drinketh from the cup of the Absolute, and gazeth on the
Manifestations of Oneness. In this station he pierceth the veils of
plurality, fleeth from the worlds of the flesh, and ascendeth into the
heaven of singleness. With the ear of God he heareth, with the eye of God
he beholdeth the mysteries of divine creation. He steppeth into the
sanctuary of the Friend, and shareth as an intimate the pavilion of the
Loved One. He stretcheth out the hand of truth from the sleeve of the
Absolute; he revealeth the secrets of power. He seeth in himself neither
name nor fame nor rank, but findeth his own praise in praising God. He
beholdeth in his own name the name of God; to him, "all songs are from the
King,"(32) and every melody from Him. He sitteth on the throne of "Say,
all is from God,"(33) and taketh his rest on the carpet of "There is no
power or might but in God."(34) He looketh on all things with the eye of
oneness, and seeth the brilliant rays of the divine sun shining from the
dawning-point of Essence alike on all created things, and the lights of
singleness reflected over all creation.

It is clear to thine Eminence that all the variations which the wayfarer
in the stages of his journey beholdeth in the realms of being, proceed
from his own vision. We shall give an example of this, that its meaning
may become fully clear: Consider the visible sun; although it shineth with
one radiance upon all things, and at the behest of the King of
Manifestation bestoweth light on all creation, yet in each place it
becometh manifest and sheddeth its bounty according to the potentialities
of that place. For instance, in a mirror it reflecteth its own disk and
shape, and this is due to the sensitivity of the mirror; in a crystal it
maketh fire to appear, and in other things it showeth only the effect of
its shining, but not its full disk. And yet, through that effect, by the
command of the Creator, it traineth each thing according to the quality of
that thing, as thou observest.

In like manner, colors become visible in every object according to the
nature of that object. For instance, in a yellow globe, the rays shine
yellow; in a white the rays are white; and in a red, the red rays are
manifest. Then these variations are from the object, not from the shining
light. And if a place be shut away from the light, as by walls or a roof,
it will be entirely bereft of the splendor of the light, nor will the sun
shine thereon.

Thus it is that