With five thousand years
of history, the Chinese culture is one of the oldest
civilizations. The Bahá'í Faith is the
youngest independent world religion of just 156 years.1 These
two civilizations from different places and times have many
teachings in common. Both the Bahá'í Faith
and the Chinese culture speak to the process of transforming
from material civilization to spiritual civilization. Indeed,
the history of humankind demonstrates this process of spiritual
transformation at various stages in our search for meaning in
life in the arenas of family, tribe, nation, and finally in a
global community. The reality of our common human experience is
that we are spiritual beings going through the journey of a
physical life on Earth. Yet, the majority of people are still
struggling with the physical journey with very little regard
for their own spiritual well being. Meanwhile, our world is now
living through the process of a global transition to a
spiritual age when all peoples from every nation will be
gathered together into one human family.
The Bahá'í Faith has
grown from a small movement in the Middle East to the
second-most widespread of the independent world religions, It
has been established in over 250 countries and territories. The
international Bahá'í community embraces
people from more than 2,100 ethnic, racial, and tribal groups.
Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), the
Prophet Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, brings
the divine teachings for the spiritualization of the whole
planet and proclaims, "The earth is but one country, and
mankind it's citizens." The
Bahá'í Faith promotes world peace and the
unity of humankind. Abdu'l-Bahá (1844-1921),
one of the central figures of the Bahá'í
Faith, speaks of the Chinese people as "most simple
hearted and truth-seeking" and of China as "the
country of the future."2 There are many references
to the Chinese and to China in statements from
Bahá'í institutions, such as the following:
China—a land which has its own world
and civilization, whose people constitute one-fourth of the
population of the globe, which ranks foremost among all nations
in material, cultural and spiritual resources and
potentialities, and whose future is assuredly bright.3
China represents the largest element of
this emerging global society and its culture one of the most
precious resources possessed by the human race...China will
play a unique role in shaping a new and universal civilization.4
Therefore, the Chinese culture and the
Bahá'í Faith are relevant to one another
and need to be considered in an atmosphere of the utmost
co-operation and mutual understanding. There are obvious
differences between them from both historical and developmental
perspectives. However, their common teachings speak to the
unity of their spiritual foundation. This paper is a simple
attempt to show the harmony in the major teachings of both.
There are social teachings such as: 1) the Great Unity (world
peace); 2) unity of the human family; 3) service to others; 4)
moral education; and 5) extended family values—the Golden
Rule. These social teachings are based on fundamental spiritual
teachings such as: 6) the investigation of truth; 7) the
Highest Reality (God); 8) the common foundation of religions;
9) harmony in Nature; 10) the purpose of tests and sufferings;
and 11) moderation in all things.
In addition, the Bahá'í
teachings provide a new and inclusive value system to meet the
needs of an emerging global civilization. These new teachings
are the harmony of science and religion; the abolition of
prejudice; a spiritual solution to economic problems; universal
education; universal auxiliary language; the equality of women
and men; and world government. These new and global values are
discussed in the books listed in the reference section of this
paper. Here we want to emphasize that the
Bahá'í teachings of "oneness of
humankind" and "unity in diversity" can
provide the universal framework for the Chinese and all other
ethnic groups to participate fully in the global community.
Historical Perspective
No matter how far the material world
advances, it cannot establish the happiness of mankind. Only
when material and spiritual civilization are linked and
coordinated will happiness be assured. Then material
civilization will not contribute its energies to the forces of
evil in destroying the oneness of humanity, for in material
civilization good and evil advance together and maintain the
same pace.5
There is a Chinese proverb which says:
"History not forgotten is the teacher of things to
come." The history of humankind is like a tree growing
through the centuries and the Chinese culture is a branch on
it. A culture and civilization would have more than a thousand
years to grow and mature. The fruits of wisdom of the Chinese
culture are in the written classics of teachings and
philosophies such as those from Confucius and Lao-Tse about
twenty-five centuries ago. They still remain as the foundation
of the Chinese culture today. In the distant past, the
"silk road" connected China with India, Persia,
Greece and Rome through Central Asia. From time to time,
religions and cultures from outside—such as Buddhism,
Christianity, and Islam—would come into China. Once these
foreign teachings were absorbed into Chinese culture, they all
took on major Chinese characteristics.
Buddhism came to China during the Han
dynasty (first century) and had a major influence on the
Chinese culture. The Chinese took a thousand years to digest
Buddhist philosophy. Buddhism underwent a process of
assimilation. First, it developed along the Taoist teachings
and was known as "Buddhist Tao." Later, it
established its own standing as a separate religious tradition.
By the end of the fifth century, there were more than three
thousand Buddhist writings translated into Chinese.
This started a grand synthesis of ancient
Chinese and Indian philosophies. By the Tang Dynasty
(618-901), several Chinese branches such as the Tien Tai,
Hua Yin, and Zen Buddhism appeared and were accepted as part of
the mainstream Chinese culture.6
Hence, the Buddhist teachings have merged
effectively with Confucianism and Taoism into one amalgamation
in the Chinese traditions. All three have a major influence on
Chinese daily life and are equally important and inseparable.
Christianity came to China with the
Nestorian Christians from Persia during the Tang Dynasty in the
seventh century. It did not have a significant impact until the
Catholic Jesuits arrived in the late sixteenth century, bearing
gifts of western sciences and personal salvation. The Jesuits,
most notably Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), sought to create a
synthesis between the Chinese teachings and the Catholic
doctrines. They were known as the
"accommodationists" and their early converts were
from the Confucian scholars. However, the Jesuits would suffer
a great setback in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and also
at the hand of the Pope back in Rome. In 1724, the Qing Emperor
proscribed Catholicism and listed it among the "perverted
sects and evil doctrines." In 1742, as the result of the
"rites controversy" about the compatibility of
Catholicism and Confucianism, the Pope prohibited Chinese
Catholics from participating in various Confucian rites.
Therefore, Christianity did not integrate into Chinese culture
and has retained its foreign identity to the present day.
