When a hundred thousand generations (represented by these birds), outside time past and future, had passed away, these mortal birds spontaneously surrendered themselves to utter annihilation; and when all these birds, who had been beside themselves, came to themselves again, they attained immortality after annihilation. Never could any man, young or old, speak aptly of death or immortality. As these things are beyond Thy sight, so is their description beyond all explanation and definition. Yet my readers desire at least an allegorical explanation of the immortality that follows annihilation. How may they be satisfied? One would have to write a new book on this subject.
As long as thou art in existence or in nothingness, how couldst thou set foot in this place? But when, O ignorant one! thou art no longer hindered on thy way by existence or by nothingness, thou enterest as in a dream and seest what took place at the beginning and at the end; and, knowing the end, behold its advantage. A germ is nourished amid a hundred honours and attentions, to become an intelligent and active being. It has been instructed in its own secrets, it has been given the knowledge it needs; then death came and effaced all, and cast this greatness into abasement. This being became the dust of the road and was annihilated many times over. But amid this annihilation it learned a hundred secrets of which it knew nothing. Then it was granted immortality in its entirety, and it received honour in place of the degradation that had been its lot. Dost thou know what thou possessest? At last return within thyself and reflect. As long as thy soul is not in the service of the eternal King, how will He receive thee here? As long as thou dost not find the abasement of nothingness, thou shalt never see the exaltation of immortality. Thou art first cast upon the spiritual path in abasement, and then raised up with honour.