YAAYYABA SHANAN WALAABUU: THE WAAQEFFANNAA CONCEPT OF THE QUINTUPLE PRINCIPLES OF CREATION ‘QQC’
In waaqeffannaa there are five fundamental principles through which everything in the universe (Walaabuu) is ordained and governed by. By virtue of these Principles the entire universe exists in absolute peace and perfect harmony. In primeval time before the blessing of Waaqaa Gurraacha-Tokkichaa-Haqaa came unto the face of Walaabuu, Walaabuu contained nothing, nothing existed on it but in. Subsequently Waaqaa, the Supreme Creator, wanted to bring forth blessing on the face of Walaabuu and He then brought forth Bishaan, the primeval substance that contains nothing except the Water itself, and thus this water referred to as Bishaan Gurraachaa, the pristine eternal Water, the precursor of the subsequent, the things to come. In this Bishaan Gurraacha, Waaqaa added the ingredients substance of all kinds to bring forth everything and all things. The pristine waters become muddled with the ingredients substance that added to it and with the addition of the sacred substance it started to stir up and became the Booruu.
The Supreme Being further added His creative power, the Ayyaanaa, into the Bishaan Booruu, and with the addition of the creative substance (Ayyaanaa) the Bishaan Booruu further stirred up and become chaotic. With this, Walaabuu become a disordered realm and full of violent commotion. At this point in time the entire Walaabuu become the tempest of all time with the addition of another sacred substance-the Ayyaanaa. Thence Ayyaanaa refers to the spirit, essence, or the cause of Horaa from which creation emerged; it is that by which Waaqaa created everything and all things and organized the disordered Walaabuu into unit of togetherness in diversity. It refers to that by which and through which, Waaqa creates everything in the universe and hold them together. Ayyaanaa is in fact both that which causes something to come into being and become that which it has caused. Ayyaanaa is, therefore, that which exists before and after that which it causes to come to existence. Here Ayyaanaa is an essence in charge of regulating circumstances to occur and behave in line with Waaqaa’s Principles. Therefore, as Waaqaa’s creative capacity, Ayyaanaa existed before and after that which is caused to come into being as it was already added to the primeval Bishaan Booruu Walaabuu which it changed it into Bishaan Hora Walaabuu, the churning and bubbling Water. In this sense ayyaanaa is the pristine power or energy that by which Supreme Creator created creations. And so Waaqaa created and sustains the universe through Ayyaanaa; and It appears to be of the world and external to it at the same time. He is the outward through his deeds and also the inward at the same time.
In Waaqeffannaa, Waaqaa through Ayyaanaa unifies entities that are otherwise seen as opposite under a single function. Thus Ayyaanaa exist in everything and everything in the universe. This implies Waaqaa exist in everything and everything exists in Waaqaa through ayyaanaa. Through ayyaanaa, thus, Waaqaa is the source of and the course of everything simultaneously. As the result ayyaanaa become the creative capacity of Waaqaa Gurraacha-Tokkicha-Haqaa. The waaqeffannaa spiritual society’s doctrine of ayyaanaa ties and ordained sacred things, environ and living things together through their particular ayyaanaa, that is, everything on earth, trees, rivers, seas, mountains, rocks, animals, human beings, and the days as the character of a day is influenced by it, possesses their own particular ayyaanaa. Due to this Waaqaa makes, ordained and balanced everything into being through Ayyaanaa. Waaqaa through His Ayyaanaa can do and undo everything in Walaabuu, both those in the Bishaan Gubbaa (, or ‘Water the Above’) and those in the Bishaan Godaa (, or ‘Water the Be low’).
Thence to bring forth creation, He, the Supreme Being, has to first bring order unto the disordered Walaabuu. And so He laid down Guiding Principles to bring forth Order to the disordered Walaabuu. Thus to do so He set out five cardinal Principles unto His creation. With the foundation of these quintuple cardinal principles Walaabuu restored optimal peace and harmony relatively equivalent to the primeval one. Due to these the waaqeffannaa recites their antique verse which says “Boora’u malee hin calaluu (Unless it get muddled, it will not be settled and clean)”. These quintuple principles are principle of Innoo, the principle of Irroo, the principle of Tajoo, the principle of Latoo and the principle of Faanoo.
Principle 1: The Principe of Innoo
The principle of Innoo is the first of the quintuple principles that brought order unto the chaotic Walaabuu. The term innoo is the derivative of the term innikaa which literally refers to ‘beginning’, ‘origin’, ‘source’, or ‘first’. It means the beginning event, cause or phenomenon. Thus in this context it refers to the first primordial principle that Waaqaa laid down to ordains the disordered Walaabuu and restore absolute peace and harmony. The principle of Innoo, thus, refers to the principle that underlines every creation begun and brought forth from the primordial sacred substance that which the creator Waaqaa added unto the Pristine Water. It connotes everything that brought forth in Walaabuu merely resulted from the changing of something that was, into something else that now is.
