CHAPTER III. DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF AN INDEX TO MEASURE
3.3. R ESULTS AND D ISCUSSION
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WKH ZRUOG EHJLQ"¶ $QG PDQ\ FRVPRORJLVWV JR DORQJ ZLWK WKHVH TXHVWLRQV DQG
give estimates for the age of the physical universe (today, usually about 15 ELOOLRQ \HDUV $Q\ DQVZHUV WR VXFK TXHVWLRQV ZLOO TXLFNO\ OHDG WR D PRGHUQ
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already mentioned in Chapter 1: i.e. whether time was created in or before the ZRUOG RU YLFH YHUVD RU ZKHWKHU WKH\ DUH ERWK HWHUQDO 0DQ\ ULGGOHV DQG SDUD-GR[HVTXLFNO\HPHUJHRXWRIWKLVGHEDWH)RUH[DPSOHRQHPD\DVNLIWKHZRUOG
started at a certain point of time, why God chose that time in particular? Could the world have been created ten minutes before or after that designated time?
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world?
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from Him Who is also out of time, and therefore the creation of the world can
,EQµ$UDEî’s concept of time
not be compared to other events in time. The existence of the Creator precedes the existence of the world ORJLFDOO\, and not chronologically, so it is like when ZHVD\µWKHGD\VWDUWVZKHQWKH6XQULVHV¶WKHUHLVQRGXUDWLRQRIWLPHWKDWVHSD-UDWHVVXQULVHIURPWKHVWDUWRIWKHGD\>,$O0DVk¶LO, no. 25], but logically WKHGD\ZRXOGQRWVWDUWLIWKH6XQGLGQRWULVH7KHH[LVWHQFHRI$OODK:KRLV
Pre-Existent (Qadîm or $]DOv DQG 6HOI([LVWHQW 4D\\P), is a precondition – not a cause – for the existence of the world. Therefore, because the world was FUHDWHG RXW RI WLPH QRW µLQ¶ WLPH WKH DERYH TXHVWLRQV DUH LQYDOLG $OO VXFK
TXHVWLRQV XVH WLPH SKUDVHV WKDW KDYH QR PHDQLQJ RXWVLGH RI WKDW WLPH ZKLFK
appeared in or with the world and not before it.
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The fact of the matter is that the existence of the Real is not determined (temporally or causally) by the existence of the world: not temporally before, with, or after, because temporal or spatial precedence with relation WR$OODKLVFRQIURQWHGE\WKHUHDOLWLHVFRQIURQWLQJZKRHYHUVSHDNVDERXWLW
factually – unless they say something by the way of illumination, as had EHHQVDLGE\WKH0HVVHQJHUSHDFHEHXSRQKLPRULWZDVH[SUHVVHGLQWKH
(divine) Book. For not everyone is able to experience the unveiling of these realities. We can only say that the Exalted Real exists by Himself and for +LPVHOI+LVH[LVWHQFHLVDEVROXWHLVQRWFRQ¿QHGE\DQ\RWKHUWKDQ+LP
and is not caused by something nor is He the cause of anything – But He is the Creator of causes and results, WKH.LQJWKH0RVW+RO\2QH
Who always is and has been.
