The flower on the table is older than it looks. Each element in it, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá observes, once lay in the mineral kingdom and wore a thousand forms there before it rose into the plant; one day it was in the sea, another in the air, another a raindrop, a bird, a human body. Nothing on this journey is destroyed; the particle is only transferred, and in every kingdom it reflects a different perfection, so that the saying that all things are involved in all things becomes a sober description. Yet the powers of a living whole are not the properties of its parts. Lucretius followed rain into grain and fruit to argue that nature reduces nothing to nothing, an ancient kinship that stops short of the theological meaning ‘Abdu’l-Bahá draws [1]. Circulation becomes a way of seeing divine bounty flow through every rank of being, and it leads on to the degrees of spirit in the kingdoms of existence, to the claim that elementary matter cannot be annihilated, and to the long question of evolution.
For instance, there is no doubt that this flower is composed of diverse elements. At one time, each of its elements was in the mineral kingdom and passed through myriad forms in that kingdom, in each form manifesting a different characteristic. Now it has entered the plant kingdom and is traversing through vegetative forms. At one time it is part of this flower; at another time it is part of another flower or tree. In brief, it will pass through myriad forms in the plant kingdom.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Address at Theosophical Society of Edinburgh, 1913-Jan-09 -- ABU0078)
02
Thus, every single elemental particle of existence transfers through infinite forms -- one day it is in the sea, another day on land, another day in the air, another day it is rain, another day a cloud, another day a flower, another day a human, another day an animal. That is, it journeys through all beings and in each being it possesses a distinct perfection -- in the human world it has human perfection, in the animal world animal perfection, and in the vegetable world vegetable perfection.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1912-Aug-02 in Dublin, NH -- ABU0151)
03
The mineral evolves till it is absorbed in the life of the plant, the plant progresses till finally it loses its life in that of the animal; the animal, in its turn, forming part of the food of man, is absorbed into human life.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Dreyfus home in Paris, 1911-Nov-10 -- ABU0054)
04
The natural philosophers arrange this matter thus, and upon this foundation establish all natural questions, for this is the fundamental principle of their school---their other questions are entirely derivative---and it is this: In existence there are simple elements, each being a single particle that cannot be divided or separated. All beings are combinations of these individual elements - that is, they are composed of diverse parts. They liken the simple elements to letters which cannot be divided. For example, "A" is singular and cannot be divided. But other beings are like words composed of multiple letters - words that can be divided and separated.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1909-Nov-17, to Qabil, Abbas son of Karbala'i Ghulam Ali -- AB00060)
05
All things in creation are composed of simple atoms of compound particles. In the mineral kingdom, many substances such as gold are composed of simple atoms. In the vegetable kingdom, plants are composed of more complex particles, hence we see they have more qualities and powers, such as growth, for example. Then again, in the animal kingdom, the creatures are still more complex and have additional powers such as instinct, and in the kingdom of man many more powers and qualities are possessed and developed.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to E.J. Rosenberg et al, spoken around Feb. 1901 -- ABU1858)
06
Again, substances of the mineral kingdom may become constituents of vegetable forms; but they do not thereby lose their mineral nature. They become, not a growing power, but part of a growing form. These substances may in like manner come to animal bodies, but, as before, without leaving behind their peculiar nature as minerals, although they take on certain qualities from the animal. And, finally, they may go to make up bodies and receive the impress of the character of man-may reflect the perfections of human nature; still they do not lose their identity as minerals.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Myron Phelps and Madame Canavarro in Dec. 1902 -- ABU1139)
07
For example, an atom of the soil or dust of earth may traverse the kingdoms from mineral to man by successive incorporations into the bodies of the organisms of those kingdoms. At one time it enters into the formation of the mineral or rock; it is then absorbed by the vegetable kingdom and becomes a constituent of the body and fibre of a tree; again it is appropriated by the animal, and at a still later period is found in the body of man. Throughout these degrees of its traversing the kingdoms from one form of phenomenal being to another, it retains its atomic existence and is never annihilated nor relegated to nonexistence.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at the Theosophical Society on 1912-May-04 -- ABU0070)
08
In short, the single element is subjected to coursings and journeyings throughout the interminable universe, and in every stage it has certain distinct virtues. For these virtues there is no end. Thus it is evident that the single element is absolutely indestructible and eternal. It appears in all phenomena, at most being subject simply to transferences, but not to destruction. It is everlasting.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Theosophical Society in San Francisco, 1912-Oct-11 -- ABU1593)
09
Those molecular atoms which go into the make-up of the human body were originally in the mineral world, and these atoms have had journeyings and coursings through all the various phases of the mineral kingdom, appearing under various forms and images.
Stepping up into the vegetable kingdom these atoms have been transferred from mineral to vegetable. In the vegetable kingdom they have manifested under various shades, and in a myriad of forms.
Rising into a higher scale of life, we see them again in the animal kingdom, expressing themselves through multitudes of forms and images.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken in Jan. 1913 -- ABU1774)
10
For example, it has existed in the elemental substances of the mineral kingdom. From the mineral kingdom it has traversed the vegetable kingdom and its constituent substances; from the vegetable kingdom it has risen by evolution into the kingdom of the animal and from thence attained the kingdom of man.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Maxwell home on 1912-Sep-02 -- ABU0241)
11
For instance this chicken that you are eating was once in the Mineral Kingdom, through successive stages it reached the vegetable Kingdom, then the animal Kingdom and now it is going into the make up of your constitution - which is the human Kingdom.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to a Frenchman, spoken on 1914-Jun-03 -- ABU2506)
12
As for your question about the slaughter of animals: When minerals pass away from the mineral world they enter the vegetable world and thus progress, and when plants pass away from the vegetable world they progress and enter the animal world, and when they pass away from the animal world they enter the human world and progress.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1909-Sep-22, to Rashid Jamshid Hazari Parsi -- AB00767)
13
But true felicity for the animal consists in passing from the animal world into the human realm, like the microscopic beings that, through the air and the water, enter into the body of man, are assimilated, and replace that which has been consumed in his body. This is the greatest honour and felicity for the animal world, and no greater honour can be conceived for it.
And further, whensoever a thing is destroyed, and decayeth, and is cut off from life, it is promoted into a world that is greater than the world it knew before. It leaveth, for example, the life of the mineral and goeth forward into the life of the plant; then it departeth out of the vegetable life and ascendeth into that of the animal, following which it forsaketh the life of the animal and riseth into the realm of human life, and this is out of the grace of thy Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1902-Sep-13, to Mrs J O Wilhelm -- AB01624)
15
We come from the earth; why were we transferred from the mineral to the vegetable kingdom -- from the plant to the animal kingdom? So that we may attain perfection in each of these kingdoms, that we may possess the best qualities of the mineral, that we may acquire the power of growing as in the plant, that we may be adorned with the instincts of the animal and possess the faculties of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste, until from the animal kingdom we step into the world of humanity and are gifted with reason, the power of invention, and the forces of the spirit.'
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at 97 Cadogan Gardens in London, 1912-Dec-26 -- ABU1800)
16
For example, when this mineral enters the world of the plant, it will see that the power of growth exists. When a plant enters the world of the animal, it will see that the faculties of sense perception exist; when an animal enters the human realm, it will realize that rational faculties exist. And when man gains admittance into the spiritual world, he will realize that the soul, like unto the sun, is established; that it is immortal, and that it will continue to exist forever.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Theosophical Society on 1912-May-26 -- ABU0205)
17
In the physical creation, evolution is from one degree of perfection to another. … This world is full of seeming contradictions; in each of these kingdoms (mineral, vegetable and animal) life exists in its degree; though when compared to the life in a man, the earth appears to be dead, yet she, too, lives and has a life of her own.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1911-Nov-03 in Paris -- ABU0626)
18
From this it becomes evident that throughout countless ages, every primordial atom must journey and traverse through the infinite degrees and stations of the Kingdoms of life on this grand Cosmos. In every stage of growth and development this atom assumes unto itself a definite form and shape conformable to its environment and adaptable to its existence and possible variation until at last it attains to its highest point of progress, displaying all its latent force of variability and development.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Shaykh Yousef and others, spoken on 1915-Feb-21 -- ABU0441)
19
The elemental atoms which constitute all phenomenal existence and being in this illimitable universe are in perpetual motion, undergoing continuous degrees of progression.
