كيهان‌ شناسي تَنترَه‌اي - پورانه‌اي بر اساس رسالۀ بحر الحياتِ شيخ محمد غوث گوالياري

Tantric-Purānic Cosmology according to Shaykh Muḥammad Ghawth's Baḥr al-Ḥayāṭ

رسالۀ بحرالحياتِ محمد غوث گوالياري (د 970 ق)، از مشايخ طريقت شطاريه، مجموعه‌ايست مركب از آراء و اعمال يوگه‌اي به انضمامِ انديشه‌هاي عرفانيِ اسلامي. محمد در مقدمۀ بحرالحيات آن را برگردان فارسيِ رسالۀ انبرت كوند ( اَمْريتَه ‌كوندَه، «حوضِ آب حيات»، از متون يوگه‌اي) خوانده است. امروزه نسخۀ اصلي آن در دست نيست و خودِ شيخ صرفاً به ترجمۀ عربي آن (حوض الحيات) اشاره كرده است. رساله شامل ده فصل است، در فصل دهم روايتي از كيهان‌شناسي نقل مي‌شود كه با روايات تَنترَه‌اي-پورانه‌اي قرابت دارد. انديشۀ محوري اين كيهان‌شناسي، يعني «كثرت در وحدت» با عقائد محمد همسو است. شيخ براي ساير مضامين اين كيهان‌شناسي نيز شواهدي از سنت اسلامي نقل مي‌كند. از جمله، توصيفِ «صدا» به عنوان نخستين تجلي، «عشق» به عنوان محركي براي خلقت، «آب‌هاي نخستين» به عنوان بستري براي آفرينش و ... . اين مقاله مي‌كوشد ريشۀ روايت محمد را در متون مختلف هندويي جستجو كند.

Baḥr al-Ḥayāt ("the Ocean of Life") is a 16th century Persian text written by a Shaṭṭārī Sufi, Shaykh Muḥammad Ghawth Gwaliyari (d 1563). It is originally a translation of a yogic text known as Amṛtakuṇḍa ("Pool of Water of Life") which is now lost. Shaykh Muḥammad mentions only an Arabic version of the text named Ḥawḍ al-Ḥayāt. It should be mentioned that Baḥr al-Ḥayāt is not a literal translation of Amṛtakuṇḍa or any other Hindu texts. In fact, the Hindu doctrines and practices are gathered from different Yogic, Purānic and Tantric traditions. In Baḥr al-Ḥayāt these Hindu materials are mixed with the teachings of Islamic mysticism. Shaykh Muḥammad had a good reason for translating the text. From his point of view, the techniques mentioned in the text, such as breath control, etc., were useful for his own pupils and other Shaṭṭārī Sufis. For him, Yogis are the masters of 'ilm i djasad ("the Knowledge of Body") which is a useful knowledge for the Muslims to know. Shaykh Muḥammad frequently emphasizes the equality of the sayings of Hindu saints with those of Sufis. However, Muḥammad's sympathies with Yogis, met strong oppositions by the some of Muslim scholars for whom Yogis were nothing but the misguided pagans. So they accused Muḥammad of blasphemy. Although he had been finally absolved, he was under suspicion even fifty years after his death when a biographer, Ghawthi Shaṭṭārī, in his book tried to justify Shaykh Muḥammad's deeds. Baḥr al-Ḥayāt is consisted of ten chapters. In its last chapter there is a kind of cosmology similar to those of the Tantric and Purānic. In fact, the Tantric-Purānic cosmology is a syncretism of monistic view of Advaita Vedānta school and dualistic view of Sāṃkhya school. So, it promotes the doctrine of "Multiplicity in Unity" which is in accordance with Shaykh Muḥammad's thoughts.