The world exists WKURXJK$OODK, not by itself or for itself. Therefore the existence of the Real Who exists by Himself is a determining condition for the existence of the world, which would not exist at all without the existence RIWKH5HDO$QGVLQFHWLPHFDQQRWH[LVWZLWKRXWWKHH[LVWHQFHRIWKH5HDO
DQGWKHGLYLQH6RXUFHPDEGD¶) of the world, therefore the world comes to H[LVWµLQRWKHUWKDQWLPH¶6RDFWXDOO\ZHFDQQRWVD\LQWKHWUXHUHDOLW\RI
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of the world). Nor can we say that the world existed after the existence of WKH 5HDO VLQFH WKHUH LV QRWKLQJ RWKHU WKDQ WKH 5HDO µDIWHU¶ RU µZLWK¶ WKH
existence of the Real, because He caused (everything else) to exist and is PDNLQJLWDQGRULJLQDWLQJLWLQWKHZRUGVRIDIDPRXVKDGLWKµZKLOHWKHUH
ZDVQRWKLQJZLWK+LP¶
6RDVZHVDLGWKH5HDOH[LVWVE\+LPVHOIDQGWKHZRUOGH[LVWVthrough the Real. But if someone governed by his imagination (wahm) should ask µ:KHQZDVWKHZRUOGFUHDWHGDIWHUWKH5HDO"¶ZHZRXOGVD\WKDWµZKHQ¶LV
DWLPHTXHVWLRQ%XWWLPHEHORQJVWRWKHUHDOPRIUHODWLRQVQLVDE, see: SDK:
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consideration:WDTGvU), not by the creation of what exists . . . Therefore this TXHVWLRQLVQRWYDOLG6R\RXVKRXOGEHFDUHIXOKRZ\RXDVNDQGGRQRWEH
,EQµ$UDEî’s concept of time
veiled by the tools of (conventional human) expression from actually realiz-ing and fully comprehendrealiz-ing these realities in yourself.
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coming into existence) after non-existence – and that is the existence of the 5HDOPD\+HEHH[DOWHG$QGDQH[LVWHQFHWKDWRQO\FRPHVWREHDIWHU
the non-existence of the essence of that existent thing itself – and that is the H[LVWHQFHRIWKHZRUOG6RWKHUHLVQRWDQ\FRPSDUDELOLW\RUFRH[WHQVLYH extension between those two existences, apart from that imagined, presumed RQHWKDWLVUHPRYHGE\WUXHNQRZOHGJH6RQRWKLQJLVOHIWRIWKDWIDOVHO\
supposed comparability of God and the world) but absolute Existence (of
*RG DQG GHWHUPLQHG H[LVWHQFH RI WKH ZRUOG $FWLYH ([LVWHQFH RI *RG and passive existence (of the world). This is what is given by the realities, DQGSHDFHLHWKDW¶VDOO
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above there are two corresponding kinds of time, spiritual and physical. The spiritual world preceded the creation of the material universe (nature) as we know it (stars and planets), so there was spiritual time before the creation of the physical world. He indicates that spiritual time is necessary to describe the rela-tion between spirits and the divine Names before the creating of the physical ZRUOG6RLQWKLVUHVSHFW,EQµ$UDEvGRHVUHVSRQGWRWKHDERYHPHQWLRQHGTXHV-WLRQLQJDERXWZKDWZDVµEHIRUH¶WKHFUHDWLRQRIWKHSK\VLFDOZRUOG9 but he still FRQVLGHUVVXFKTXHVWLRQLQJLQYDOLGEH\RQGWKHVHWZRFUHDWHGUHDOPVRIWKHZRUOG
,Q IDFW ,EQ µ$UDEv H[SODLQV WKDW WKH ZRUOG KDV WKUHH GLVWLQFWLYH RQWRORJLFDO
µOHYHOV¶µDODPDOPXON or µDODPDOVKDKkGD, which is the visible world; µDODP
DOPDODNW, which is the realm of meanings; and µDODPDOMDEDUW, which is the DOOHQFRPSDVVLQJ UHDOP RI WKH GLYLQH µ,PDJLQDWLRQ¶ EDU]DNK >,
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always be; it is eternal without beginning and eternal without end. However, this is not saying that the material (and even the spiritual) world is eternal, but the ZRUOGKDVVRPHVRUWRISUHH[LVWHQFHLQWKHIRUHNQRZOHGJHRI$OODKDQG$OODK¶V
