48 



Ghazzali's Alchemy of Happiness. 



. spirit is created, and is also from all eternity are in error, 

 for nothing is eternal except the being and attributes of 

 God. 



Those also, who say that the spirit is but an accident, 

 are in error, for the spirit exists by itself in the body, and 

 an accident is that which subsists with something else. 

 And those who say that the spirit is matter are in error, 

 for matter is that which can be divided, and spirit is not 

 susceptible of division. There is spirit, beloved, which 

 is called animal spirit, which is susceptible of division. It 

 is found in animals. But that spirit, which has the pro- 

 perty of knowing God, and which is called the heart, is 

 not found in beasts, nor is it matter or an accident. The 

 heart, on the contrary, has been created with angelic quali- 

 ties. It is a substance of which it is difficult to apprehend 

 the essence. The law does not permit it to be explained, 

 but there is no occasion for the student being acquainted 

 with it at the outset of his journey. That which is neces- 

 sary to the student is pious ardor and zeal, and this must 

 be called into exercise in perfection. It is God who gra- 

 ciously teaches the student what spirit is, as we find in the 

 Holy Book: "We will direct in our way, all those who 

 shall strive to propagate our worship." 1 And if a man does 

 not strive earnestly for the faith, there is no use of explain- 

 ing to him the essence of spirit. It is, however, lawful to 

 explain to him the instruments by which it operates. 



Know, seeker after the divine mysteries ! that the body 

 is the kingdom of the heart, and that in the body there are 

 many forces in contrariety with the heart, as God speaks 

 in his Holy Word : " And what shall teach thee the forces 

 of thy Lord?" The heart was destined to acquire a know- 

 ledge of God, in which its happiness consists. But we 



1 S. 29 : 69. 