Chinese Christians are torn by the conflicts between their
belief in a western "God" and their Chinese
heritage. Unlike western culture, the Chinese have a way of
living with contradictions. The key is to find a balance among
them. However, Christianity did serve as a channel of
westernization and modernization for China. Since the 1980s,
the Chinese have rediscovered Christianity in mass with the
opening of mainland China to the West again. Today, Christians
are still a tiny minority of the population.
Islam also came to China during the Tang
Dynasty. In 650, the Tang Emperor Kao Tsung sent an emissary to
Caliph Osman at Madina to plead for the last Sassanian Prince
Firuz who had sought refuge in the Chinese capital Cheng-An
(Xian). The Caliph sent a general in return and established the
first Muslim Embassy in China. In the mid-eighth century, the
Abbasid Caliph Abu Jaffar sent thousands of Muslim soldiers on
two occasions (circa 757) to the Chinese capital to help the
Tang emperors to suppress rebellions. These soldiers never
returned home but married and remained in China. Other Muslims
came to China for commerce and trade. In the Sung Dynasty
(960-1279), Muslims dominated the foreign trade all over
China. They were recognized as being fair, law-abiding, and
self-disciplined. By the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a
period considered to be the golden age of Islam in China,
Muslims finally assimilated into Chinese society after seven
hundred years. They adopted Chinese names, language, and
customs while retaining an Islamic mode of dress and dietary
habits. By then, the Muslims could not be distinguished from
Chinese, other than by their religious customs. Today, Muslims
constitute the largest minority group in China with a
population of over eighteen million.
Current Development
The interactions between the Chinese
culture and outside influences would have both their blessings
and struggles. In the last three centuries, scientific,
industrial, democratic, and communist revolutions came and left
distinctive marks. The Chinese are still trying to digest these
more recent imports. However, they do not bring lasting
happiness as they do not offer elements of sustainable social
and spiritual development. As success would change to
adversity, so would economic and material developments change
to sufferings. In times of difficulties, the people would
search for meanings in life, again and again.
In the last two centuries, the Chinese
people have suffered continuous displacements, internal
struggles and external threats. Their growth and development
were retarded by a lack of future vision and disunity. In the
last twenty years, the mainland Chinese people have been
looking to other industrialized countries for models of
economic development. Although they were aware of the
importance of social and moral issues, the balance is
overwhelmingly in favor of economic growth in the need to
mobilize one billion people for modernization. The consequences
are more confusion about the future. The lesson here is that
modernization needs to develop not only in material progress
but also with the spirit of the age. Moderation of the excesses
of industrialization is needed together with approaches that
harmonize with the aspirations of the people.
In the future, the Chinese culture will
make major contributions to the emerging global civilization.
The Chinese people, who constitute more than one-fifth of the
world's population, have always worked towards peace and
prosperity. Now, after long isolation, they are willing to look
outside for meanings, for directions and transformations in a
"global village." They are ready to join the world
to build the "Great Unity" inscribed in the Chinese
classics.
Common Teachings in Chinese Culture and
the Bahá'í Faith
The Great Unity (Universal Commonwealth)
and World Peace
The Chinese culture has long cherished the
vision of Great Unity (Universal Commonwealth) from Confucius
(551-479 BCE):
When the perfect order (Great Tao)
prevails, the world is like a home shared by all. Virtuous and
capable people are elected to public offices; trust and peace
are the maxims of living among the people. All love and respect
their own parents and children, as well as the parents and
children of others. There are caring for the old; works for the
adults; nourishment and education for the children. There are
supports for the widows and the widowers; for all the people
who are alone; and for the disabled. Every man and woman has an
appropriate role to play in society and family. A sense of
sharing displaces effects of selfishness and materialism. A
devotion to public duty leaves no room for idleness. Intrigues
and conniving for ill gain are unknown. Villains such as
thieves and robbers do not exist. The door to every home need
never be locked by day or night. These are the characteristics
of the Great Unity. 7
The Bahá'í writings are
filled with references to world peace. Professor Edward G.
Browne of Cambridge University recorded his interviews with
Bahá'u'lláh in 1890:
We desire but the good of the world and
the happiness of the nations...That all nations should become
one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of
affection and unity between the sons of men should be
strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and
differences of race be annulled - what harm is there in this?
...Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous
wars shall pass away, and the "Most Great Peace"
shall come... These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must
cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family... Let not
a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather
glory in this, that he loves his kind...8
In 1985, the Universal House of Justice,
the international governing council of the
Bahá'í Faith, issued a statement on
"The Promise of World Peace" to the people of the
world:
The Great Peace towards which people of
good will throughout the centuries have inclined their hearts,
of which seers and poets for countless generations have
expressed their vision, and for which from age to age the
sacred scriptures of mankind have constantly held the promise,
is now at long last within the reach of the nations. For the
first time in history it is possible for everyone to view the
entire planet, with all its myriad diversified peoples, in one
perspective. World peace is not only possible but inevitable.
It is the next stage in the evolution of this planet and the
planetization of mankind.9
Unity of the Human Family
World peace can only be built on the
foundation of the unity of the whole human race as a family.
This is clearly emphasized in the Chinese classical writings.
All within the four seas are brothers.
(Confucius, Analects, 12:5)
Heaven is my father and Earth is my mother,
all people are my brothers and sisters, and all things are my
companions. Respect the aged, show deep love toward the
orphaned and the weak. The sage identified his character with
that of Heaven and Earth. Even those who are tired, infirm,
crippled, or sick; those who have no brothers or children,
wives or husbands, are all my brothers and sisters. In life I
follow and serve Heaven and Earth, and in death I will be at
peace. (Chang Tsai, 1020-77)
The Bahá'í writings
provide further elaboration on this principle.
Bahá'u'lláh states, "The earth
is but one country, and mankind its citizens."10 Also,
O ye children of men, the fundamental
purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to
safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human
race.... The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are
unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.11
'Abdu'l-Bahá expounds on
its meaning and that unity is organic as in a human body.