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those two ends to coincide with each other, so time as a whole is like a circle that can not be described to have a beginning or an end, but when we set a point WKH SUHVHQW DQG D GLUHFWLRQ WR WKH SDVW RU IXWXUH RQ WKLV FLUFOH ZH GH¿QH D
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±±GLYLGHVDOOWKLQJVLQWHUPVRIWKHLUW\SHRIH[LVWHQFHLQWRWKUHHLQFOX-VLYH FDWHJRULHV QHFHVVDU\ SRVVLEOH RU µFRQWLQJHQW¶ mumkin), and impossible
,EQµ$UDEî’s concept of time
>,, ,,±@ 2QO\ $OODK¶V H[LVWHQFH LV GHVFULEHG DV µ1HFHVVDU\¶ RU
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RWKHU KDQG LV FDOOHG µSRVVLEOH¶ EHFDXVH LW LV SRVVLEOH to exist, but in order to actually come into existence it needs a determining cause (PXUDMMLK) who has to EHSUHH[LVWHQWDQGVHOIH[LVWHQWRUQRQHRWKHUWKDQ$OODK Therefore, the world (the possible) is originally non-existence (but not absolute non-existence, only a QRQH[LVWHQFHWKDWLVSRVVLEOHWRH[LVWDQGLWLVDOZD\VLQQHHGRI$OODKLQRUGHU
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that it exists E\ or through$OODKDQGQRWWKURXJKLWVHOI7KHGLIIHUHQFHEHWZHHQ
absolute non-existence and possible non-existence is that the latter exists (even EHIRUHLWFRPHVLQWRUHDOH[LVWHQFHLQ$OODK¶V.QRZOHGJHDQGWKLVIRUHNQRZO-HGJH LV HWHUQDO EHFDXVH +LV NQRZOEHIRUHLWFRPHVLQWRUHDOH[LVWHQFHLQ$OODK¶V.QRZOHGJHDQGWKLVIRUHNQRZO-HGJH LV QRW RWKHU WKDQ +LPVHOI >,
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them not for Him. But (for Him) they are still as they were on their spatial DQG WHPSRUDO VWDWHV ZLWK WKHLU GLIIHUHQW WLPH DQG VSDFH FRRUGLQDWHV 6R
+HUHYHDOVWRWKHPWKHLUHQWLWLHVDQGVWDWHVOLWWOHE\OLWWOHLQ¿QLWHO\DQGVXF-FHVVLYHO\ 6R WKH LVVXH IRU$OODK LV RQH DV +H VDLG DQG 2XU &RPPDQG LV
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countables themselves.
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However, despite this pre-existence, we can not say that the world is eternal and only developed from one state to another. It is not exactly clear how Henry
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DIWHULWVEHLQJQRQH[LVWHQFH¶>,@,Q$O'XUUDW$O%D\Gk¶ he also declares WKDW µWKH GHSHQGHQW H[LVWHQFH WKH SRVVLEOH PD\ RQO\ EH DIWHU QRQH[LVWHQFH
otherwise it would not be a “possible” whereas it is possible, and it would not be DQ H[LVWHQFH E\ WKH 6HOI([LVWHQW ZKLOH LW LV LQ IDFW DQ H[LVWHQFH E\ WKH 6HOI
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If Corbin means what we explained in the previous paragraph – i.e. that eve-U\WKLQJH[LVWHGLQWKHIRUHNQRZOHGJHRI$OODKHYHQEHIRUHLWUHDOO\H[LVWHGLQWKH
world – then we have to stress the difference between the essence or entity (µD\Q) RIDWKLQJLQ*RG¶V.QRZOHGJHDQGLWVDFWXDOH[LVWHQFH:LOOLDP&KLWWLFNGHYRWHG
a full chapter in his book 7KH6X¿3DWKRI.QRZOHGJH to explaining this impor-WDQWFRQFHSWLQ,EQµ$UDEv¶VRQWRORJ\SPK±7KHHQWLWLHVRIWKHZRUOG
DUH LQ $OODK¶V IRUHNQRZOHGJH HWHUQDOO\ EXW WKH\ DUH EURXJKW LQWR H[LVWHQFH ±
after they were not existing – one after the other. This is a very important dis-WLQFWLRQ,EQµ$UDEvFRQWLQXHVE\H[SODLQLQJWKDW
,EQµ$UDEî’s concept of time
(YHU\WKLQJLVLQQHHGRI$OODKWKH([DOWHGIRUWKHH[LVWHQFH of its essence (or entity: µD\Q), not for its essence, because its immutable essence (µD\QXKX
DOWKkELWDPRVWZLGHO\WUDQVODWHGDVµSHUPDQHQWDUFKHW\SH¶VHHSPKLV
not determined in its immutability; it is not determined by a determiner, for there is no determination in eternity . . . so the existence of the possible may only be after non-existence, which means it was not, and then it is.
