of the beauty of truth. This is why, in the heavenly Books, the divine counsels and commands have been compared to water. So, in the Qur’án it is said, “and we have caused a pure water to descend from heaven;” and in the Gospel, “Except a man hath received the baptism of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” Then it is evident that the divine teachings are the heavenly grace and the showers of the mercy of God, which purify the hearts of men. The meaning is, in all conditions, cleanliness and sanctity, purity and delicacy exalt humanity and make the contingent beings progress. Even when applied to physical things, delicacy causeth the attainment of spirituality, as it is established in the Holy Scriptures. __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-06-2007, 07:52 PM	#14
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	A purity that shall profit thee... Here's something I found in Selections from the Writings of the Bab: KNOW thou that in the Bayán purification is regarded as the most acceptable means for attaining nearness unto God and as the most meritorious of all deeds. Thus purge thou thine ear that thou mayest hear no mention besides God, and purge thine eye that it behold naught except God, and thy conscience that it perceive naught other than God, and thy tongue that it proclaim nothing but God, and thy hand to write naught but the words of God, and thy knowledge that it comprehend naught except God, and thy heart that it entertain no wish save God, and in like manner purge all thine acts and thy pursuits that thou mayest be nurtured in the paradise of pure love, and perchance mayest attain the presence of Him Whom God shall make manifest, adorned with a purity which He highly cherisheth, and be sanctified from whosoever hath turned away from Him and doth not support Him. Thus shalt thou manifest a purity that shall profit thee. ~ The Bab __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-07-2007, 09:29 PM	#15
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Then know thou verily all the souls are created according to the nature of God and all are in the state of purity at the time of their births. ~ Abdul-Baha Baha'i World Faith __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

08-13-2007, 09:16 PM	#16
arthra Senior Member Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 733 From: California	Holy words and pure and goodly deeds... O CHILDREN OF ADAM! Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory. Strive that your deeds may be cleansed from the dust of self and hypocrisy and find favour at the court of glory; for ere long the assayers of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored one, accept naught but absolute virtue and deeds of stainless purity. This is the day-star of wisdom and of divine mystery that hath shone above the horizon of the divine will. Blessed are they that turn thereunto. ~ Baha'u'llah __________________ Follow Baha'i Forums on Twitter and Facebook

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode