The Reflection of Plato's samples (Platonism) on Mathnavi of Mowlawi

The theory of "samples" is the basis of Plato's philosophy. It's one of the terms of Ešrâqi philosophy (intuitionism) as it is comprehensible only by meditation and not senses. Plato's view is that if a large number of people are gathered under one name, all of them have the same Idea (sample). These ideas belong to the rational world and this world is interpreted as the world of "samples", "forms" and "generalities" that sometimes is equated with what Islamic mystics believe about ayân-e sâbete, Âlam-e zarr, Âlam-e bi-jahat, and Âlam-e lâmakân, Âlam-e bud, and Âlam-e asmâ' va sefât-e elâhi. This article studies Platonism and its reflection on Mathnavi of Mowlânâ, based on four allegories as cave, sun, line and mirror.