($O'XUUDW$O%D\Gk¶VHHDOVR$O0DVk¶LOQR
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to be necessary at every single moment, because the world is continuously EURXJKWLQWRH[LVWHQFHLQHYHUUHQHZHGIRUPVLHLWLVFRQVWDQWO\µUHFUHDWHG¶
However, it is still not easy for the human mind to imagine the existence of the created world (DOPXKGDWKDQGWKHHWHUQDOH[LVWHQFHRI$OODKWKH(WHUQDORU
Pre-existent (DOTDGvPZLWKRXWDUHÀHFWLRQRIVRPHWLPHVHSDUDWLRQ$QGHYHQ
IRU,EQµ$UDEvWKHLVVXHLVQRW\HWFORVHG$VKHVXJJHVWHGLQWKHORQJSDVVDJH
TXRWHGDERYHVRPHKRZXQGHUVWDQGLQJWKLVP\VWHULRXVSRLQWVHHPVWREHEH\RQG
QRUPDOKXPDQSHUFHSWLRQDQGUHTXLUHVDGLYLQHO\LQVSLUHGNQRZOHGJHDFFHVVLEOH
only to rare individuals with the very highest spiritual attainments. This same GLI¿FXOW\ FDXVHG PDQ\ 0XVOLP SKLORVRSKHUV DQG RWKHU WKHRORJLDQV WR FRQWLQXH
WRVSHFXODWHRQPDQ\WKHRULHVWKDW,EQµ$UDEvGLVDJUHHVZLWK.LWkE$O$]DO
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existence of the world in chapter 59 of the )XWKkW, which is the same chapter in ZKLFKKHWDONVVSHFL¿FDOO\DERXWWKHWRSLFRIWLPH,EQµ$UDEv¶VDUJXPHQWSUH- VHQWHGDWWKHEHJLQQLQJRIWKLVFKDSWHULVH[WUHPHO\FRPSOLFDWHGDQGYHU\GLI¿-cult to understand, even in its original language. However, because of its importance, we are obliged to translate it here, with some necessary explanations in parentheses.
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EHJLQQLQJRIWKLVFKDSWHU,EQµ$UDEvVD\V
<RXVKRXOGNQRZ¿UVWWKDW$OODKWKH([DOWHGLVWKH)LUVW (DODZZDO), and WKHUHLVQR¿UVWQHVVDZZDOL\\D) to anything before Him nor to anything else – whether that exists through Him or independent of Him – with Him: but He is WKH2QHLHWKH8QLTXHDOZkKLG), Glory be to Him, in His Firstness.
