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DOI: 10.24411/2470-1262-2019-10053
УДК (UDC) 1 (091) Gaziz Telebayev,
The Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan,
Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
For citation: Telebayev Gaziz, (2019).
Turkic Elements in Sufi Philosophical Tradition:
Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Cross-Cultural Studies: Education and Science Vol.4, Issue II (2019), pp. 100-107 (USA)
Manuscript received: 03/15/2019 Accepted for publication: 03/17/2019 The authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
CC BY 4.0
TURKIC ELEMENTS IN THE SUFI PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITION: KHOJA
AHMED YASAWI
ТЮРКСКИЕ ЭЛЕМЕНТЫ В СУФИЙСКОЙ ФИЛОСОФСКОЙ ТРАДИЦИИ: ХОДЖА АХМЕД ЯСАВИ
Abstract
The article deals with the philosophical system of the medieval Turkic thinker Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The main attention is paid to the anthropological ideas of Yasawi. The analysis revealed three components of his philosophical ideas originating in the Neoplatonism of Plotinus, Sufi philosophy and Turkic thought tradition. From the philosophy of Plotin, the ideas of asceticism and ecstasy, Love and Death are perceived. Sufi tradition is manifested in the following concept of «perfect man», «Qutb», the prototype of which in the Sufi tradition is the prophet Muhammad. The concept of «the Way» of Sufism follows Yasawi, with distinction Tariqat and Akikat, with the definition of «sites» are along the way. The Turkic component in the anthropology of Yasawi is occurred in the form of ethical rationalism, originating in the philosophy of man Zhusup Balasaguni. This is the requirement for person moral self-improvement, deliverance from flaws according to Yasawi. In particular, he decries ignorance. Another intention of the Turkic philosophical tradition is the idea of the futility of human existence, which in a sense came into conflict with the Islamic concept of full trust in the Creator. The emphasis at Yasawi is made on
the temporality of man's stay on earth, on the relativity of human existence, on the brevity of life, on the regret of the uniqueness and irrevocability of human existence. Therefore, the motives of sadness, anguish, sadness, regret are prevailed. In General, «Divani Hikmet» Turkic philosophical tradition is visible in the categorical system: «kanaqat» (satisfaction measure); «tagdyr» (destiny); «yrzyq, qut» (happiness, welfare, prosperity); «haq» (true); «amanat» (mandate, heritage); «aruaq» (spirit of ancestors); «kok» (the sky); Tengri; Qyzyr Baba.
Keywords: Turkic philosophical tradition, Neoplatonism, Sufi philosophical tradition, Love and Dearth, asceticism, «The perfect man», Qutb, ethical rationalism, ignorance, futility of human existence
Introduction
In the philosophical work of the Turkic thinker of the middle ages Khoja Ahmet Yassawi, «Diwani Hikmet», which belongs undoubtedly to the Sufi philosophical tradition, an important place occupied by the Turkic worldview elements.
The worldview of the Turkic tradition, as known, developed over the centuries, from ancient runic inscriptions of Kultegin and Tonykok. Already in these monuments, we encounter such concepts as «Tagir» (Tengri), «Kok» (sky), «Zher» (Earth), «Qut» (good), «Kisi» (people), «El» (nation-state), «Olim» (death) and others. Then these concepts developed in Turkic philosophy by subsequent thinkers.
The Great Silk Way had particular importance, where were the cities, that played a crucial role in the formation of a system of categories, which became the base for Turkic tradition. The Silk Way connected the peoples and cities through the exchange of philosophical ideas. For more than one and a half millennium, it was the main channel for the dissemination of ideas between Central Asia, China, Iran, Byzantium, the Anterior Asia and Europe.
That is why in the work of the Khoja Ahmet Yasawi Sufi, Arabic and Turkic philosophical tradition so closely intertwined.