… In its ceaseless progression and journeyings the atom becomes imbued with the virtues and powers of each degree or kingdom it traverses. In the degree of the mineral it possessed mineral affinities; in the kingdom of the vegetable it manifested the augmentative virtue or power of growth; in the animal organism it reflected the intelligence of that degree; and in the kingdom of man it was qualified with human attributes or virtues.
… It is evident, then, that each elemental atom of the universe is possessed of a capacity to express all the virtues of the universe.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Metaphysical Club on 1912-Aug-27 -- ABU0024)
20
Al-Ash'ari says about it: [']The entire creation consists of matter and power (movement). Matter, the corporeal, consists of atoms which are alike; they, the atoms, fill up space, they are units without magnitude conceived as points, on which all spatial corporeal existence is based. The atoms do not penetrate into each other, they move, they change. All changes of the atoms are based on combination and separation, on quick and undetectable movement -on this is dependent the form, the appearance of the body.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken in the house of Abdu'l-Baha in Feb 1910 -- ABU0226)
21
It is an established fact that Man travels through these various kingdoms. The indivisible atom in the mineral kingdom appears through infinite changes, and in each change it manifests a peculiar virtue. - Having perfected its journeys through the mineral kingdom it ascends to the vegetable kingdom - Again in the vegetable kingdom this indivisible atom manifests itself throughout all the different varieties of plant life, and having again finished its experiences in this kingdom it will appear in the animal kingdom - Here again we observe the same process of assimilation and perfecting until it ascends to the human kingdom.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1913-Jan-22 in Paris -- ABU0234)
22
It is evident that each material organism is an aggregate expression of single and simple elements, and a given cellular element or atom has its coursings or journeyings through various and myriad stages of life. For example, we will say the cellular elements which have entered into the composition of a human organism were at one time a component part of the animal kingdom; at another time they entered into the composition of the vegetable, and prior to that they existed in the kingdom of the mineral.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address at Stanford University on 1912-Oct-08 -- ABU0008)
23
Therefore, every primordial atom of these atoms, single and indivisibly, has had its coursings throughout all sentient creations, going constantly into the make-up and aggregation of elements. Thus you have the conservation of energy and the infinitude of phenomena, the indestructibility of phenomena, changeless and immutable because life cannot become annihilated. The utmost is this; that the form, the outward image, throughout these changes and transformations is dissolved. The realities of all phenomena are immutable and unchangeable. Extinction or mortality is nothing but the transformation of pictures and images but the reality back of these images is eternal.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at The White Lodge in Wimbledon, 1913-Jan-03 -- ABU0055)
24
For it is clear, evident, and indeed obvious that every capacity, merit, power and perfection that any thing acquires in one rank of existence becomes manifest when it is raised to the rank above it. … For instance, the capacities and bestowals that the mineral acquires in the mineral world do not become visible in the mineral world, but rather when it transfers from the mineral world to the vegetable world, that inherent gift is unveiled. And when the plant acquires the capacity to develop a sensitive body in the vegetable world, this perfection appears upon its transfer to the animal world.
When we observe the world of created phenomena, we discover that each atom of the atoms of substance is moving through the various degrees and kingdoms of organic life.
In the same manner the bestowals of God are moving and circulating throughout all created things.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Theosophical Lodge on 1912-May-30 -- ABU0041)
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
26
Every single atom of these aggregate atoms has its myriad transferences as has been proved by science. Every single atom has its coursings throughout all the kingdoms of life.... Along the degrees of the mineral kingdom it journeyed, appearing in various forms and reflecting various images, manifesting a peculiar virtue in each.