Now as to what thou askest concerning the spirit and its
“return” to this world of humanity and this elemental space: Know that spirit
in general is divided into five sorts—the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit,
the human spirit, the spirit of faith, and the divine spirit of sanctity.
The vegetable spirit is the virtue augmentative, or growing
or vegetative faculty, which results from the admixture of the simple elements,
with the co-operation of water, air and heat.
The animal spirit is the virtue perceptive resulting from the
admixture and absorption of the vital elements generated in the heart, which
apprehend sense impressions.
The human spirit consists of the rational, or logical,
reasoning faculty, which apprehends general ideas and things intelligible and
perceptible.
Now these “spirits” are not reckoned as Spirit in the
terminology of the Scriptures and the usage of the people of the Truth,
inasmuch as the laws governing them are as the laws which govern all phenomenal
being (i.e., all existences belonging to the phenomenal or material universe,
called “the world of generation and corruption”), in respect to generation,
corruption, production, change and reversion, as is clearly indicated in the
Gospel where it says: “Let the dead bury their dead;” “That which is born of
the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit”; inasmuch
as he who would bury these dead was alive with the vegetative, animal and
rational human soul, yet did Christ—to whom be glory! —declare such dead and
devoid of life, in that this person was devoid of the Spirit of Faith, which is
of the Kingdom of God.
In brief, for these three spirits there is no restitution or
“return,” but they are subordinate to reversions and production and corruption.
But the Spirit of Faith which is of the Kingdom (of God)
consists of the all-comprehending Grace and the perfect attainment (or
salvation, fruition, achievement) and the power of sanctity and the divine
effulgence from the Sun of Truth on luminous light-seeking essences from the
presence of the divine Unity. And by this Spirit is the life of the spirit of
man, when it is fortified thereby, as Christ saith: “That which is born of the
Spirit is Spirit.” And this Spirit hath both restitution and return, inasmuch
as it consists of the Light of God and the unconditioned Grace. So, having
regard to this state and station. Christ announced that John the Baptist was
Elias, who was to come before Christ (Matt. 11:14). And the likeness of this
station is as that of lamps kindled (from one another): for these in respect to
their glasses and oil-holders, are different, but in respect to their light,
One, and in respect to their illumination, One; nay, each one is identical with
the other, without imputation of plurality, or diversity or multiplicity or
separateness. This is the Truth and beyond the Truth there is only error.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, vol. 1)