The second teaching of
Bahá'u'lláh concerns the unity of
mankind: All are the servants of God and members of one human
family. God has created all, and all are His children. He
rears, nourishes, provides for and is kind to all.... His sun
bestows its effulgence unsparingly upon all; His clouds send
down rain without distinction or favor; His breezes refresh the
whole earth.... Some are imperfect; they must be perfected. The
ignorant must be taught, the sick healed, the sleepers
awakened. The child must not be oppressed or censured because
it is undeveloped; it must be patiently trained. The sick must
not be neglected because they are ailing; nay, rather, we must
have compassion upon them and bring them healing. Briefly, the
old conditions of animosity, bigotry and hatred between the
religious systems must be dispelled and the new conditions of
love, agreement and spiritual brotherhood be established among
them.12
Man cannot live singly and alone...he is in
need of cooperation and reciprocity...mankind has been created
from one single origin, has branched off from one family. For
example, a member of the human organism is the eye. If the eye
should be affected that affliction would affect the whole
nervous system.... If kindness had been shown to the members of
this family surely all the members thereof would have enjoyed
comfort and happiness.13
Service to Others
One of the best known writings of Confucius
is the chapter on "The Great Learning." There are
eight steps in the Great Learning. They are: 1) investigate
nature; 2) acquire knowledge; 3) sincere motive; 4) rectify
heart; 5) self-cultivation; 6) harmonize the family; 7) service
to country; and 8) establish peace. This is, in short, the
summary of the purpose of life for the Chinese: to cultivate
self, harmonize family, serve the country, and to establish
peace.
The way to Great Learning is to illustrate
illustrious virtue; to serve the people; and to persist until
perfection.... To know what comes first and what follows will
lead near to the way of the Great Learning.... The ancients who
wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom
first administered well their own states...harmonized their
families...cultivated their persons...rectified their
hearts...sought to be sincere in their thoughts...extended to
the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in
the investigation of the nature of things. Things being
investigated, knowledge became complete...thoughts were
sincere...hearts were then rectified...persons were
cultivated...families were harmonized...states were rightly
administered...the whole kingdom was made peaceful and happy.14
In the Bahá'í writings,
the principle of service is the chief instrument to personal
happiness and to the establishment of world peace.
Bahá'u'lláh writes: "The
essence of faith is fewness in words and abundance of
deeds."15
That one indeed is a man who dedicateth
himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great
Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote
the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In
another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride
himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who
loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.16
Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in
adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look
upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the
poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the
needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in
thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man,
and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that
walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the
thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender
of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness
distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm
to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes
to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring.
Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow
of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath
of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of
justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the
soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a
sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a
shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon
the tree of humility.17
Moral Education
Chinese culture places moral education
above all other aspects of education. The purpose of learning
and self-cultivation is to develop virtues such as: loyalty,
filial piety, compassion, love, propriety of conducts, justice,
honesty, and sense of shame.
At fifteen I set my heart upon learning. At
thirty, I had planted my feet firm upon the ground. At forty, I
no longer suffered from perplexities. At fifty, I knew what was
the Mandate of Heaven. At sixty, I heard them with docile ear.
At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart. My
desire no longer overstepped the boundaries of
propriety." (Confucius, Analects, 5:27)
Likewise, Bahá'í
teachings emphasize spiritual education which is the source of
moral values. Spiritual education trains the human soul whereas
material and human education train the body and society.
"The aim of an educator is to so train human souls that
their angelic aspect may overcome their animal side."18
The purport is this, that to train the
character of humankind is one of the weightiest commandments of
God, and the influence of such training is the same as that
which the sun exerteth over tree and fruit. Children must be
most carefully watched over, protected and trained;....
Otherwise, the children will turn into weeds growing
wild...knowing not right from wrong, distinguishing not the
highest of human qualities from all that is mean and vile; they
will be brought up in vainglory...19
The fear of God hath ever been a sure
defense.... It is the chief cause of the protection of mankind,
and the supreme instrument for its preservation. Indeed, there
existeth in man a faculty which deterreth him from, and
guardeth him against, whatever is unworthy and unseemly, and
which is known as his sense of shame.... Religion is verily the
chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world
and of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the
pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish and
emboldened them and made them more arrogant.20
The greatest bestowal of God in the world
of humanity is religion; for assuredly the divine teachings of
religion are above all other sources of instruction and
development to man. Religion confers upon man eternal life and
guides his footsteps in the world of morality. It opens the
doors of unending happiness and bestows everlasting honor upon
the human kingdom. It has been the basis of all civilization
and progress in the history of mankind.21
Extended Family Values—The Golden
Rule
In Confucius' teachings, the family
unit is the foundation of both the community and the state. The
family unit values are thus extended to cover larger numbers of
families in the community in the sense that the elders and
children of other families are treated as the elders and
children of one's own. These relationships are based on
mutual support and reciprocity. Confucius teaches the Golden
Rule as: "What you would not desire for yourself,
don't do unto others."
The father is merciful, the son filial; the
elder brother is good, the younger brother submissive; the
husband upright, the wife complaisant; the adult is kind, the
child obedient. (Book of Rites.)
The Bahá'í teachings on
family are very similar but with more emphasis on unity of the
family to meet the needs of present-day society. The Golden
Rule in Bahá'u'lláh's writings
is: "Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not
have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.