As described above in the waaqeffannaa concept of creation, to bring forth creation the Creator first created bishaan, the primeval substance. This bishaan contained nothing and nothing was added to it. Due to this the Waaqeffannaa name it bishaan gurraachaa, the pristine, holy, clean waters. Waaqaa then added the things of creation, the most basic or fundamental unites or ingredients of life or creation of each kind, into the bishaan gurraachaa which muddled the first waters and with this the pristine bishaan become the harbor of the ingredients of the creations to come which the waaqeffanna call it booruu. This bishaan now stirred up and became a chaotic realm. To bring forth life and living Waaqaa added the creative energy, the ayyaanaa into the ingredients of life and into the bishaan booruu where it changed to the Horaa, the chaotic waters. It is from these chaotic waters that everything brought forth and run continuously without interruption after their kind. The creator fashioned this logical arrangement with the end in mind/nous, the absolute peace and harmony.
From this circumstance, this primordial principle tells us that everything in Walaabuu comes from its own primordial forms and breeds after their kind. It implies that it evolves from something that was, the things that Waaqaa create in the primordial time, and the sacred primordial substance that Waaqaa added into the primordial Water Gurraacha to make the Water Booruu and Horaa. The principle of Innoo embodies the idea that creation always flow on their own specific primordial avenue, the sacred avenue that which the creator Waaqaa designed for each specific creation to walk on after their kind and spiral on their own balanced eternal wheel about the center. It also embodies the idea that creation is always formed from the primordial substance from which it was originally brought forth. Hence everything arises from pre-existing primordial sacred substances of its kind that which the Divine Being added into the primordial Gurraachaa water, that is, the most basic unite of life. And thus all life arises only from pre-existing life by fission or division. In the primeval time after the creator completed His first phase of creation, He blessed and divided or fissioned the first hermaphroditic entity into two equal but complementary entities of all kind so that they walk on their own sacred avenue and breed after their kind. Therefore all life arises from this preexisting life and each specific kind has its own beginning. This implies every creation has its own initial beginning or antecedent (ancestor, ascendant, root, preceding, prior, preexistent) sacred substance whereas this initial beginning will brought forth the subsequent (consequent, succeeding) one which in turn produce another beginning in which it becomes the base for another effects to come (waantii cuftii kahuumsa qaba, kahuumsii duraa kunimmoo itti baha fi kahuumsa biro itti aanuuf hundeedha). This means everything revolves spirally upon the primordial and previous entity. Thus everything build upon the primordial preexisting substance which the waaqeffannaa spiritual society call it ancestors. It means everything has ancestors; the ancestors are the antecedent of their descendants, where these descendants become the precursor or ancestors of the next or following descendants.
In this principle everything must have a cause (, or precursor) except the Supreme Creator Waaqa Gurraacha-Tokkicha-Haqaa, and that under the same circumstances a definite cause always has the same effects (, or subsequent). It implies phenomenon cannot be created from nothing; once created neither can it be destroyed. This first principle tells us that everything begins from the first primordial substance of its kind that which added unto the First Waters. This initial substance brought forth the things that associated or linked with this initial substance or entity. In accordance with this principle under any circumstance human kind brought forth (breed) human kind, not nothing else while horse also brought forth (breed) horse as it was added unto the pristine Waters.
Principle 2: The principle of Irroo
This is the second of the quintuple principles of creation through which the tempest Walaabuu become orderly organized. In Waaqaa’s creative work there is always things that the Creator put it first with the end in mind. As the result the Supreme Being logically arranged creations in orderly fashion according to their senior-son-ship as Senior-Junior (Angafaa-Maandhaa), Higher-Lower (Irraa-Jala) principles of ordination. To do this the Creator after creating Walaabuu He arranged them in logical ordering according to their order of coming into beings; where that which first brought forth into the face of Waaqaa become angafaa (senior-son-ship). Therefore, the first cause (, or the antecedent) is always a senior (, or elder) while the effect or the consequence of the first cause or the cause of this effect becomes the junior (Maandha, Quxusuu). This implies the cause (taatee) is always the senior (angafaa) while the effects (baatee) assume the position of the junior (maandhaa). In this sense the maandha comes from the angafaa; the angafaa causes the maandhaa.
