1. O Espírito
A forma exterior do mundo e de todas as coisas, dentro desta forma, manifestam um sentido oculto. A forma humana não é exceção.
Primeiro fazem ou compram uma tenda, então trazem o Turcomano como um convidado. Saiba que sua forma é a tenda e seu significado é o Turcomano: seu significado é o capitão e sua forma é o navio. (Masnavi III 529-30)
2. Os níveis do espírito
A oposição entre corpo e espírito é dificilmente tão simples e direta como possa parecer. Vimos que significado tem mais de um nível, e que só na análise final pode ser identificado com Deus Ele mesmo. Assim os níveis intermediários são elevados e "sutis" (latif) em relação às formas e corpos, mas "grosseiros" (kathif) em relação a Deus.
3. O Ego e o intelecto
Rumi often refers to the animal spirit by the terms nafs, which is most commonly rendered into English as “soul” or “self.” In Arabic and Persian the term nafs is sometimes synonomous with the terms ruh or jan, i.e., “spirit.” Rumi himself occasionally uses the term to refer to the higher levels of the spirit. But most often he employs the term nafs to refer to the animal spirit. In this usage he is inspired at least partly by the Koranic verse, “Yet I claim not that my soul (nafs) was innocent: Verily the soul of man incites to evil” (XII 53). Sufis and others often refer to this “soul” as nafs-i ammarah, “the soul which incites (to evil).” Because of the negative connotations of this “soul” and the positive and spiritual connotations of the word “soul” in English, I have chosen to translate the word as “ego.”
4. O intelecto universal e o intelecto parcial
Only the intellects of the prophets and saints have truly vanquished the ego. Once the clouds have been dispersed, the sun shines down unhindered. In its full radiance the intellect is referred to as the “Universal Intellect” (’aql-i kulli) or the “Intellect of the intellect. At this stage the intellect can discern the meaning of every form and “see things as they are.” In the majority of human beings, no matter what sort of great minds they may have or how “intellectual” they may be, the intellect is veiled by the dross of the ego. Such veiled intellects are referred to as “partial intellects” (‘aql-i juzwi). Naturally there are many different levels of partial intellect. And although the Universal Intellect is essentially one reality, it does not reveal itself to every saint and prophet to the same degree.
The partial intellect needs nourishment from outside; through it one can acquire by learning and study the “science of bodies.” But the Universal Intellect is sufficient unto itself. It is the source of the “science of religions” and has no need for any sort of outside aid.
5. O Coração
The ultimate center of man’s consciousness, his inmost reality, his “meaning” as known by God, is called the “heart” (dil, qalb). As for the lump of flesh within the breast, that is the shadow or outermost skin of the heart. Between this heart and that heart are infinite levels of consciousness and self-realization.
As man’s inmost reality, the heart is always with God. But only the prophets and saints—who are called the “Possessors of the Heart”— have achieved God-consciousness, whereby they are truly and actually aware of God at the center of their being. Most men are veiled by innumerable levels of dross and darkness, so that in practice the center of their consciousness or “heart” is their animal spirit or ego.
6. Inter-relações
Rumi does not distinguish clearly and absolutely among the heart, the spirit, and the intellect. Each of these pertains to man’s meaning as opposed to his form. Perhaps we can say that the spirit is the broadest in scope, embracing the whole of man’s inward reality; the term “intellect” lays stress upon the spirit’s power of discernment; and the word “heart” emphasizes consciousness and especially God-consciousness. But each of these terms is sometimes employed synonomously with one or both of the others, and each denotes a multileveled reality. Hence, when Rumi refers to “intellect,” he may be referring to any of a broad spectrum of realities ranging from the lowest level of the partial intellect to the highest degree of the Universal Intellect. When he mentions “spirit,” he may be alluding to any of the three higher levels of spirit, to the ego, or to God. And by “heart” he may mean someone’s center of consciousness in a general sense, or the heart of the “Possessor of the Heart,” or any of the myriad levels between. In any case, the context of the discussion usually makes clear which meaning he has in mind.
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