This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it."22
The integrity of the family bond must be
constantly considered, and the rights of the individual members
must not be transgressed. The rights of the son, the father,
the mother—none of them must be transgressed, none of
them must be arbitrary. Just as the son has certain obligations
to his father, the father, likewise, has certain obligations to
his son. The mother, the sister and other members of the
household have their certain prerogatives... The injury of one
shall be considered the injury of all; the comfort of each, the
comfort of all; the honor of one, the honor of all.23
Note ye how easily, where unity existeth in
a given family, the affairs of that family are conducted; what
progress the members of that family make, how they prosper in
the world... And if we widen out the sphere of unity a little
to include the inhabitants of a village who seek to be loving
and united, who associate with and are kind to one another,
what great advances they will be seen to make, how secure and
protected they will be. Then let us widen out the sphere a
little more, let us take the inhabitants of a city, all of them
together: if they establish the strongest bonds of unity among
themselves, how far they will progress, even in a brief period
and what power they will exert. And if the sphere of unity be
still further widened out, that is, if the inhabitants of a
whole country develop peaceable hearts, and if with all their
hearts and souls they yearn to cooperate with one another and
to live in unity, and if they become kind and loving to one
another, that country will achieve undying joy and lasting
glory. Peace will it have, and plenty, and vast wealth.24
Common Spiritual Teachings in Chinese
Culture and the Bahá'í Faith
Investigation of Truth
Confucius teaches that the investigation of
the nature of things is the first step in Great Learning. He
specifies the requirements of sincere motive and rectified
heart for "self-cultivation which is the foundation of
everything. All must consider it carefully from the emperor to
the mass of people." The purpose is to harmonize family,
serve the state and establish peace. On the other hand, Lao-Tse
(c. sixth century BCE) teaches that one should be as innocent
and uncontaminated as a newborn infant and a block of uncarved
wood (Tao Te Ching—the book of Tao and Virtues, chapters
5 & 10). The Tao is far from the people of "useless
learning" and how "the wise are not learned and the
learned are not wise" (chapter 20, 81).
Lao-Tse teaches the purpose of life is to
obtain the "Tao" and to follow the Tao. Here the
word "Tao" means the way, the path, the direction,
or the principle, the method, the truth, and the highest
realty. The Tao operates according to spiritual laws.
It is the "mother" (ch. 1, 52)
and "ancestor" (ch. 4) of all things. It exists
before heaven and earth (ch. 25). It is the
"storehouse" of things (ch. 62). It is at once
their principle of being and their substance. "All things
depend on it for life" (ch. 34). In its substance it is
"invisible," "inaudible," "vague
and elusive" (ch. 14, 35), indescribable and above shape
and form (ch. 14, 41). It is One, a unity behind all
multiplicity (ch. 14, 42). It is everlasting and unchangeable
(ch. 7, 16, 25). It is all-pervasive and "flows
everywhere" (ch. 34). "It operates everywhere and
is free from danger." (ch. 25) It is natural (ch. 25),
for it comes into existence by itself and is its own principle
for being. It is nameless (ch. 1, 32, 37, 41), unlimited in
space and time (ch. 1, 25). It is not a concrete, individual
thing or describable in particular terms. Above all, it is
"non-being." "All things in the world come
from being. And being come from non-being" (ch. 40).25
Bahá'u'lláh
admonishes the seeker of truth to first cleanse his heart, so
that no love or hate may linger, and be open-minded to forsake
both imitations and adherence to hereditary forms of knowledge.
The seeker must need patience and perseverance with an intense
desire to investigate the truth.
The best beloved of all things in My sight
is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and
neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou
shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of
others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through
the knowledge of thy neighbor.26
When a true seeker determineth to take the
step of search...he must, before all else, cleanse his
heart...from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and
the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must
purge his breast...of every defilement, and sanctify his soul
from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy
and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no
remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that
love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away
from the truth...how most of the people...have strayed far from
the Embodiments of the Divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are
roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error.27
'Abdu'l-Bahá emphasizes
the importance of forsaking imitations and that realty is one:
The teaching of
Bahá'u'lláh on the investigation of
reality: Man must seek reality himself, forsaking imitations
and adherence to mere hereditary forms. As the nations of the
world are following imitations in lieu of truth and as
imitations are many and various, differences of belief have
been productive of strife and warfare. So long as these
imitations remain, the oneness of the world of humanity is
impossible. Therefore, we must investigate reality in order
that by its light the clouds and darkness may be dispelled.
Reality is one reality; it does not admit multiplicity or
division. If the nations of the world investigate reality, they
will agree and become united.28
The Highest Reality (God) is the
Unknowable Essence
The concept of the Highest Reality (God)
appears in the earliest Chinese classical literature dating
back two to three thousand years ago, in "The Book of
History" and "The Book of Odes." The Chinese
concept of God appears in several different forms, each
referring to God in a different context with specific meanings.
There are several major forms for the attributes of God in
Chinese writings:
1. The Chinese word "Tien,"
which means Heaven literally, is often used to represent God
the Celestial Power; God the Highest Authority; and God the
Omnipresence.
2. The term "Shang Di, " which
means the Sovereign Lord of Universe.
3. The term "Tien Di," which
means the Sovereign Lord in Heaven. (The Chinese emperors used
the title "Son of Heaven" to symbolize they have
the "Mandate of Heaven" to rule the country with
absolute power.)
4. The word "Shen," which means
God the Mystical; God the Spiritual; God—the Unseen; and
God—the Unknowable Essence.
5. The term "Shang Chang,"
which means God the Creator of Universe.
6. The term "Chang Tien," which
means God the Creator in Heaven.
7. The word "Sheng," which
means God the Holy, the Divine.
8. The word "Tao," which means
"the way" literally, is used as God the Natural
Order, God the Natural Way, God the Nameless, the Eternal Way
that is unmentionable.
9. The term "Tien Tao," which
means God the Order of Heaven or Way of Heaven.
In the Tao Te Ching, Lao-Tse teaches the
"essential unity of the universe—monism (ch. 39),
of reversion (ch. 16, 28, 36, 40), polarization—yin and
yang (ch. 2), and eternal cycles (ch. 16, 36), of the leveling
of all differences (ch. 2, 10), the relativity of all standards
(ch. 2), and the return of all to the Primeval One (ch. 65),
the divine intelligence (ch. 41, 81), the source of all things
(ch. 1, 25, 32, 34, 41, 52)."29 The Tao is
"nameless"—unknowable (ch. 1, 32, 37, 41),
"non-being" (ch. 1, 40), "non-action"
(ch. 3, 37, 81), "ever-present" (ch. 4, 34),
"ever-lasting" (ch. 7, 16, 25), and
"mysterious" (ch. 14, 25, 35). Here is some of the
text:
The Tao that can be Tao is not the eternal
Tao.