In waaqeffannaa Waaqaa is always the elder or senior of all. He is a unique universal Creator and Master. He is also at the same time creating these contrasts, containing them and superseding them and thereby creating something new out of them. In the waaqeffannaa spirituality, Waaqaa creates and regulates the existence of all animates and inanimates, material and non-material nature and places them in a well-balanced cosmic order and it is done through ayyaanaa. Ayyaanaa, thus, refers to the spirit, essence, cause of things; it is that by which Waaqaa created everything and all things. It refers to that by which and through which, Waaqaa creates everything in the universe and hold them together. Ayyaanaa is in fact both that which causes something to come into being and become that which it has caused. Ayyaanaa is, therefore, that which exists before and after that which it causes to come to existence. The waaqeffannaa spiritual society doctrine of ayyaanaa ties and ordained sacred things, environ and living things together through their particular ayyaanaa, that is, everything on earth, trees, rivers, seas, mountains, rocks, animals, human beings, and the days as the character of a day is influenced by it, possesses their own particular ayyaanaa.
Therefore, the second of the quintuple cardinal principle of Walaabuu is based on the principle of ‘taatee-baatee’ which literally refers to the principle of ‘cause and effect’ or the principle of Irraa-Jalaa which literally mean the principle of Higher-Lower as in the divine arrangement of Walaabuu as Bishaan Gubbaa and Bishaan Godaa. The Principe shows everything comes into being in order, in logical ordering or arrangement. It indicates the arrangement of creation according to the coming of things into being; implying nothing comes into being simultaneously. It shows the arrangement of creation according to their seniority as everything has an elder of ancestors from which it brought forth. It shows the act of putting or placing creations in sequential arrangement as per their seniority as elder-son-ship and junior-son-ship. The creator places creations in chronological ordering according to their coming of things into being through Ayyaanaa.
Thence based on this sacred principle, the waaqeffannaa spiritual society constructed and ordered their social structure as Hoboo and Cooraa, and the principle of Irraa-Jala, or angafaa-maandhaa govern this Principle.
Principle 3: The principle of Tajoo
This is the third principle of the quintuple principles of Walaabuu which the Creator Waaqaa enacted to restore peace amongst His Creation. It tells us that “waan facaafatan haamatu (one reap what is being sown)”. It implies that there is an effect for everything people do or say, and that the effort a person puts into something will be rewarded appropriately in life. The Principe embodies the idea that whatever you send into the universe, it comes back. It shows each cause has an effect, and each effect has a cause. It implies action equals reaction, equal creates equals. The cause can originates on many different planes. Every thought, every feeling, every action is a cause which has an effect. In accordance with this Tajoo principle there is no sin, no blame, no guilt, no fault, and no chance, or luck, there is no such a thing as coincidence. When one violate the sacred covenant of Waaqaa and commit wrongdoings, the person get sinned and Waaqaa turns away His face from this person and as the result the person become susceptible or prone to the consequence of cubbuu. Thus it is the violation of the sacred covenant of Waaqaa that cause the turning of face of Waaqaa away from that person in which it cause the susceptibility of the person to anti-safuu things. There is only cause and effect. Everything happens according to this principle, nothing can escape it. Every cause has its effect, every effect has its cause; everything happens according to this principle. In accordance with this principle, every effect that one sees in his life has a very specific cause which has its origin. Every one of a person’s actions sets a specific effect in motion which will come. There is nothing like chance or luck. Chance is but a name for our ignorance about the things that not recognized to us; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the principle. Therefore the antecedent determine the subsequent (waantii dursamee hojjatame egeree waan dhufuu ni murteessaa).
This Principe of Tajoo connotes that actions will have consequences or repercussions. It is linked to the concept of getting back what one put forward. Say good things to everyone; treat everyone with total respect and it will all come back as everything we do have a consequence. Any action in the past or present life events can have repercussions in the next or future life events. Everything that happens to you is a result of your actions. And this implies what we are today is the result of what we have lived in the past. In their prayer antique verse, the waaqeffannaa recites ‘yaa Waaqi mirga na oolchii mirgaan na galchii (O Waaqaa keep me right the whole day and help me return to my home right)’ when they came out of their home in the morning and it connotes this concept of Tajoo as righteous thought attract righteous consequences.