6RWKHUHLVQRWKLQJWKDWLVVHOIH[LVWHQWDSDUWIURP+LPEHFDXVH+HLV the
$OO6XI¿FLHQW (DOJKDQv) in Himself, absolutely, and Independent of all other beings. He said: DQG $OODK LV 6HOI6XI¿FLHQW ZLWK UHVSHFW WR DOO WKH ZRUOGV DQGWKLVLVWUXHDFFRUGLQJWRERWKWKHLQWHOOHFWDQGUHYHODWLRQ
7KHUHIRUH WKH H[LVWHQFH RI WKH ZRUOG FDPH DERXW E\ $OODK HLWKHU IRU
+LPVHOIRUIRUµRWKHU¶WKDQ+LPVHOI%HFDXVHLIWKLVµRWKHU¶ZDV+LPVHOILW
ZRXOGQRWEHµRWKHU¶DQGDOVRLIWKLVµRWKHU¶ZDV+LPVHOI+HZRXOGEHQHF-HVVDULO\ FRPSRVHG LQ +LPVHOI DQG WKH ¿UVWQHVV ZRXOG EH WR WKLV µRWKHU¶
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WRDQ\WKLQJZLWKRUEHIRUH$OODK
,EQµ$UDEî’s concept of time
6RLIWKLVµRWKHU¶LVQRW+LPVHOIWKHQLWZRXOGEHHLWKHUH[LVWHQFHRUQRQ
existence. But it is impossible to be non-existence, because non-existence can not bring the world (from its non-existence) into existence because there LVQRDQ\SULRULW\WRDQ\RQHRIWKHPLHWKHZRUOGDQGWKLVµRWKHU¶WKDWLV
non-existence) to come into existence, since both of them are non-existence, and non-existence has no effect because it is null.
2QWKHRWKHUKDQGWKLVµRWKHU¶FDQQRWEHH[LVWHQFHEHFDXVHWKHQLWHLWKHU
H[LVWVE\LWVHOIRUQRWLHWKURXJKVRPHWKLQJHOVH$QGLWLVLPSRVVLEOHWKDW
WKLVµRWKHU¶H[LVWVE\LWVHOIVLQFHLWKDVDOUHDG\EHHQSURYHGWKDWWKHUHFDQ
not be two self-existent beings.
6RLWUHPDLQVWKDWWKLVµRWKHU¶H[LVWVE\VRPHWKLQJHOVHDQGWKHPHDQLQJ
of the possibility of the world is nothing but that it exists by something else.
7KHUHIRUHWKLVµRWKHU¶LVWKHZRUOGRUVRPHSDUWRIWKHZRUOG
$OVRLIWKHH[LVWHQFHRIWKHZRUOGE\$OODKLVGXHWRµVRPHWKLQJ¶ZLWKRXW
ZKLFKWKHZRUOGZRXOGQRWH[LVW±ZKHWKHUWKLVµVRPHWKLQJ¶LVFDOOHGµZLOO¶
(irâdaµZLVK¶mashî’a¶µNQRZOHGJH¶µLOP) or anything you want which LVUHTXLUHGE\WKHµSRVVLEOH¶LQRUGHUWRH[LVW±WKHQWKH5HDOZRXOGQRWEH
DEOHWRGRDQ\WKLQJZLWKRXWWKLVµVRPHWKLQJ¶%XWWKDWLPSOLHVQRWKLQJEXW
QHHGIXOQHVVZKLFKLVLPSRVVLEOHIRU$OODKEHFDXVH$OODKLVDEVROXWHO\6HOI
6XI¿FLHQWVLQFH+HLVDV+HVDLG6HOIVXI¿FLHQW(Independent) with respect WR DOO WKH ZRUOGV $QG LI LW LV FODLPHG WKDW WKLV µVRPHWKLQJ¶ LV WKH
Essence Himself, then we say that it is impossible for anything to be µLQ QHHG RI¶ LWVHOI DQG VLQFH +H LV 6HOIVXI¿FLHQW LQ +LPVHOI WKHQ WKLV
IDOVH VXSSRVLWLRQ ZRXOG OHDG WR WKH VDPH FRQWUDGLFWLRQ ± LH EHLQJ 6HOI
VXI¿FLHQW DQG \HW QHHGIXO LQ +LPVHOI DW WKH VDPH WLPH ± DQG DOO WKLV
is impossible.