The name that can be named is not the
eternal Name.
Nameless, the beginning of heaven and
Earth. Named, the mother of all things.
Ever desireless, unravels the secrets.
Ever desiring, sees the manifested.
These two spring from the same source but
differ in name; Both are called mystery;
Mystery upon mysteries; The gate to all
the secrets.30
Look, it cannot be seen—it is
distant. Listen, it cannot be heard—it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held—it is
intangible. These three are indefinable; and fuse into one.
From above it is not bright; below it is
not dark: unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness. The form of the
formless; the image of the imageless,
This is the elusive mystery.
Stand before it and there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.
Hold fast to the ancient Tao; So to guide
the present.
To know the ancient beginning is the path
of Tao31
These Chinese concepts are in harmony with
the Bahá'í writings, which mention numerous
attributes of God such as the Almighty, the Innermost Spirit of
Spirits, the Eternal Essence of Essences, the Invisible and
Unknowable Essence, the Incomparable and All-Glorious, the
Ruler of the Universe, the All-Merciful, the Self-Subsisting.
The Bahá'í teaching on the Highest Reality
is that God, the Creator, is the unknowable essence. The finite
nature of creatures can never comprehend the infinite nature of
the Creator.
From time immemorial He hath been veiled in
the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self, and will
everlastingly continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable mystery
of His unknowable Essence. Every attempt to attain to an
understanding of His inaccessible Reality hath ended in
complete bewilderment, and every effort to approach His exalted
Self and envisage His Essence hath resulted in hopelessness and
failure.32
To every discerning and illumined heart it
is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the divine Being,
is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as
corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress.
Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately
recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His
fathomless mystery. He is and hath ever been veiled in the
ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality
everlastingly hidden from the sight of men.33
The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of
Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source of
infinite grace hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to
appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the
human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may
impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being,
and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable essence. From
Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived
their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a
reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His
deathless glory. They are the Treasuries of divine knowledge,
and the Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them is
transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed
the light that can never fade. "...He hath known God who
hath known himself."34
Since all that we can comprehend of the
nature of the Highest Realty is through the teachings of the
prophets of God (the Manifestations of God) in history, our
understandings are necessarily limited and relative to our
individual capacity. Bahá'u'lláh
states that:
All that the sages and mystics have said or
written have ever exceeded, nor can they ever hope to exceed,
the limitations to which man's finite mind hath been
strictly subjected... such mind and heart can never transcend
that which is the creature of their own thoughts.35
Common Foundation of Religions
Throughout its history, the Chinese people
have been open-minded in accepting all religious teachings that
reached it. The Chinese have the fundamental belief that
religions teach people to do good and that "Ye shall know
them by their fruits." These can also be found in every
holy book. "Taoism and Buddhism are equal in illuminating
and transforming people. Different religions develop under a
variety of conditions to meet the same end." (Ku Huan,
c.392-453) "Confucius sought order and peace in
society, and the Buddha sought enlightenment in the fundamental
nature of existence, but their goals are the same." (Sun
Ch'o, 265-420) Confucius and Lao-Tse did not
establish new religions, but renewed morals and ancient
virtues. They all share the common foundation of unity and they
all serve to advance the spiritual civilization among
humankind.
Bahá'u'lláh
states that all religions have come from the same source and
that: "This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in
the past and eternal in the future."36 The Prophets
in history, as founders of religions, are Divine Educators who
have come to lead the people from the darkness of their own
ignorance to the light of guidance of divine knowledge. They
only differ in the intensity of their revelation:
These attributes of God are not and have
never been vouchsafed specially unto certain Prophets, and
withheld from others. Nay, all the Prophets of God, His
well-favoured, His holy, and chosen Messengers, are, without
exception, the bearers of His names, and the embodiments of His
attributes. They only differ in the intensity of their
revelation, and the comparative potency of their light.
...these illuminated Souls, these beauteous Countenances have,
each and every one of them, been endowed with all the
attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion, and the like,
even though to outward seeming they be shorn of all earthly
majesty.37
The fundamental purpose animating the Faith
of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and
promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit
of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a
source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is
the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation.
Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and
chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will
the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure.38
Religion must be the source of fellowship,
the cause of unity and the nearness of God to man. If it rouses
hatred and strife, it is evident that absence of religion is
preferable and an irreligious man better than one who professes
it. According to the divine Will and intention religion should
be the cause of love and agreement, a bond to unify all
mankind, for it is a message of peace and goodwill to man from
God.39
'Abdu'l-Bahá explains
that there are two kinds of Prophets:
Universally, the Prophets are of two kinds.
One are the independent Prophets Who are followed; the other
kind are not independent and are themselves followers. The
independent Prophets are the lawgivers and the founders of a
new cycle.... They are like the sun which is luminous in itself:
the light is its essential necessity; it does not receive
light from any other star. These Dawning-places of the morn of
Unity are the sources of bounty and the mirrors of the Essence
of Reality.
The other Prophets are followers and
promoters, for they are branches and not independent; they
receive the bounty of the independent Prophets, and they profit
by the light of the Guidance of the universal Prophets. They
are like the moon, which is not luminous and radiant in itself,
but receives its light from the sun.
The Manifestations of universal Prophethood
Who appeared independently are, for example, Abraham, Moses,
Christ, Muhammad, the Báb and
Bahá'u'lláh. But the others who are
followers and promoters are like Solomon, David, Isaiah,
Jeremiah and Ezekiel. ...Buddha also established a new
religion, and Confucius renewed morals and ancient virtues, but
their institutions have been entirely destroyed. The beliefs
and rites of the Buddhists and Confucianists have not continued
in accordance with their fundamental teachings.40
Harmony in Nature; Union with Nature (Tao)
One of the outstanding contributions of
Taoist teaching is that human civilization should live in
harmony with nature. Implicit in this belief is that all things
are connected in unity (Tao). This is sometimes elevated to the
mystical belief of seeking union with the universe. "The
Universe came into being with us together; and all things are
one with us."41
The Tao begot One (before-being). One
begot Two (being).
