جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « macrocosm » در نشریات گروه « ادبیات و زبان ها »

One of the most important issues in the field of Islamic mysticism and Sufism is Microcosm and the Macrocosm. It is discussed in Ibn Arabi's mysticism and plays a vital role in his mysticism and his followers. Since his writings are based on a special type of linguistics that may not have been used in the expression of any of the mystics, the description and explanation of the researcher of his mysticism should also consider the issues related to language and its belongings as a prior assumption. Examining Ibn-Arabi's Al-Tadbirat Elahiya shows that he uses metaphor to explain how the Macrocosm and Microcosm are matched. At the beginning of the book, Ibn Arabi presented a definition of metaphor that is exactly in accordance with the definition in the Islamic rhetoric, that is, in Sheikh Abdul Qahir Jarjani’s. The vital element in this similar definition of metaphor should be sought in "point of resemblance" which implies the formation and permanence of metaphor. After comparing Ibn Arabi's and Jurjani's definitions of metaphor and examining some examples of metaphors from the Microcosm and the Macrocosm, the conclusion was reached that two authors agreed both on presenting the definition of metaphor, and on the most important characteristic in the vehicle in the formation of the metaphor. Furthermore, Ibn Arabi applied this theory practically andontologicalyl, and obtained favorable results from it.

As a verb, the term “Correspondence” means “to look at each other” (in Persian culture, under the word, “تناظر”, “Tanaazor”), “to confront” (in the dictionary under the word “Movajeheh”, “مواجهه”), and to match; as a noun it means similarity. In mystical terms, “correspondence of cosmoses” is the similarity and/or confrontation of the two universes, i.e. the microcosm, and the macrocosm, despite their contemporaneity. One of the clear examples of this is the correspondence of the dimensions of human existence with other universes. In the mystical discussion of “correspondence”, the basis of creation is the correspondence of the cosmoses; the emergence of various aspects of creation is visible in the two worlds ‒ macrocosm and microcosm ‒ and shows the interconnectedness of the parts and elements of these two worlds. Mystics believe that whatever exists in the visible world and the macrocosm, has its example existing in the microcosm. In his works, Sheikh Ala-o-Dowleh  Semnani, one of the mystics of the 7th and 8th centuries AH, has used the principle of the correspondence of the worlds, depicting the gist of his special mystical teachings such as 'Lataif Sab’a', and the question of creation of man. The issue of dualism is present in all his topics, including the principles and branches of religion, theoretical views of mysticism, etc.

This study, through a descriptive-analytical method and based on a library study, seeks to analyze and examine the idea of the correspondence of worlds in the works of Sheikh Ala-o-Dowleh Semnani in order to find out the purpose, application, and function of the use of correspondence in his mystical teachings. In the thought of Ala-o-Dowleh Semnani, the events of the universe are related to the affairs of the soul. 

Among the preliminaries of the design and explanation of the subject of correspondence in Sheikh Semnani's thought is the explanation of the place of man, the world, and the heart in the system of existence. In one categorization, he divides the universe into two worlds, minor and major, and in another division, while expressing his mystical thoughts, he believes in four types of worlds: horizons, soul, unseen and martyrdom (Semanani, 1362: 70). According to Semnani, the existence of correspondence in the world is an obvious phenomenon that does not require any special reasoning and logic. In his intellectual system, correspondence has various functions, the first of which is the correspondence of the cosmic and personal worlds; the correspondence of these two worlds with each other and familiarity with these worlds is evident in the practical teachings of Sheikh Ala-o-Dowleh Semnani. The second function of the idea of correspondence of the Sheikh is evident in his “Treatise on Chess”, in which, by expressing detailed mystical points about chess pieces, he somehow corresponds it to the chess game of human existence. The Sheikh refers to chess pieces as having a spiritual meaning. The third function and example of correspondence in the thought and works of Ala-o-Dowleh, which is also related to the knowledge of self, ontology, and the heavens, is that he considers a spiritual matter for every cosmic matter. The fourth function of correspondence in Semnani's thought is the subject of mystical lights, which was planned by the mystics before him and somehow evolved with Ala-o-Dowleh. The fifth function of correspondence in Sheikh Semnani's works is the subject of mystical veils, and prophets. In all these cases, we see the establishment of correspondence in the mystical system of Sheikh Semnani.