7KHUHIRUHVLQFHZHKDYHDOUHDG\GLVSURYHGWKHH[LVWHQFHRIDQ\µRWKHU¶
(determining cause of the existence of the world), we conclude that the existence of the world, inasmuch as it exists through something else, is FDXVDOO\UHODWHGWRWKH1HFHVVDULO\6HOI([LVWHQWZkMLEDOZXMGOLQDIVLKL:
LH$OODKRUWKH5HDODQGWKDWWKHHVVHQFHµD\QRIWKHµSRVVLEOH¶LWVHOILV
WKHORFXVIRUWKHHIIHFWRIWKH1HFHVVDULO\6HOI([LVWHQW¶VEULQJLQJWKHSRVVL-ble into existence. It can only be properly comprehended like this.
+HQFH VXFK LQWULQVLF GLVWLQFWLRQV DV *RG¶V µ:LVK¶ mashî’a µ:LOO¶
(irâda µ.QRZOHGJH¶ µLOP DQG µ$ELOLW\¶ TXGUD) are (all) Himself – may He be exalted far above any multiplicity within Himself! Indeed His is DEVR
OXWH8QLFLW\DQG>LQWKHZRUGVRIWKHIDPRXV6XUDDO,NKOkV] He µis the 2QH (DO:kKLG),WKH8QLTXH (DO$KDG), $OODKWKHRQHRQ:KRPDOOGHSHQG
DO6DPDG; +H GLG QRW JLYH ELUWK – for then He would be a preceding (cause);QRULV+HERUQ – since He would then be a result; nor is there any
³RWKHU´ HTXLYDOHQW NXI¶ WR +LP¶ ± IRU LQ WKDW FDVH WKH H[LVWHQFH RI WKH
world would be the result of twoSUHFHGLQJFDXVHVWKH5HDODQG,WVµHTXLYD-OHQW¶ ± PD\ $OODK EH H[DOWHG DERYH WKDW 6R WKLV LV KRZ +H GHVFULEHG
Himself in His Book when the Prophet, peace be upon him, was asked to GHVFULEHKLV/RUGWKHQ+HVHQWGRZQWKH6XUDDO,NKOkVMXVWTXRWHGKHUH
,EQµ$UDEî’s concept of time
(according to the circumstances described in a hadith.DQ]WRJHWULG
of all (supposed) sharing (shirkZLWKRWKHUWKDQ$OODKE\WKRVHKLJKTXDOL-WLHV DQG GHVFULSWLRQV 6R WKHUH LV QRWKLQJ $OODK QHJDWHV LQ WKLV 6XUD RU
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The importance of this long paragraph comes from the fact that it shows the EDVLVRI,EQµ$UDEv¶VGLVWLQFWLYHYLHZRIFUHDWLRQWKHGLVWLQFWLYH±DQGH[WUHPHO\
controversial – view that many scholars have traditionally calledµWKHRQHQHVVRI
being (ZDKGDWDOZXMG¶EXWZKLFKKDVEHHQZLGHO\PLVXQGHUVWRRG,EQµ$UDEv
himself could not describe it plainly, simply because it is a reality whose direct SHUFHSWLRQ GHSHQGV QRW RQ ORJLF EXW ± DV ,EQ µ$UDEv VWUHVVHG LQ WKH SDVVDJH
TXRWHG DW WKH HQG RI VHFWLRQ ± RQ D UDUH LQVSLUHG H[SHULHQWLDO µWDVWLQJ¶
UHVWULFWHGWRWKHVSLULWXDOHOLWHRIWKHµ6ROLWDU\2QHV¶$VVRRQDVLWLVVSRNHQLWLV
OLNHO\WREHPLVXQGHUVWRRG:KDW,EQµ$UDEvWULHVWRSURYHLQWKHSDVVDJHVMXVW
TXRWHGDVLQPDQ\FKDSWHUVRIWKH)XWKkW and other books, is that the existence of the world is solely dependent on the existence of the Real, Who is One and
TXRWHGDVLQPDQ\FKDSWHUVRIWKH)XWKkW and other books, is that the existence of the world is solely dependent on the existence of the Real, Who is One and