Two begot Three (being/before-being). And
Three begot all things.
All things carry Yin (the passive) and
embrace Yang (the active).
They maintain harmony by keeping the vital
Qi (spiritual energy).42
It is mysteriously formed, Born before
Heaven and Earth; In the silence and the void.
Standing alone and unchanging, Ever
present and in motion.
It could be the Mother of all things. I
know not its name so call it Tao.
Man follows Earth; Earth follows Heaven;
Heaven follows Tao;
and the Tao is spontaneously so.43
Empty yourself of everything; hold fast to
the serene,
All things act in concert, and expectant
of their cycle return.
Returning to the source is serenity, it is
the way of Nature.
The way of Nature is constant decay and
renewal.
Knowing this constancy is enlightenment;
Not knowing it is to court disaster.44
In similar fashion,
Bahá'u'lláh refers to nature as the
embodiment of the Creator's will manifested in diverse
causes. When contemplating on the incomparable glory in nature,
He reminds us of the highness and loftiness, the power and
bounty, the majesty and grandeur, the ensign and standard of
the Omnipotence of our Creator.
That which hath been in existence had
existed before, but not in the form thou seest today. The world
of existence came into being through the heat generated from
the interaction between the active force and that which is its
recipient. These two are the same, yet they are different...
Nature in its essence is the embodiment of
My Name, the Maker, and the Creator. Its manifestations are
diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are
signs for men of discernment. Nature is God's Will and is
its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a
dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the
All-Wise. Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God as
manifested in the world of being, no one should question this
assertion. It is endowed with a power whose reality men of
learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man of insight can perceive
naught therein save the effulgent splendour of Our Name, the
Creator. Say: This is an existence which knoweth no decay, and
Nature itself is lost in bewilderment before its revelations,
its compelling evidences and its effulgent glory which have
encompassed the universe.45
By Thy glory! Every time I lift up mine
eyes unto Thy heaven, I call to mind Thy highness and Thy
loftiness, and Thine incomparable glory and greatness; and
every time I turn my gaze to Thine earth, I am made to
recognize the evidences of Thy power and the tokens of Thy
bounty. And when I behold the sea, I find that it speaketh to
me of Thy majesty, and of the potency of Thy might, and of Thy
sovereignty and Thy grandeur. And at whatever time I
contemplate the mountains, I am led to discover the ensigns of
Thy victory and the standards of Thine omnipotence.46
Tests and Difficulties
Among the teachings of the religions is
that there is purpose to tests and difficulties in this earthly
life, in that they lead to many spiritual rewards. One of
Confucius most well-known followers, Mencius (372-289,
BCE), teaches that tests and difficulties are blessings from
Heaven. The following beloved passage in his classic writings
is well memorized by every Chinese student.
"Heaven, When it is about to place a
great responsibility on a man, always first tests his
resolution, wears out his sinews and bones with toil, exposes
his body to starvation, subjects him to extreme poverty,
frustrate his efforts so as to stimulate his mind, toughen his
nature and make good his deficiencies. Men for the most part
can mend their ways only after they made mistake. Only when
they are frustrated in mind and in their deliberations can they
stand up anew. Only when their intentions become visible on
their countenances and audible in their voices can they be
understood by others. As a rule, a state will perish without
law-abiding families and trustworthy public servants on the one
hand, and without the threat of external aggression on the
other. Only then do we realize that anxiety and distress lead
to life; and that ease and comfort end in death."47
Bahá'u'lláh
re-affirms these teachings and calls us to be content and
radiant in tests and difficulties. He further reminds us that
fire and vengeance are really light and mercy; that adversity
is followed by success and rejoicing follow woe, and that we
should hold fast to what will profit mankind.
If adversity befall thee not in My path,
how canst thou walk in the ways of them that are content with
My pleasure? If trials afflict thee not in thy longing to meet
Me, how wilt thou attain the light in thy love for My beauty?48
My calamity is My providence, outwardly it
is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy.
Hasten thereunto that thou mayest become an eternal light and
an immortal spirit. This is My command unto thee, do thou
observe it.49
'Abdu'l-Bahá further
explains:
Those who suffer most, attain to the
greatest perfection. While a man is happy he may forget his
God; but when grief comes and sorrows overwhelm him, then will
he remember his Father who is in Heaven, and who is able to
deliver him from his humiliations. Men who suffer not, attain
no perfection. The plant most pruned by the gardeners is that
one which, when the summer comes, will have the most beautiful
blossoms and the most abundant fruit.50
Moderation in All Things
Moderation is an essential principle in
both Chinese and Baha'i teachings. Lao-Tse teaches the
"impartial mean"(5), the "gentle
way"(8), and moderation as the "Tao of
Heaven"(9).
Heaven and Earth are impartial; all things
are equal.
The wise are impartial; the people are
equal....
Excess of words bring emptiness;
better stay with the impartial Mean.51
The sage is like water; water benefits all
things and softly follows Nature....
Be kind to others; be true in speech; be
just in ruling; be competent; and
In action, be concerned of the time and
season.
When one is gentle, there is no
contention.52
Better to stop in time than fill to the
brim.
Over-sharpen the blade, it will soon be
blunt.
Fill your house with gold and jade, no one
can protect it.
Prideful of wealth and titles, disaster
will follow.
Retire when the work is done. This is the
Tao of heaven.53
The world has its mysterious way; you can
not influence it.
Try to change it and you will be ruined.
Try to hold it and you will lose it...
Therefore the sage avoids extremes,
excesses, and complacency.54
Confucius establishes the "Tao of the
Mean" as the guiding principle in our daily life:
What Heaven confers is called
"nature." Accordance with this nature is called the
Tao.
