The Perfection of the Human Reality and Human World

Through the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man will advance and develop until he attaineth the station at which he can manifest all the potential forces with which his inmost true self hath been endowed.

(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah: 67)

Spiritually, there is, I believe, a difference between perfect and perfection, between essence, which is created perfect, and existence, which achieves perfection. The first is the essential creation, the other is the manifest one.  Humans can comprehend the manifest creation, but not the essential creation, for the manifest is known through revealed and discovered knowledge, while the essential is creation as perfectly and completely fashioned originally by God.

The Master explains: “All beings, whether large or small, were created perfect and complete from the first, but their perfections appear in them by degrees. The organization of God is one; the evolution of existence is one; the divine system is one. Whether they be small or great beings, all are subject to one law and system. Each seed has in it from the first all the vegetable perfections….In the same way, the embryo possesses from the first all perfections, such as the spirit, the mind, the sight, the smell, the taste—in one word, all the powers—but they are not visible and become so only by degrees.

“Similarly, the terrestrial globe from the beginning was created with all its elements, substances, minerals, atoms and organisms; but these only appeared by degrees: first the mineral, then the plant, afterward the animal, and finally man. But from the first these kinds and species existed, but were undeveloped in the terrestrial globe, and then appeared only gradually. For the supreme organization of God, and the universal natural system, surround all beings, and all are subject to this rule. When you consider this universal system, you see that there is not one of the beings which at its coming into existence has reached the limit of perfection. No, they gradually grow and develop, and then attain the degree of perfection.” (Some Answered Questions: 198)

The same interplay of perfection/perfection, essential and fully manifest, exists in human intellectual and moral development.  The soul is perfect in itself as a creation, since all things are created perfect and complete—perfect because complete—yet there is growth in manifest perfection: “Every imperfect soul is self-centred and thinketh only of his own good. But as his thoughts expand a little he will begin to think of the welfare and comfort of his family. If his ideas still more widen, his concern will be the felicity of his fellow citizens; and if still they widen, he will be thinking of the glory of his land and of his race. But when ideas and views reach the utmost degree of expansion and attain the stage of perfection, then will he be interested in the exaltation of humankind. He will then be the well-wisher of all men and the seeker of the weal and prosperity of all lands. This is indicative of perfection.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 69)

Now these stages of human and natural development and growth mirror and get their influence from the Holy Manifestations of God appearing in various stages.  “In cycles gone by, each one of the Manifestations of God hath had His own rank in the world of existence, and each hath represented a stage in the development of humanity.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha: 56.)

 “For the position of Adam, with regard to the appearance and manifestation of the divine perfections, was in the embryonic condition; the position of Christ was the condition of maturity and the age of reason; and the rising of the Greatest Luminary was the condition of the perfection of the essence and of the qualities.” (Some Answered Questions: 124.)

“Each of the Divine Manifestations has likewise a cycle, and during the cycle His laws and commandments prevail and are performed. When His cycle is completed by the appearance of a new Manifestation, a new cycle begins. In this way cycles begin, end and are renewed, until a universal cycle is completed in the world, when important events and great occurrences will take place which entirely efface every trace and every record of the past; then a new universal cycle begins in the world, for this universe has no beginning.” (Some Answered Questions: 1)
       Evolution is the bringing forth of more of the essential, complete and infinitely complex perfect creation into greater manifest perfection.  This is accomplished through the synchrony of inner and outer transformations.  Recall Baha’u’llah states: “And yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?” (The Kitab-i-Iqan: 240)
         The stage of maturity and perfection is the highest stage of manifestation, when the essence itself appears along with its qualities, remembering that in spiritual philosophy the essence of something is its spiritual form, its heart and central quiddity or character, what is called into being by name.  Perfection is when the center appears in its highest, most glorious appearance.  

Earlier in these posts I discussed the two kinds of peace outlined in the Bahá’i Writings, called the Lesser Peace and the Most Great Peace. Advances toward both spheres is required.  That is the unique perspective and plan that the Bahá’i Revelation and community take in this great endeavor, as stated in a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi.

“We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved. Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.  

No movement in the world directs its attention upon both these aspects of human life and has full measures for their improvement, save the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.  And this is its distinctive feature. If we desire therefore the good of the world we should strive to spread those teachings and also practise them in our own life. Through them will the human heart be changed, and also our social environment provides the atmosphere in which we can grow spiritually and reflect in full the light of God shining through the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.

“And, with regard to the solution of the world's problems, he indicates that: ‘We need a change of heart, a reframing of all our conceptions and a new orientation of our activities. The inward life of man as well as his outward environment have to be reshaped if human salvation is to be secured.” (The Compilation of Compilations vol. I: 84 from document, Conservation of the Earth’s Resources)

Together with the transformation in humankind’s inner character into its divine aspect is the transformation of its outer conditions into a world civilization founded upon spiritual values and principles: the perfection of the human world.  That is, humanity must make its leap into maturity and perfection simultaneously spiritual and social.  This has been the great movement of social evolution from time immemorial.  Shoghi Effendi quoted the Master’s explanations on the collective development of humanity: “At one time it was passing through its stage of childhood, at another its period of youth, but now it has entered its long-predicted phase of maturity, the evidences of which are everywhere apparent... That which was applicable to human needs during the early history of the race can neither meet nor satisfy the demands of this day, this period of newness and consummation. Humanity has emerged from its former state of limitation and preliminary training. Man must now become imbued with new virtues and powers, new moral standards, new capacities. New bounties, perfect bestowals, are awaiting and already descending upon him. The gifts and blessings of the period of youth, although timely and sufficient during the adolescence of mankind, are now incapable of meeting the requirements of its maturity." (The World Order of Baha'u'llah: 164)

Baha’is are not alone in seeing a new world coming, and the new relations to be built that will transform the links between inner and outer worlds.  For example, one of the twentieth century’s leading psychologist’s and social theorist’s wrote: “I believe that the One World which is emerging can come into existence only if the New Man comes into being—a man who has emerged from the archaic ties of blood and soil, and who feels himself to be a son of man, a citizen of the world whose loyalty is to the human race and to life, rather than to any exclusive part of it; a man who loves his country because he loves mankind, and whose judgement is not warped by tribal loyalties.” (Erich Fromm, Beyond the Chains of Illusion: 169)

This coming civilization, with its promised peace and prosperity, is not something that human beings can invent, bring about, or create alone and unaided. Rather, it is and has always been the progressive realization of the purpose of God and His Manifestations through the all-powerful influence of Their Revelations.  That spiritual content of that purpose is rooted in what Christ called “the Kingdom of Heaven within you”; its social realization is what that same Christ called the “kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (The Book of Matthew 25:34) This Kingdom of Heaven within is to be made into the Kingdom of God around us, what the Book of Revelation calls “the descent of the new Jerusalem.”  The Kingdom already spiritually exists, indeed has always existed, in its full splendor and grandeur in eternity, and has been unfolding on the plane of manifestation since the beginning of time.  Its time has now arrived.  We are at “the end of days”, which is the edge of eternity.