Theory
The teaching of Yasawi, which belonging to the Sufi tradition thinking has theological and theocentric content; the prevailing position is, for example, the theme of man. Man, in the teachings of Yasawi, is the main «mechanism» by which a «return» of Genesis to its original integrity is occurred. This integrity is broken, as known, in the process of world creating by God. «The perfect man», who is an incarnation of God, is becoming in this incarnation «the perfect species of existence». Having absorbed all forms of divine mysterious power man reflects the result, the pinnacle and completion of God's creation. In this sense, man is the measure of all that exists.
One of the possible models for analyzing the philosophy of Yasawi is the identification of various cultural and philosophical traditions in it. In addition, it turns out (this is true not only in the case of the anthropological ideas of Yasawi, but also in the general historical and philosophical
sense) that the ideas of the preceding thinkers, schools and directions can be presented in the doctrine of the follower in various ways.
In the Yasawi doctrine, in my opinion, at least three cultural and philosophical traditions clearly revealed: ancient (Neoplatonist), Arabic-speaking (Sufi) and Turkic. The influence of each of these traditions was, of course, specific.
Neoplatonism influenced on the Yassawi concept indirectly, becoming one of the main sources of the formation of the Sufi man concept. There is no historical information that Yasawi was familiar with the works of Plotinus, Iamblichus, or Proclus, but the «echo» of their ideas in his anthropological investigations undoubtedly heard.
The Sufi philosophical tradition was the context in which the philosophical theory of Yasawi formed. The concepts of the «perfect man», the steps of emanation, the «path» and «stops» are undoubtedly the philosophical paradigms of the general philosophy and the quantity of the «traces» in the Yasawi teachings is a great variety.
Finally, the Turkic thought tradition, which predetermined the specificity of Sufism of Yasawi, the peculiarities of his philosophical school «Yasawia», acted as a «background», a «common spirit», a general atmosphere where the ideas of the thinker from Yasy were formed.
Philosophical analysis
The most significant for the Sufi man concept (and therefore, for Yasawi) was, in my opinion, the influence of Plotinus' ideas. This, for example, is Plot in's preaching of asceticism, expressed in the neglect of his body and the denial of medical art. Asceticism in Sufism, as we know, took the form of an entire system, which included elements such as: strict and unquestioning adherence to the Sunnah in everyday life; multiple additional prayers and fasts; a detachment from all things of the world; surrender to God's will («tawekel»); persistent suffering and deprivation («sabyr») and the cult of poverty.
In Sufism, the doctrine of Plotinus about ecstasy has found expression and further development. Moreover, if in Plotinus this doctrine has based on the Platonic conception of Eros, then in Yasawi, for example, in comparison with the theoretical, the practical aspects of ecstasy occupy the prevailing place. Yasawi, as it known, became the creator of a specific kind of Sufi ecstasy - «loud zikr», or «zikr of saw».
However, the most significant, in my opinion, is the adherence of Yasawi to the intention of the Plotinus man doctrine, connected with the choice as supporting ideas of love and the idea of death.
Let's compare the ideas of two philosophers. Plotinus writes, «I believe that the primary source of love should be sought in the soul's inclination to pure, heavenly beauty, in the sense of its kinship with the divinity, in those friendly feelings that she, sometimes unconsciously, feels to the higher» [2].
For Yasawi, Love also acts as the main metaphysical feeling, because the attraction to God, the desire to unite with it, the impulse to get close to it, is, firstly, the ontological process of replenishing the inferiority of being by returning to the original Absolute fullness. Secondly, the mode of connection, and, consequently, harmonization of the relationship between God and the world. Thirdly, the most reliable way of knowing a person by God, the world, self-knowledge. Yassawi expresses this in a poetic form: «Sumeiinse, Alla, seni tanyp bolmas, Zhasagan, ne istesen de, gasyk kylsy (Without love, Allah, it is impossible to understand you, Creator, as you wish, but make me fall in love)» [3, p. 77].
Moreover, in Yasawi you can meet a rather pretentious (but common for the Sufis) idea that love of God is granted to man by the Absolute (God) for the Absolute that can admire himself, love himself, know himself. From this point of view, the heart of man is a mirror, which the reflection of divine grace falls to.