Cultivating the Tao is called
"education." That which is called Tao cannot be
separated from for an instant. What can be separated from is
not the Tao. Therefore the Superior Man is cautious in the
place where he is not seen, and apprehensive in the place where
he is not heard. Nothing is more visible than the hidden, and
nothing is more apparent than the subtle. Therefore the
Superior Man is cautious when he is alone. When joy, anger,
sorrow and pleasure have not yet arisen, it is called the
"Mean" (in Chinese—ch'ung). When they
arise to their appropriate levels, it is called
"harmony." Mean is the great root of
all-under-heaven. Harmony is the penetration of the Tao through
all-under-heaven. When the mean and harmony are actualized,
Heaven and Earth are in their proper positions, and the myriad
things are nourished.55
Bahá'u'lláh
admonishes us to exercise moderation in all things:
In all matters moderation is desirable. If
a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil.
Consider the civilization of the West, how it hath agitated and
alarmed the peoples of the world. An infernal engine hath been
devised, and hath proved so cruel a weapon of destruction that
its like none hath ever witnessed or heard. The purging of such
deeply-rooted and overwhelming corruptions cannot be effected
unless the peoples of the world unite in pursuit of one common
aim and embrace one universal faith.56
It is incumbent upon them who are in
authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever
passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a
beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things as
liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of
understanding may favourably regard them, they will, if carried
to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon men...57
Say: Human utterance is an essence which
aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to
its influence, this is conditional upon refinement which in
turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As
to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and
wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets.58
Whoso cleaveth to justice, can, under no
circumstances, transgress the limits of moderation. The
civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts
and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of
moderation, bring great evil upon men. If carried to excess,
civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had
been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation.59
Conclusion—"Oneness of
Mankind" and "Unity in Diversity"
This paper aims to show the essential unity
in the teachings from the Chinese culture and the
Bahá'í Faith. They share the same spiritual
foundation despite the millennia of history separating them.
However, the social conditions of the present day world require
many new and universally applicable principles to help unite
the human family as one. The Bahá'í Faith
brings new teachings for an emerging global civilization. These
new teachings include the harmony of science and religion;
abolition of prejudice; spiritual solution to economic
problems; universal education; universal auxiliary language;
equality of women and men; and world government. They are
discussed in the referenced books such as: Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era, The
Bahá'í Faith— the Emerging Global
Religion and A Short Introduction to the
Bahá'í Faith.
In conclusion, the pivotal principle of the
Bahá'í Faith is the "oneness of
mankind" and the operating principle is "unity in
diversity." These principles are eloquently explained in
the following passages.
The principle of the Oneness of Mankind is
no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of
vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified
with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will
among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of
harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations.
Its implications are deeper... Its message is applicable not
only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the
nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the
states and nations as members of one human family. It implies
an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a
change such as the world has not yet experienced. It
constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn
shibboleths of national creeds.... It calls for no less than
the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole
civilized world—a world organically unified in all the
essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its
spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and
language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national
characteristics of its federated units.60
Unity in Diversity
The animating purpose of the world-wide
Law of Bahá'u'lláh, far from aiming
at the subversion of the existing foundations of society, seeks
to broaden its basis, to remold its institutions in a manner
consonant with the needs of an ever-changing world. It can
conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it undermine
essential loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame
of a sane and intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor
to abolish the system of national autonomy so essential if the
evils of excessive centralization are to be avoided. It does
not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of
ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and
tradition, of thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples
and nations of the world. It calls for a wider loyalty, for a
larger aspiration than any that has animated the human race. It
insists upon the subordination of national impulses and
interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. It
repudiates excessive centralization on one hand, and disclaims
all attempts at uniformity on the other. Its watchword is
'unity in diversity.'
The call of
Bahá'u'lláh is primarily directed
against all forms of provincialism, all insularities and
prejudices. If long-cherished ideals and time-honored
institutions, if certain social assumptions and religious
formulae have ceased to promote the welfare of the generality
of mankind, if they no longer minister to the needs of a
continually evolving humanity, let them be swept away and
relegated to the limbo of obsolescent and forgotten doctrines.
Why should these, in a world subject to the immutable law of
change and decay, be exempt from the deterioration that must
needs overtake every human institution? For legal standards,
political and economic theories are solely designed to
safeguard the interests of humanity as a whole, and not
humanity to be crucified for the preservation of the integrity
of any particular law or doctrine.61
The Wider Inclusive Loyalty
A word of warning should, however, be
uttered in this connection. The love of one's country has
not, through this declaration, this clarion-call of
Bahá'u'lláh, been either condemned or
disparaged. It should not, indeed it cannot, be construed as a
repudiation, or regarded in the light of a censure, pronounced
against a sane and intelligent patriotism, nor does it seek to
undermine the allegiance and loyalty of any individual to his
country, nor does it conflict with the legitimate aspirations,
rights, and duties of any individual state or nation. All it
does imply and proclaim is the insufficiency of patriotism, in
view of the fundamental changes effected in the economic life
of society and the interdependence of the nations, and as the
consequence of the contraction of the world, through the
revolution in the means of transportation and communication....
It calls for a wider loyalty, which should not, and indeed does
not, conflict with lesser loyalties. It instills a love which,
in view of its scope, must include and not exclude the love of
one's own country. It lays, through this loyalty which it
inspires, and this love which it infuses, the only foundation
on which the concept of world citizenship can thrive, and the
structure of world unification can rest. It does insist,
however, on the subordination of national considerations and
particularistic interests to the imperative and paramount
claims of humanity as a whole, inasmuch as in a world of
interdependent nations and peoples the advantage of the part is
best to be reached by the advantage of the whole....
