The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (657 page)

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Authors: John Bowker

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Dhu’l-N
n al-Misr
(d. 859 (AH 245)).
An Egyptian mystic who travelled widely in search of truth and certainty. He became a leading authority on
ma‘rifa
(knowledge of inner truth) and was considered to be the
qutb
(spiritual head) of the
S
f
s
of his time. Dhu’l Nun classified knowledge into three categories;
(i) the knowledge of religious commands and observances, which is for both the elect and the common people;
(ii) the knowledge gained by proof and demonstration, which is for the elect; and
(iii) 
ma‘rifa
, which is beyond the power of human learning and reason (which is why so many reject it). He equated it with the love of God.
Dh
tanga
(Skt., P
li, ‘shaking off’). Twelve optional practices allowed by the
Buddha
(see further
ASCETICISM
):
(i) wearing patched robes;
(ii) wearing a robe made of three pieces (
tric
vara
);
(iii) eating only begged-for food;
(iv) eating once a day;
(v) refraining from excess at any meal;
(vi) taking only a single portion of food;
(vii) living in seclusion;
(viii) living where bodies are cremated;
(ix) living under a tree;
(x) living in the open;
(xi) living in whatever place one chances to arrive at;
(xii) sitting and not lying down.

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