The idea of the universality of man and the universality of the world is actually the expression of the idea of the “correspondence” of microcosm and macrocosm, which will cause the comprehensive recognition of man as both a microcosm and a macrocosm with its own meaning and place in the system of creation. Using a descriptive-analytical method and based on library studies, this study analyzes and examines the idea of correspondence in the works of Sheikh Ala-o-Dowleh Semnani and shows the purpose, application and function of the use of correspondence in his mystical teachings. By emphasizing the duality and connection between microcosm and macrocosm, Sheikh Ala-o-Dowleh Semnani disputes Ibn Arabi's views on the unity of existence and tries to explain the idea of the correspondence of worlds. It is necessary to understand the idea of correspondence in his thought, in order to know the place of man, the world, the universe, and also the heart as the middle links of this correspondence. All these topics are included under his main mystical thought, Lataif Sab'a. The basis for Semnani's theory of Lataif Sab’a is the principle that, on the one hand, all these Lataif (Subtleties) are the result of the effects of heavenly bodies and elements, and on the other hand, there is a correspondence between the subtleties of the Saba, heavenly bodies, elements, types of lights, types of humans and prophets. From Semnani's point of view, the function of correspondence is manifested in the knowledge of man, the world, and the truth, as well as in monastic education, human existential chess, types of subtleties, lights, and prophets.

Although the idea of correspondence is the outcome of the findings of earlier philosophers, it was Juan Maldacena who first proposed in late 1997 the idea of AdS/CFT correspondence. According to this theory, if the physics of our universe is hologram (Shadow World), then there will be another set of physical laws on the boundary of our world that is corresponding with the physics describing our world. This article studies the idea of correspondence in the poems of Attar and compares and contrasts them with the ideas of the other philosophers, mystics and scientists. While analyzing the idea of correspondence in his poems this article considers how the idea of correspondence is related to Attar’s mystical teachings. Correspondence in Attar's works (his collection of poems and in The Conference of The Birds) is one of the central ideas. Before Attar correspondence had been an allegorical String Theory. But he created – for the first time in mystical poetry – a scientific-literary allegory out of the correspondence of particles and the sun and particles and universe in order to pave the way – through the correspondence of Simorgh (phoenix) and Si-morgh (30 birds) – for the correspondence of microcosm and macrocosm. His allegory was used later by physicists for corresponding microcosm with macrocosm. Attar has used the terms Simorgh and Si-morgh to express that two corresponding ideas are not necessarily the same, because they are different in their forms according to physicists and in their essences according to Attar.

Self-knowledge is considered as the essence and heart of Baba Afzal Kashani’s philosophy and the basis of his contemplations. Unlike his predecessors such as wise men, mystics and scholars who believed that self-knowledge is the only advice for practical conduct, Baba Afzal is of the opinion that seeking genuine theoretical knowledge is also dependent thereupon. He believes that all those who intend to acquire knowledge through their outer dimension will go astray; therefore, their knowledge will not be valid. He argues that soul and wisdom, which he deems to be the highest grade of the soul, are the source for distinguishing between existence and non-existence and he believes that knowledge means to discover oneself. On the other hand, discovering oneself, according to the existing balance and correspondence between the microcosm and the macrocosm, will lead to discover the universe. This progress from oneself toward the universe is subject to achieving or in fact understanding of uniqueness and unity among wisdom, wise and reasonable. Eventually, having formed a hermeneutic circle between this general and limited knowledge of oneself and that of the universe, one will return to oneself and understand that whatever he was seeking for exists in his soul. One might analogize the hermeneutic circle among knowledge of oneself and the universe and returning to oneself to a spiral route that the more one follow, the deeper knowledge will be acquired.