Yasawi also welcomes the love of women, believing that in their beautiful faces the divine light is reflected. Here is how Yasawi writes about it: «Tagirim sonyg bergei bukil tilegin, Mahabbatpen jalyndatkaj zhuregyn (Let Tengri fulfill all desires, Love will ignite in her heart) » [3, p. 20]..
Aspiration to God, Love for him is achieved, according to Yasawi, through ecstasy achieved in a state of intoxication, writing verses, reading zikr, or having suffering, material deprivation, physical pain, etc. However, the surest way to connect with God is death. Yassawi believes that the visible world surrounding us is an illusion, that's why we must strive to merge with God, to dissolve in it. It known that in 63 years old (the age, which the Prophet Muhammad lived before), Yassawi began to live underground, in a cave, refusing to see daylight, he began to communicate with the mortal world. In his book, he tells in detail how he renounced the mortal world and voluntarily imprisoned himself in the ground [3, pp. 45-49; 72-73].
The general Sufi roots of the man concept of the Yasawi found, first, in the theory of the «perfect man». «Perfect man», in Sufism, is the one who the gaze of the deity is directed to, this is the «pledge of the existence of the universe», «the pillar of the universe». Of course, most people on earth do not fit the definition of «perfect man» they can have called «animals-people». The concept of «perfect man» can applied to the prophets and, the prophet Muhammad. The essence of Muhammad is a prototype of «humanity». «Perfect people» exist among contemporaries, the Sufis believed. These are those, who have sufficiently developed in the divine knowledge, who the «essence of Muhammad» embodied now. Such a person in Sufism called «Qutb» - «perfect man». 20, 21 and 23 hikmets «Diwani Hikmet» are fully dedicated to the glorification of the Prophet Muhammad, for example, with the words: «On seqiz myg bul galamga sardar bolgan Muhammad, Otiz y§ myg sahabaga arman bolgan Muhammad (Muhammad was worlds former for eighteen thousand Sardar, Muhammad was dream for thirty-three thousands of associates) » [3, p. 74].
Yasawi in his concept asserts that «the perfect man» is one who as a creation of God bears the seal of his presence. The tendency to strengthen the ethical aspects of the doctrine of man
manifested in the notion that striving for perfection, for moral purity, for deliverance from shortcomings can bring a person closer to the «perfect man» definition. For Yasawi, who does evil he can never be free of guilt, and who does well he is loved by God.
Yasawi also accepts the Sufi distinction between the concepts «tarihat» and «hakikat». «Tarihat» is the way of life of an individual, full of suffering, delusions, misunderstandings, ignorance, a tragic path in its essence. And «hakikat» is the way of truth, the path of faith, the way of love to God, in which the Sufi refuses earthly joys and anxieties, from family and relatives and betrays himself to the will of the God [3, pp. 54-55, 62, 74, 85, 121-122].
General for Sufism intention of direct conversion to the Supreme characterizes Yasawi's anthropological ideas. The «individualistic» attitude conditioned by the «personalized» character of the Sufi modality of faith and reinforced by several other grounds: a general exaltation, where only direct appeal could correspond to the emotional heat of the Sufi and a tendency to exaggerate, when a certain «familiarity» allowed in relation to the Absolute. Finally, adherence to the «extreme» forms of expressing one's relationship to God (Yasawi has many expressions such as «drowned in blood», «burnt in the fire», «hung up», «died» etc.), which, of course, assumes individualized semantics.
At the same time, the Turkic world outlook basis is noticeable, first, in the conceptual apparatus «Diwani Hikmet». Such concepts as: «kanagat" (satisfaction, measure); «tagdyr» (destiny); «yrzyk, qut» (happiness, prosperity); «hak» (truth); «amanat» (mandate, heritage); «ruh» (spirit); «aruak» (spirit of ancestors); «akyl» (mind); «kok» (the sky); «Tagir» (Tengri); «kyzyr baba» and many others are very often found throughout the text of the «Book of Wisdom». They are, on the one hand, firmly established in the usage of the Turks, on the other hand, their peculiarities of use, their interpretation by Yasawi influenced the formation of the general Turkic philosophical dictionary.
