The Dabistan

267

reach of one's progress is the earthly dominion. The
third degree is the manifestation of the heart, by laud-
able qualities, which is similar to red light, and the
utmost reach of its progress is the middle of the
upper dominion; and in this station the heart praises
God, and sees the light of worship and spiritual
qualities- With the pure Sufis, " the heart" signi-
fies the form of moderation which keeps the mind
in such dispositions that it may not at all be inclined
to any side towards excess and redundancy, and the
possessor of his mind whose fortunate lot is such a
station, is praised as " the master of the heart," or
cc the lord of the mind/' The fourth degree is the
applying of the constitution to nothing else but to God, and
this is similar to yellow light, and the utmost reach
of its progress is the midst of the heavenly malkut,
" dominion.'* The fifth degree of the soul is that
which resembles white light, and the utmost aim of its
progress is the extreme heavenly dominion. The
sixth degree is the hidden, which is like a black light,1
and the utmost reach of its progress is the ddl&nijab-
rut,Cc the world of power." The seventh degree is
ghaiyub al ghaiytib, " the evanescence of evanes-

1 According to the Diet., Ferhengi Shuuri (vol. II. p. 430, edit, of
Constantinople) the seven heavens mentioned in these pages as habita-
tions of the perfect are called Heft-aureng, " seven thrones" (a name
commonly given to the seven stars of the Great Bear); they have seven
colors, the highest is the black.