Principle 4: The principle of Latoo
This principle of Latoo is the fourth of the quintuple principle that sustains Walaabuu in peace and harmony. The principle describes despite the fact that truth may get fallen, twisted, or loosened, it will never get broken into pieces, ceased and lost; it resurrect, re-germinate and raise again. Truth never remains hidden; it raise again and shine over the entire Walaabuu. Truth is eternal, ever sprouting and ever shining. The term latoo is the derivative of the verb latuu (lattuu, lataa, latiinsaa) which literally mean ‘to continue without interruption’, or ‘to prosper without interruption’. It also refers to continuous prosperity without interruption or without any gaps’. It is the act of continuous prosperity in time and space without interruption. The Principe embodies there is no break in nature and creation is a continuous process in spiral repetition revolving on eternal wheel. The antique verse of the waaqeffannaa spiritual society which recites as “dhugaan Ni aallattii maleee hin cittuu (truth never broken into pieces though it may get thinned)” connotes this principle. It tells us that whether truth may falls, twists, or loosen it never broken into pieces and thus it reappear again. When it falls, it raises again; when it get twisted, it straighten again; and when it gets loosened, it gets strengthened again. This principle embodies the concept that “everything flows (waantii cuufti socho’aadha), out and in (tokko ol tokko gadi); everything has its tides (waanti cuiftii bu’aa bahii qaba); all things rises and falls (hundii ni kufas ni ka’as); the pendulum swing manifests in everything (sochiin soochee waan cufa keessa jira); the measure of the swing to right is the measure of the swing to the left (safarrii soochee gara mirgaa safara soochee gara bitaati); rhythm compensates (sochiin waldhuga).” It embodies the truth that everything is moving to and fro, flowing in and out, swinging backwards and forward. There is always a reaction to every action. Everything ebbs and flows, goes up and comes down. The swing of the pendulum (soochee) is present in everything and the swing to the one side is equal to the swing to the other side.
In accordance with this principle everything is either growing or dying. When one dies, another one get birth, when one get down, the other raise up. It embodies the truth that everything is moving to and fro, flowing in and out, and swinging backwards and forwards. There is always a reaction to every action. Everything goes through cycles, yet everything has a rhythm or a pattern to it. Everything happens with purpose. There is nothing left to chance. This sacred principle governs everything in Walaabuu. Creation never cease nor disappear; it return in one form or another. Existence is eternal. This implies that existence once brought forth into being on Walaabuu never lost or ceased once it happens (waantoti walaabuu keessatti argaman badanii hin badan). They reappear in one or in another form. Things appear in rhythmic manner: birth, death, and rebirth. It is eternal rhythmic revolving in spiral manner. It never cease to zero, rather it revolve forever in spiral repetition. Creation revolve in eternal spiral repetition on a balanced wheel; they go and return; they went away and return back. Creation is like a pendulum.
Principle 5: The Principle of Faanoo- the principle of like attract likes, law of love and attraction
This is the fifth of the quintuple principle of Walaabuu that brought order in to the chaotic Walaabuu. This principle of Faanoo tells us that a similar kind flow together. In the Waaqeffannaa creation concept Waaqaa places everything and all things in appropriate place and appropriate sequence aiming to restore order, peace and harmony unto the chaotic Walaabuu according to their likeness. And thus Waaqaa put all His creations in logical and sequential arrangement according to their faanaa (, or footprint). The term faanoo is the derivative of the term faanaa which literally refers to ‘footprint’, ‘sole’, ‘footmark’, ‘footstep’, or ‘step’. It is also literally refers to a mark of a foot on a surface. It also means a trace suggesting that something was once present. In this principle of Faanoo, a similar kind flow together after their footprint or their kind, as the waaqeffannaa spiritual society antique verse recites “Walfakkaattiin walbarbaaddi (alike things attract like things)” or Simphirreen baalleen (koola) walfakkaatu waliin godaanu (birds with same feather fly together)”. In the creation narration of the waaqeffanna, when the creator created the primordial water and added the ingredients substance that which later come into being, He also added the things that determine the character of creation, that is, the power of attraction and the creative energy. With this creative energy and power of attraction, the primeval water become stirred up and similar energy pulled together and organized according to their likeness and after their kind even before they come into what we call Beings. Thus this power of attraction, the ayyaanaa, is naturally imbedded unto every creations so that the ayyaana drawn towards its alike ayyaanaa. This primordial principle describes similitude things, things of the same character or behavior, in Walaabuu is logically arranged together by the creator Waaqaa. In accordance with this principles bad things attract bad things; righteous things attract righteous things, and at odd things repel each other.
This principle of faanoo works universally on every plan of action, and thus we attract to whatever we desire or expect. If we desire one thing and expect another, we become like houses divided against themselves which are quickly brought to anguish. Therefore, determine resolutely too expect only what you desire, then you will attract only what you wished for. The result of positive thoughts is always positive consequences. The same hold true for anti-safuu (destructive) thoughts as anti-safuu thoughts or deeds are always leading to anti-safuu consequence.
With these quintuple Principles the creator brought forth Order unto the disordered and non-peace Walaabuu. He put His Creation in their proper place and order in the universe (, or Walaabuu) so that the creation assume spiral or cyclical repetition on a balance wheel. Due to this one cannot existed without the other. According to this Principles had it been no Waaqaa, there was no creation.