The most vivid example of the Turkic ideological concept manifestation in Yasawi can considered an excerpt from 19 hikmet, where honoring the memory of his teacher Arystan Baba performed «Zharasar elge tatu, zhajrag zaman, Syjyndym aruagyga, Kairan babam! (It is wonderful when the people are peaceful and joyful; I bow before your memory, my holy ancestor!)
» [3, p. 68].
Interesting parallels observed between the ideas of Yasawi and Asan Kajgy, who lived in the 14th century. In Yasawi, we read: «Tubinde dariyanyg zhakut zhatyr, Kim suggip alsa - sol zhan bakytty akyr (The precious stone lies on the riverbed, Who will get it - that will be happy as a result) » [3, p. 83]. In addition, at Asan-ata: «Taza minsiz asyl tas, Su tubinde zhatady. Taza minsiz asyl soz, Oj tubinde zhatady (Precious stone as a pure water, It lies on the seabed, pure, precious words lie at the bottom of the soul) » [1, p. 243].
It is known, that for Sufism in the concept of «perfect man» it is more important that the archetypes of the «Muhammad image» can manifest themselves in separate people (regardless of their specific moral qualities), which reveal the secrets of being; they contemplate the divine essence in objects and through this divine essence contemplates itself. In addition, the fact that 104
these people chosen by God as the embodiment of «the essence of Muhammad» is a manifestation of divine mercy and mysterious power. Of course, we should not forget about the concept of «Path» in Sufism, where «parking» and «states» as stages of human development described. However, these two concepts in Sufism are not directly related, and most of the qualities required from a person on the path of improvement have a theological connotation: repentance, piety, satisfaction, and trust in God.
In the Turkic thinking tradition, ethical requirements to the individual are primary, as, for example, in Zhusup Balasaguni philosophy of the person. For him, the most important is the desire of man for knowledge, science, moral qualities. In «Kutadgu bilik» he wrote: «The great is given by good understanding, And knowledge is the basis for great accomplishments» [4, p. 42].
This ethical rationalism and minimalism then became dominant in the anthropology of Yasawi, which along with the «perfect man» also identified an «imperfect person» whose qualities are vanity, envy, duplicity, ignorance, vindictiveness, lies, etc. To get rid of these bad qualities moral perfection is necessary, which means, according to Yasawi, the following: it is necessary to polish the mirror to see the brilliance, in order to see the God in him; purify your heart.
The Turkic thinker to expose such a vice as ignorance pays special attention. The fifteenth hikmet in «Diwani Hikmet» is devoted entirely to ignorance, its perniciousness, the consequences, which it leads to, and its causes, the definition of ignorance. Moreover, the author directly calls readers of his work, students follow his advice, overcome ignorance, fined a way to truth. In addition, it expressed in an extremely emotional key: «Hey, dostar, zholdas bolyp nadanmen, oldim de - oz kadyrym zhojdym mine (Hey, friends, if you chose a complete ignoramus in comrades, you died - you have lost respect for yourself)» [3, p. 60].
The ethical maximalism of Yasawi has a social dimension. Therefore, in 46 hikmet he denounces dervishes, mullahs, muftis, kazies, imams, akims, who instead of true faith mired in bribery, pursuit of wealth, who believe in words, and not in deed. The next words of Yassawi said as if today «Aram akim arany biteu zhutyp parany, oz barmagyn, okinip, ozi sainap kalady (dishonest akim swallows the whole bribe from greed, then he will regret biting his elbows) » [3, p. 108].
Another intention, which became a distinctive feature of Sufism of Yassawi and perceived by him from the Turkic thinking tradition, is the idea of the futility of human existence.
