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Vernacular Simplicitas Dei in the Satpanthī Gināns: The Godhead between Nirguṇa and Saguṇa
Abstract
The Satpanthī gināns, a vernacular Subcontinent Ismāʿīlī Shīʿī tradition, thoroughly exemplify an ontotheological paradigm of divinity that at once insists upon the strongest modality of divine simplicity, and concomitantly, the theophanic nature of the divine guide, or satgur. It is between this bifurcation of the Divine guide as 'arūp', 'nirguṇ', and 'nirañjan' (formless, transcendent of qualities, predications, and characteristics), and the divine guide as saguṇa (possessing form, qualities, and ontic predications), that the ginānic theosophical paradigm is to be situated. Indeed, recognizing the centrality of both dimensions of the ginānic tradition, and their dyadic interrelationships, are essential to engaging the gināns in both their historical, and theological Subcontinent context. The nirguṇī ontotheological paradigm of divinity comprises both an essential feature of the ginān discourse, and the discourse of the Subcontinent context inherent to the background and ideational scaffolding of the gināns. The nirguṇī devotional paradigm further exemplifies a presentation par excellence of an accounting of simplicitas Dei that is at once both philosophically rigorous, and lyrically theopoetic. Central to this nirguṇī devotional and ontotheological paradigm of divinity was the formless, absolutely simple, transcendent God, beyond all properties, qualities, who grounds the infinitude of forms, both of the pleroma, and the mundane world. The efflorescence of this nirguṇī theological and devotional paradigm, exemplified by streams of traditions such as the Sant and Nāthpanthī tradition (the tradition of Gorākhnāth), permeated Subcontinent late mediaeval discourse. Such nirguṇī streams of vernacular and vernacularizing (bhāṣā) tradition arose within a period contemporaneous with the composition and proliferation of the gināns. The ontotheological paradigm offered by the traditions, flourishing within this period of devotional theopoetic religious genius, further provided a rich template for the articulation of Ismāʿīlī Neoplatonic Arabo-Persianate philosophical theology. The nirguṇī framework was mobilized to articulate this philosophical theology within a vernacular and indigenizing Subcontinent discourse. The ginān tradition skillfully weaves and interleaves these multiple nirguṇī and saguṇī threads and multivalent layers. This paper situates this facet of the ginānic discourse within the socio-historical, and theological milieu of the nirguṇī tradition and its variegated exponents, especially the Sant and Gorākhnāth streams of tradition. Such an approach affords multiple insights appertaining to theological, literary, compositional, interpretive, and historical issues. Likewise, this approach provides profound insight on authorial issues, questions of conversation partners, and self-identity within the early Satpanthī ginānic communities. Ultimately, this approach allows us to better situate the weltanschauung within which the ginān tradition was first articulated.
Discipline
Religious Studies/Theology
Geographic Area
Central Asia
India
Indian Ocean Region
Iran
Islamic World
Pakistan
Sub Area
None