The world is, in truth, moving on towards
its destiny. The interdependence of the peoples and nations of
the earth, whatever the leaders of the divisive forces of the
world may say or do, is already an accomplished fact. Its unity
in the economic sphere is now understood and recognized. The
welfare of the part means the welfare of the whole, and the
distress of the part brings distress to the whole. The
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh has, in His
own words, ":lent a fresh impulse and set a new
direction" to this vast process now operating in the
world. The fires lit by this great ordeal are the consequences
of men's failure to recognize it. They are, moreover,
hastening its consummation. Adversity, prolonged, worldwide,
afflictive, allied to chaos and universal destruction, must
needs convulse the nations, stir the conscience of the world,
disillusion the masses, precipitate a radical change in the
very conception of society, and coalesce ultimately the
disjointed, the bleeding limbs of mankind into one body,
single, organically united, and indivisible.62
References: Chinese Culture
The Record of
Rites, Book IX., Confucius
The Book Great Learning from Confucius
The Chapter on the Doctrine of the Mean,
from Confucius
Mencius Book VI:
Kao Tse
Tao Te Ching-Lao Tse ( The Book of Tao and Virtues )
Chuang Tse, the
book.
A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy, Wing-Tsit Chan, Princeton University Press,
1963.
The Chinese Religion and the
Bahá'í Faith, P.
Chew, George Ronald, 1993.
A History of Chinese Philosophy, Fung Yu-Lan, Princeton University Press, 1953.
The Wisdom of Lao Tse, Lin Yutang, Random House, 1948.
Chinese Traditional Culture Revisits, the
First International Symposium on Chinese Culture
(in Chinese, Shanghai), Commercial Press,
Hong Kong, 1986.
References: Bahá'í
Faith
Bahá'í World Faith, by Bahá'u'lláh and
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í
Publishing Trust, 1976.
The Book of Certitude, by Bahá'u'lláh,
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1974.
Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976.
The Hidden Words of
Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1974.
Prayers and Meditations, by Bahá'u'lláh,
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1974.
The Proclamation of
Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1967.
Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas,
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1978.
The Promulgation of Universal Peace, by 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982.
Some Answered Questions, by 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982.
The World Order of
Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, Bahá'í Publishing
Trust, 1974.
The Promised Day is Come, Shoghi Effendi, Bahá'í Publishing
Trust, 1974.
The Promise of World Peace, Universal House of Justice, 1985.
The Prosperity of Humankind, by the Office of Public Information,
Bahá'í International Community, 1994.
Bahá'u'lláh and
the New Era, J. E. Esslemont,
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1980.
The Bahá'í
Faith-The Emerging Global Religion, William S. Hatch and J. Douglas Martin, Harper and
Row, 1984.
A Short Introduction to the
Bahá'í Faith, M.
Momen, One World Publications, 1996.
Notes
1) See books in the reference section for
further information on the Baha'i Faith.
2) Reported in "Star of the
West", vol. 8, April 28, 1917, No. 3, p. 37.
3) Letter from Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian
of the Baha'i Faith, dated 23 January 1923.
4) Statement from the Baha'i
International Community, 1 July 1999.
5) The
Promulgation of Universal Peace, by
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Baha'i Publishing Trust,
1982, p. 109.
6) "The introduction of Buddhism from
India to China-some perspectives on the development of
Chinese Culture," Prof. Tong Yi-Jia (Beijing University)
in Chinese Traditional Culture
Revisits in the First International Symposium on Chinese
Culture (in Chinese), Shanghai,
1986, Commercial Press, Hong Kong.
7) The Great Unity Chapter, Confucius, in The Book of Rites, Book IX.
8) A
Traveller's Narrative (Episode
of the Bab), pp. xxxix-xl.
9) The Promise
of World Peace, Universal House
of Justice, p1.
10) Gleanings
of the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 251.
11) The
Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 112.
12) The
Promulgation of Universal Peace, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 180.
13) Foundations
of World Unity, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 38.
14) The Great Learning Chapter from
Confucius.
15) Tablets of
Baha'u'llah, (Words of
Wisdom), p. 156.
16) Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 251.
17) Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 285.
18) Some
Answered Questions, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 235.
19) 'Abdu'l-Baha, in The Compilation of Compilations, vol. 1, p. 263.
20) Tablet of
Baha'u'llah, pp. 63-64.
21) Bahá'í
World Faith, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 270.
22) The Hidden
Words of Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic), by
Bahá'u'lláh, no. 29.
23) The
Promulgation of Universal Peace, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 168.
24) Selections
from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 279.
25) The Way of
Lao Tzu, W.T. Chan, chapter 7.
26) The Hidden
Words of Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic), by
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 1.
27) Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 264.
28) The
Promulgation of Universal Peace, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 180-181.
29) The Wisdom of Laotse, Lin Yutang,
Random House, 1948, p. 14.
30) Tao Te
Ching, Laotse, ch. 1.
(author's own translation with adaptation from others.)
31) Tao Te
Ching, Laotse, ch. 14.
32) Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 62.
33) The Book of
Certitude, by
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 97.
34) The Book of
Certitude, by
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 97-100.
35) Gleanings
from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, no. 148, p. 316.
36) Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 136.
37) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 140.
38) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 169.
39) The
Promulgation of Universal Peace, by
`Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 180.
40) Some
Answered Questions, by
'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 165.
41) Chuang-tsu, Chapter 2.
42) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 42—Tao begot
One.
43) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 25—The Tao is
spontaneously so.
44) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 16—The way of
the Nature.
45) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, pp. 140-142.
46) Prayers and
Meditations, by
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 272.
47) Mencius
Book VI: Kao Tse, Part II, 15.
48) The Hidden
Words of Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic), by
Bahá'u'lláh, no. 50.
49) The Hidden
Words of Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic), by
Bahá'u'lláh, no. 51.
50) Paris Talks, by `Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 50.
51) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 5—Impartial
Mean.
52) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 8—Gentle Ways.
53) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 9—Moderation.
54) Tao Te
Ching, Chapter 29—Avoids
Extremes.
55) Doctrine of
the Mean, Confucius.
56) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 69.
57) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 169.
58) Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh revealed after the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 172.
59) Gleanings
from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 342.
60) The World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, p. 42-43.
61) The World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, p. 41-42.
62) The
Promised Day is Come, Shoghi
Effendi, p. 121-122.