Yasawi has several hikmets where he regrets for life, dissatisfaction with himself, sadness and grief become dominant moods. Therefore, in 30 hikmet, he exclaims «Kozim - zhas, kogilim -kajgy, zhanym - zhalyn, kajtsem-au, ne eterimdi bilmen, dostar. Kan zhutyp, bul kasyretten arylmadym, kaj zhakka keterimdi bilmen, dostar (In the eyes - tears, in the heart - melancholy, in the soul - fire, what to do, I do not know, friends. I choke on blood, I cannot get rid of this grief, I do not know where to go, friends) » [3, p. 82]. In addition, in 45 hikmet ascertains: «Duniede ne bar dejsig maggilik, Olar da erteg miskin bolar kaggyryp (You think there is something eternal in the world, But tomorrow they will become poor tramps)» [3, p. 107]. In 61 Hikmet regrets: «Oh, dariga, otti omirim, kajranym (oh, what a pity life has passed, my poor) » [3, p. 132].
In Balasaguni, for example, this «existentialist» idea is stated in poetic form: «All life will fly like a crazy wind; You cannot hold it back at any cost! ... This world - that beauty of a withered pore: Girlish habit, but the years are old ... » [4, pp. 80, 59].
At the same time, the emphasis is on the temporary residence of man on earth, on the relativity of human existence, on the shortness of life, on regret for the uniqueness and irreversibility of human existence. Therefore, the motives of sadness, sorrow, regret are prevailed. Such motives, such «existentialist» ideological viewpoint, are inherent from Yassawi, who claimed the illusory nature of this world, the vanity of human existence.
Confirmation of this is in the line from «Diwani Hikmet»: «Basynan ar kimnig bul zhalgan oter, Bayansyz - zhatpaj zhigan mal da beker. Karyndas, atag-anag kajda ketti? Agas at ali-ak kun sagan zheter (This deceitful world is transitory for everyone, do not be consoled by the fact that there are a lot of cattle, it will not be there either. Where did your father and mother, your sisters go (left this world)? And you will leave suddenly when Death will come» [3, p. 60].
Turkic motifs also clearly heard in the circulations used by Yassawi, especially when he used, for example: «ua, dariga!», «Hey, dostarym!», «Ua, kudiret!», «Ah, zharandar!».
Conclusions
Summing up, it can be noted that the concept of Yasawi combined the ideas, that became the basis of his anthropology: asceticism as a mode of existence and ecstasy as a path to God; love as a rush to the Absolute and death as a genuine fusion with it; «perfect man» as an ideal of «Humanity»; ethical rigorism and futility of individual human existence.
References:
1. Aldaspan. XV-XVIII centuries Kazakh poet, collection of storytellers / Collect., M.Magauin. A.: Zhazushy, 1971
2. Plotinus. Enneads. In 7 tons / Trans. T.G. Sidash, ed. O.L. Abyshko. (Series «Plotiniana»). -SPb.: Publishing house of Oleg Abyshko, 2004-2005. [T. 3] The third ennead. 2004. - 480 p.
3. Yassawi Khoja Ahmet Diwani Hikmet. Danalyk kitabi. Almaty: Halykaralyk Abay clubs, 2009. - 312 p.
4. Yusuf Balasagunsky. Blessed knowledge. Moscow: Nauka, 1983.
Information about the author:
Gaziz Telebayev (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan) - Professor, Doctor of philosophical sciences,
professor of L. Gumilev Eurasia National University, researcher of Nazarbayev center,
address: Bokeihan 1, Nur-Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan, e-mail: telebaevg@,gmail.com
Research on Turkic philosophical tradition, «philosophical points» on the Great Silk Way,
Turkic philosophical elements in philosophical systems of Korkyt Ata, Al-Farabi and
Yassawi.
Research on Orhon-Yenisey written monuments, the categories of Tengri and Qut, the representation of Tengri category in ancient and medieval Turkic sources, particularly in Codex Cumanicus.
Research on philosophical ideas of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Zhusup Balasaguni, Omar Khayyam and others. Also he has articles on the history of Western philosophy, religious studies, political science and sociology. Author of over 300 scholarly publications.
Contribution of the authors. The authors contributed equally to the present research.
