When Aladdin had his famous encounter with the jinn, as described in the Arabian Nights (although with many exaggerations and inaccuracies), he was already in his fifteenth life cycle. The next three cycles were less adventurous but were marked by increasing virtue, so that by 2006 (Common Era) when preparing for his nineteenth cycle, he was approaching that state where the wheel of birth and rebirth was nearing its end.
The completion of the process of enlightenment could not, of course, be guaranteed, because the free will must be exercised at every stage. Even Aladdin’s nineteenth cycle would present challenges – indeed, new challenges, that matched the more advanced nature of Aladdin’s soul. However, the expectation among the higher intelligence was that quite soon his atman – his soul – would be ready for that state of bliss achieved by all those who were faithful to the ideals formulated in the major religions.
Given the tradition in which Aladdin had lived most of his life, the Hindu higher intelligence interviewed him at the beginning of January 2006 (as measured by those of us on Earth).
Esta historia es de la edición October/November 2021 de Philosophy Now.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October/November 2021 de Philosophy Now.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The Two Dennises
Hannah Mortimer observes a close encounter of the same kind.
Heraclitus (c.500 BC)
Harry Keith lets flow a stream of ideas about permanence and change.
Does the Cosmos Have a Purpose?
Raymond Tallis argues intently against universal intention.
Is Driving Fossil-Fuelled Cars Immoral?
Rufus Duits asks when we can justify driving our carbon contributors.
Abelard & Carneades Yes & No
Frank Breslin says 'yes and no' to presenting both sides of an argument.
Frankl & Sartre in Search of Meaning
Georgia Arkell compares logotherapy and atheistic existentialism.
Luce Irigaray
Luce Irigaray, now ninety-two years old, was, among many other things, one of the most impactful feminists of the 1970s liberation movements - before she was marginalised, then ostracised, from the francophone intellectual sphere.
Significance
Ruben David Azevedo tells us why, in a limitless universe, we’re not insignificant.
The Present Is Not All There Is To Happiness
Rob Glacier says don’t just live in the now.
Philosophers Exploring The Good Life
Jim Mepham quests with philosophers to discover what makes a life good.